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Portable restrooms for weddings in Kentucky 2023

How Long in Advance Should You Plan Your Wedding?

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Christmas and the New Year – what a wonderful time of happiness and family and gifts, but also the perfect time for a proposal. With so many deals and discounts, it’s no wonder that it’s one of the most popular times of the year to get engaged! If you found your forever partner and are now expecting to tie the knot sometime soon, you might be wondering what your wedding timeframe should be.

Well, it’s probably all very dependent on what you want for your special day. How in-demand is the venue you have your eye on? What about the caterer and the florist? How far booked out is your photographer?

That might seem like a vague answer, so to make it easier, most wedding experts will tell you that planning a year to 18 months in advance is usually going to be your best bet, but there are always exceptions. Depending on what time time of year you want to get married and how set you are on having specific vendors for your wedding, it could be more like 24 months, or if you’re doing it DIY or small-scale, it could be as short as 3-4 months!

Either way, experts also recommend taking the month right after you get engaged to stop, celebrate, and make big decisions with your new fiancé before any other planning begins.

Pre-Planning Decisions

In order for the wedding to go smoothly, both partners should have a good idea of what they envision for their wedding, and then to compromise if need be. Even if one partner has more investment in how the wedding looks or what they want there, both should be involved in this pre-planning period, because this is where big decisions get made.

  1. What season do you want the wedding?
  2. Do you want a long or a short engagement?
  3. What’s the wedding budget?
  4. If there’s a honeymoon, when will it be taken?
  5. How many people will be invited?
  6. How big will the wedding party be?

The average engagement period is 13-16 months in the US, so don’t feel like you have to rush, or like you have to wait that long at all! It’s nice to just celebrate love and the engagement in and of itself, so don’t feel pressured to begin planning the big ticket items straight away, especially if you already know you want a long engagement, since that gives you a timeframe forgiving of potential accidents that can take time to fix.

What’s the Next Step in Planning a Wedding?

Once you’ve figured out the answers to these questions, it will be much easier to start the heavy-duty planning after. For example, after a season has been chosen, it will be easier then to choose a specific date for your big day, and that timeframe is the most important part of planning, since everything else revolves around it from booking a venue to letting your vendors know when they’ll need to provide their services. And since you’ll know your budget and your target guest limit, your next step of finding and booking a venue will be made a little easier, since a lot of venues are booked a year in advance, but you’ve already talked about limits and constraints.

Make sure you know what kind of food you’re looking for and if the caterer is able to work within your chosen venue’s contract. Sometimes, certain venues will have guidelines or even a list of approved caterers that you’ll have to choose from, so if food is an important part of your wedding, plan accordingly! Your other vendors should be booked sooner rather than later, as well, such as:

  • Florists
  • Make-up and hair stylists
  • Photographers
  • Videographers
  • DJs
  • Bar services
  • Bakers
  • Portable restroom services
  • Clean up services
  • Etc.

You always want to make sure that each service has an opening for your date, especially if you’re looking for a specific provider!

Finally, when it comes to ‘save the dates’ and invitations, a good recommended timeframe to start sending out your paper or digital invitations is 6-8 months from your chosen date or ASAP for ‘save the dates’ and then 6-8 weeks from the wedding for invitations. And closer to the date might be cutting it close for some guests, so you’ll want to make sure you give them plenty of time to RSVP and plan for travel, childcare, pet care, and to purchase any gifts they might want to give. You should also be looking for flights or travel costs for your own honeymoon around the time you send out the ‘save the dates’ so that you can get a good grasp on how much you’ll be paying for travel, lodgings, food, etc. and factor that into how much you’ll be willing to pay for the other wedding services.

Contact Moon for Your Portable Restroom Needs

Moon has been Kentucky’s source for premium portable restrooms, portable restroom trailers, showers, portable handicap restrooms, and more for decades. We also specialize in other related services including trailer storage and sales, dumpster rentals, refrigerated container rentals and more. If you need a clean, high-quality solution for your restroom needs at your wedding, Moon is in your corner and ready to fit your timeframe! Ask for the Moon and get it!

