Jackson Free Press

Do you want to be close to nature and incorporate trees, flowers, water or beautiful gazebos into your wedding ceremony or reception? Location, indoors or outdoors, makes all the difference. You may choose a particular venue based on a set theme, seasonal temperatures, the number of invited guests and venue availability.

Mississippi might not quickly come to mind as the supreme place for outdoor weddings, but look around, and you may be surprised. Most couples choose to have an outdoor wedding because their guest list is too large to accommodate indoors, or they prefer the scenery and mild temperatures of nature to the closed walls and cold temperatures that buildings tend to have. As you prepare for future nuptials, you may want to consider one of the following venues for your outdoor wedding.

Fairview Inn (734 Fairview St., 601-948-3429, http://www.fairviewinn.com) offers a wedding package that includes hosting the ceremony and reception for a facility fee of $2,000. This fee covers two-and-a-half hours for the wedding and the reception. The deck holds 200 people. Catering is done in-house and no outside catering is allowed. If you choose an evening event, you can start as early as 5 p.m. and must be out no later than 10 p.m.

Heart of Pines Inn (369 Fannin Landing Circle, Brandon, 601-829-0385, http://www.heartofpines.com) is a beautiful home built in 1902 and renovated in 2000. Renting this location for $3,000 includes the home and its outdoor areas for a full day of set-up, the next day's ceremony and clean up by 10 a.m. the day after. Also included in the price are bridal photos, taken prior to the wedding ceremony. You may choose to use an outside catered, or the Heart of Pines Inn will bid for catering services. If you love being outdoors but want a bit of indoors, too, this is the ideal place to reserve for your wedding event. Nestled among 150 acres of pine trees, it is a nature lover's dream comes true.

Luckett Lodge (214 Clark Creek Road. Brandon, 601-829-2567, http://www.luckettlodge.com). Mississippi Magazine named this venue "one of 10 best places to have an outdoor wedding in Mississippi." If your dream wedding includes wedding vows under oak trees, Luckett Lodge can conveniently provide that with seating for up to 500 guests. Rental and full-service catering for an outdoor wedding is $750, and chair rental ranges from $2 to $3 each, depending on the style of chair you choose. The reception costs $6,000 and includes catering services, tables, linens, place settings and staffing.

Mynelle Gardens (4736 Clinton Blvd., 601-960-1894, http://www.city.jackson.ms.us/visitors/mynellgardens) is a model place for flower admirers. Any bride interested in an outdoor botanical garden with winding pathways can rent this space for a small, intimate ceremony. The cost is $330 for two hours, and Mynelle Gardens will perfectly set the lawn with up to 75 white chairs. A damage deposit of $150 is required. Mynelle Gardens does not make date reservations; first come, first served only.

Wedding by Muse (403 Bradford Drive, Brandon, 601-992-1942, http://www.weddingbymuse.com) features outdoor water fountains, rose bushes and a gazebo. The facility rental can be indoors, outdoors or include both. Venue rental is $1,500 for one full day, but guests must be out no later than 11 p.m. Weddings by Muse can accommodate up to 500 guests, but if you are looking to accommodate a more intimate guest size of 75-150, housekeeping will clean up for you and your guests once the event is over. Ask about the catering options to choose a menu for the perfect reception feast. Catering is priced according to the number of attendees.

Do you know of other perfect outdoor wedding venues? Add more by commenting.

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