Your RV Camping Wedding Guide: Planning Your Big Day
Weddings used to be all about tradition, without much wiggle room for creativity. But times have changed! Couples are embracing new ways to exchange their vows. Some want to bring down the price tag (the average wedding in the U.S. in 2024 will cost $33,000) and others want their big day to reflect their lifestyle.
Nature lovers are turning to outdoor weddings and camping weddings. The marvelous RV community is helping couples incorporate their homes on wheels into their celebrations.
Is an RV wedding right for you? Our guide will help you decide and give you some practical advice on planning your big day.
Step #1: Tent Rental
No matter what kind of outdoor wedding you’re planning, always be prepared for bad weather to reduce your stress. Rent tents for your ceremony and your reception or choose a venue with shelters or indoor options.
Step #2: Reserve Your Campground
In one respect, an RV camping wedding is exactly like a traditional wedding. Booking a venue comes first. It often determines the wedding date! We know that reserving campsites can be a challenge. So let’s tackle this right away.
As an RVer, you may have a favorite campground or state park already. Someplace with the perfect spot to exchange your vows and where you feel comfortable inviting your family and friends.
Don’t assume you can have your wedding there until you contact them. Do this well before reservations open for the dates you’re considering. You want to go into the reservation process with all the facts in hand.
Some parks, campgrounds, and resorts do not allow weddings at all. Others may restrict the number of spaces you can reserve. You may discover that your favorite place doesn’t have the amenities you want for your wedding day.
So as you look for a venue, in this case a campground, prepare a list of amenities you need for the type of wedding you want. A few things to consider:
- How many RV spaces will you need?
- Do you need hook-ups?
- Do you want to set up a dance floor or serve a sit-down meal?
- Do you want to be close to alternative accommodations such as tent camping, cabins, or a nearby hotel?
- Do you have family members who require ADA accommodations?
- Are there quiet hours?
- Is catering allowed?
- What is the bathroom situation?
Step #3: What Kind of RVer Are You?
Your RV lifestyle dramatically affects your RV camping wedding. No matter how big or small your vehicles are, think about providing alternate accommodations for any non-camping guests, especially older relatives. The last thing you want is to exclude someone you love because they can’t sleep in an RV. Your grandparents may thoroughly enjoy your rustic celebration but want to overnight in a nearby hotel.
Let’s take a look at a few RV styles.
Campervans
If you travel in a campervan, the best way to have an RV wedding is to go with a low-key, rustic celebration. You won’t have the space for elaborate changing rooms or private bathrooms for the bride and groom.
What you do have is a lot of flexibility in terms of location. It’s easier to park a Sprinter van than a larger RV and easier to find spectacular, out-of-the-way natural areas when you’re dry camping.
A campervan wedding is easy to combine with a tent camping wedding. Everyone will be roughing it. Be sure to bring some comfortable folding chairs and enlist the help of your guests to do the same.
If you want a simple ceremony with your nature-loving family and close friends followed by an epic evening around the campfire this is a terrific choice. Have everyone bring a dish to pass, get out the s’mores fixings, pop open the champagne, and enjoy your rustic, budget-friendly celebration.
Bathrooms will be tricky here. Your guests who are accustomed to leave-no-trace camping won’t bat an eye. Your new mother-in-law might appreciate a porta-potty.
Class C RVs
Do you and your friends have Class C motorhomes? Larger than a campervan, these vehicles likely have a bathroom and some type of kitchen. You can dry camp or boondock if you like, but you also have the option of choosing a venue with hook-ups.
If you aren’t interested in a completely rustic RV camping wedding, you can plug in and have lights and music. The bride and groom can prepare privately for the ceremony and there is more space for storing formal attire.
Because a Class C RV is still fairly small, you can probably reserve sites at most campgrounds. Having multiple Class C motorhomes available gives you the option of having designated spaces for a bar or a buffet using the rigs’ kitchen appliances to help warm, cool, and store food and drinks.
Check with your campground to see if they allow food trucks. This is a great way to cater an RV camping wedding without breaking the bank or leaving a lot of clean-up for your friends and family.
Class A Motorhomes or Fifth Wheels
If you’re accustomed to luxury RV living, you have endless options for your RV wedding. It can be a formal affair with all the elements of a traditional wedding but in a beautiful natural setting.
Try a luxury RV resort or a glamping resort if this is the type of wedding you prefer. You’ll find venues with platform tents and cabins along with full RV hook-ups and back-in sites.
A high-end, luxury RV wedding can be a budget buster. If money is no object, splurge on a location that offers on-site catering, special tents for the bride and groom to prepare, indoor ceremony and reception alternatives in case of rain, and a stunning altar area.
If you’re not interested in a luxury wedding, use your big RVs wisely. Because they have so much space, family and friends can team up to make the most of sleeping space, showers, changing areas, and kitchens.
If you’re having a small wedding you can have comfortable accommodations for all of your guests in just a few of these big RVs. Reservations for large RVs are often the most difficult to make, so be flexible and have a list of locations you like.
On the plus side, campgrounds that accommodate large Class A RVs are also likely to have other amenities that come in handy for a wedding. Look for nice bathrooms, indoor space in case of rain, and activities to keep the kids entertained.
Step #4: Décor and More
Everyone wants their wedding to be beautiful. When you’re getting married outdoors, Mother Nature has taken care of a lot of your décor.
When you’re adding decorations, respect your space. Buy wildflowers at a farmer’s market instead of using formal, non-native flowers and greens. Find your perfect spot at the venue for your vows. It can be a wildflower-filled meadow, a beautiful beach (lake or ocean), a stunning vista with an amazing view, or simply surrounded by beautiful trees.
You can leave elaborate décor behind and use a simple platform for your vows.
Take the same approach for your RV wedding reception. Use camp lanterns, driftwood, and baskets of wildflowers for table decorations. Have a s’mores station set up on a picnic table. Set a canoe on sawhorses, fill it with ice, and create a bar.
Plan outdoor activities. No matter the age of your guests, everyone likes to play outside. Set up a horseshoe pit, badminton net, or croquet course. Give your guests the freedom to roam the area and enjoy the setting on marked walking paths.
Step #5: An Information Packed Invitation
Any wedding that departs from the traditional needs a clear invitation. Make sure your guests know exactly what to expect. If they do not own an RV, can they tent camp? Are there nearby hotels or cabins, or will non-campers need to rent, borrow, or share an RV?
Be very clear about the dress code. Since these weddings can vary from extremely formal to come-as-you-are casual, be specific. Tell your guests what they need to bring to be comfortable. You’ll be at a campground, after all, so you want people to stay!
Step #6: Be Yourself!
Having an RV camping wedding doesn’t mean you can’t wear a beautiful gown and tuxedo or treat your guests to a delicious meal. What it gives you is options, and a lot of them. An RV wedding can be anything from a lavish catered affair to a simple ceremony with a few family and friends around the campfire.
Be mindful of your guests. If you have non-RVers on the list, enlist your RV community to help them make suitable arrangements.
We love our homes on wheels and we naturally want to share that love on our biggest of days. With good planning and communication, you can have a stunning, unforgettable RV wedding.