Moon Portable Restrooms has years of experience offering the best portable restrooms, restroom trailers, portable handicap restrooms, and handwashing stations available to customers across Kentucky and Southern Indiana. For more information, give Moon Portable Restrooms a call at 502-776-2199. 

Affordable Outdoor wedding venues in Southern Indiana

5 Outdoor Wedding Venues in Southern Indiana

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In the search for the perfect wedding venue for your big day, there is no shortage of choices, but there is always a shortage of time, it seems. And while traditional wedding venues tend to be reliable and take less weight out of your wallet, the prime wedding months from April-October remain the most popular because of one incredibly important detail: weather. Nice weather, to be exact, especially if you’re looking at outdoor wedding venues.

Outdoor weddings take every advantage of that ‘nice weather’ factor, and have grown in popularity for a whole range of reasons – the beauty and ambience of a natural backdrop for your “I do’s” and wedding photos is unparalleled, the experience feels more personal to the couple, and the space that outdoor venues provide lends itself to each individual wedding plan, from large and lavish to small and intimate.

But not all outdoor wedding venues are created equal.

Luckily, we’ve dug into the venue search and come up with a list of some of the most beautiful outdoor wedding venues in Southern Indiana, each chosen to represent one category that you might be looking for regarding:

  • Affordability
  • Uniqueness
  • Evening Availability
  • High Ratings
  • Included Amenities

While there are always more venues out there, here’s our narrowed-down recommendation list for you to check out!

1. Affordability: Indiana Outdoor Weddings

Common amongst budget weddings, Indiana Outdoor Weddings offers you a low-cost venue for you to DIY your wedding at. With three different wedding packages offered, including the Quick Elopement ($249 and 4 guests), DIY Ceremony Only ($499 and up to 125 guests), and DIY Wedding and Reception ($999 and up to 125 guests), Indiana Outdoor Weddings aims to provide a beautiful space for you to conduct your special day, located in Columbus, IN.

With the best bang for your buck out of the three, the DIY Wedding and Reception provides:

  • On Site Assistance (wedding day)
  • 12-Hour Property Rental
  • Wedding Amphitheater
  • Electrical/Water Supply
  • Forest Settings​
  • Gazebo on the Pond
  • Extensive Rock Gardens Forest Settings
  • Rehearsal Night Before if required and available
  • 2- Hour Property Access before & after wedding for set up/clean up
  • Arrange your own: Reception Tent, Tables/Chairs/Linens, Dance Floor
  • Arrange your own: Caterer/Bar Service & Entertainment

2. Uniqueness: Mesker Park Zoo and Botanic Garden

Located in Evansville, IN, the Mesker Park Zoo offers a unique outdoor venue for your wedding with plenty of amenities that you won’t see anywhere else, including exotic guests to visit up close (plus additional perks), paddle boats, and a jungle transport tram. Accommodating up to 150 guests and with an indoor option, as well, you have your choice of the available Event Center Venue, Park and Garden Venue, or Rainforest Venue. The Mesker Park Zoo and Botanic Garden is an assured memorable experience for everyone, with attractions to keep guests of any age entertained and a beautiful location that will give you the feel of a destination wedding, all from nearby Southern Indiana.

3. Evening Availability: Avon Gardens

If you’re worried about time limits, music cutoffs, or just want the beautiful, serene atmosphere of an evening wedding – Avon Gardens in Avon, IN is the venue for you. Especially attractive in the summer months, when temperatures drop to dramatically more comfortable levels in the evening, Avon Gardens affords you the option of both daytime and evening wedding times, with a gorgeous, blooming garden for your backdrop either way. Whether you want your wedding lit up by the sun or illuminated with hundreds of candles, this 250 guest-accommodating ceremony and reception venue provides flexibility, adaptability, and value, including:

  • 5 acres of garden space
  • Convenient May-October blooming periods, during the heart of wedding season
  • Provided bridal arbor, pavilion, gazebo, and tent decoration included in cost
  • Climate-controlled indoor changing areas for the bridal party
  • A garden pavilion and outdoor bar for receptions
  • Included set-up and cleanup services
  • No beverage minimums
  • No flat fees
  • Guest and day-based rates for a tailored cost
  • Two hour venue availability for photos and preparation

4. High Ratings: Willow Acres

With a 5-Star rating, Willow Acres proves itself to deliver wedding results as beautiful as its grounds suggest. Located in Middletown, IN, this venue offers a comprehensive experience, with available add-ons to customize your wedding and extensive lists of vetted wedding services, such as DJs, caterers, florists, bar services, makeup and hair stylists, bakers, photographers, videographers, salons, event planners, and rental services in the Southern Indiana area. Even before you choose Willow Acres as your wedding venue, they’re already committed to facilitating your big day and taking some of the responsibility off of your shoulders. As a base list of amenities provided, regardless of the package you choose, they offer:

  • A bridal suite for half of the couple
  • A groom’s RV for the other half
  • Exclusive venue use for the ceremony and reception
  • Provided chairs and tables
  • Golf cart availability for accessibility assistance
  • Outdoor misting fans
  • Parking on premise
  • Tents for unexpected weather

As it strives to provide flexibility to each guest’s event needs, there are three different packages that offer a respectively increasing variety of amenities and prices on top of the basic provisions, which include the Elegant Celebration package, the Enchanted Romance package, and the Distinctly Yours package.

5. Included Amenities: Lakeside Reflections

Right next to Louisville in Jeffersonville, IN, Lakeside Reflections Event Venue prides itself as a full-service venue – meaning everything you need is on-site and included in your chosen wedding package. With an already-considerable list of basic amenities before packages, Lakeside Reflections offers for ceremonies:

  • One Hour rehearsal with D.J. usually the day before, depending on availability
  • Two Hour early access to venue on date of your wedding for vendors & bridal party
  • Use of our Chandelier Bridal Change Room
  • One Hour Ceremony Time
  • Outdoor wedding ceremony overlooking the 11-acre lake
  • D.J. to MC & coordinate your ceremony & customize your music selection for your event.
  • Decorate (2 hours) the day before

For Receptions:

  • Four hour reception
  • A Lakeside Event Coordinator & DJ/ MC playing your customized music
  • Choice of menu prepared and served by Lakeside Reflections
  • White linen tablecloths & white chair covers (black tablecloths are also an option)
  • White skirting & lights for bridal & cake table; black skirting for all service tables
  • Lakeside standard decorations:
    • Tiffany vases w/floral, candle & mirror centerpieces for guest tables
    • Cake stand & knife
    • Toasting glasses
    • Bottle of Asti Spumante
    • Card box
  • White China plates or etched glass plates, glassware, silverware & linen napkins
  • Cake cutting service
  • Full service, set-up & clean-up
  • 1 keg of domestic draft beer
  • 100 glasses of Lakeside House wine
  • Unlimited soft drinks, water, iced tea & hot tea & coffee station
  • Flexible bar services with no minimum

With 7 different food packages, including a customized meal plan, priced for 50-400 guests, Lakeside Reflections has it all on their beautiful, historic, 11-acre lakeside venue. Between the museum and lakeside venue, you won’t have a shortage of options on anything you might need for your outdoor wedding.

Not What You’re Looking For?

Venues are one of the most variable factors of a wedding – you can have them anywhere. If you haven’t found the venue of your dreams, or if you’re trying to budget with a free venue in a backyard or privately-owned or rented property without essential amenities available, such as restrooms, refrigeration, storage, or disposal services, Moon has your basic outdoor wedding venue needs covered.

Moon Portable Restrooms has years of experience offering the best portable restrooms, restroom trailers, and handwashing stations available to customers across Kentucky and Southern Indiana. For more information, give Moon Portable Restrooms a call at 502-776-2199.

Top Tips for Outdoor Event Planning

10 Tips for Hosting an Outdoor Event During the Pandemic

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Thinking about surprising a loved one with an outdoor birthday party? Getting married? Looking to host a concert or movie night for your business or organization? Planning a race? Working on finally having that family reunion? 

If you have an event in the works or have planned an event before, you probably know how difficult it is to coordinate every little thing. There are so many moving parts–food, venue, entertainment, music, guest’s needs–and there’s almost always some sort of unplanned hurdle, like bad weather, a picky eater, or technical difficulties. 

What’s more, hosting a safe, fun event during the pandemic is tricky. You want to be able to connect and celebrate, but you don’t want to compromise the health of your guests, friends, or loved ones. That’s why many people have turned to outdoor gatherings as the ideal way to stay socially-distanced while still being able to meet in-person.

With spring just around the corner, there’s no better time to make sure you’re up-to-speed with the logistics and possible hang-ups you could face as an outdoor event planner. Whether you’re a seasoned expert or this is your first time planning an event, follow along! 

1. Visit the Venue in Advance

This may seem obvious, but many people try to “just wing it” based on positive Yelp reviews or Instagram photos. Don’t be that person. Scope out your chosen venue in advance. Examine the geography of the space–Is it hilly? Windy? Muddy? Exceptionally dark? Nobody wants to get married in the shadow of a building! Feel free to measure or draw on paper where you will place things. Making sure you have the perfect spacing of tables, buffets, chairs, bathrooms, bars, parking spots, etc. is especially important during Covid. 

2. Check Permits and Ordinances

Certain outdoor spaces, even in public parks, require paid permits or preliminary reservations. Do your research before showing up. Make sure there are no restrictive curfews, seasonal regulations, party size limitations, or conflicting events happening in the same space.

3. Plan For Accessibility

Making sure your event is inclusive and accommodating for those with disabilities, dietary concerns, or certain physical needs is very important to consider. Do you have wheelchair access? Have you met everyone’s dietary concerns or removed certain allergens from the menu? If you’re showing a movie, video, or on-screen presentation, do you have captions, large print, or an assistive listening device? If you need more information, check out this Accessibility Checklist by Cornell University.

4. Get Electrical

If you’re hosting an event with music or entertainment of any sort, chances are you’ll need plenty of electrical outlets. Many outdoor venues don’t have electricity, so bringing extension cords or a mobile power inverter may be necessary. 

5. Who’s Going to Make It Happen?

What kind of staff will you need to make your event happen? If you’re hosting a tiny family gathering, you can probably manage as a party of one, but in most circumstances, you’ll need help! Will you have an entertainer, like a DJ, musician, or band? Do you need a catering staff to serve food or beverages? Need maintenance assistance to set up the space and keep the venue clean and orderly? Want vendors to sell wares? Considering a collaboration with a professional decorator or florist? Did you think about hiring a photographer to capture your precious memories? Do you need security if you have VIP personnel? … Maybe you just want a private event manager to handle it all for you! We’d understand.

6. Rain Check!

A rainy forecast doesn’t have to ruin your outdoor event. Many outdoor spaces can easily accommodate covered areas like marquees, patios, and tents, but should be coordinated and confirmed in advance. Otherwise, consider choosing a backup space to move to in the chance of inclement weather. 

7. Where Do I Sit?

People care about their comfort, and you should too. Make sure to have plenty of adequate seating, especially if you’re serving a meal. Assigned seating can be a great idea to keep large parties settled. Elderly people in particular will need a space to rest. If the weather is especially hot, people will want somewhere to cool down.

8. Food!

Food builds connection between friends and family, establishing a shared experience. Making sure you have a great selection of food is vital. Have you met the needs of gluten-free guests, sugar-free guests, vegans, vegetarians, or those with an allergy? Consider the age range and demographics of your party–a child’s birthday party will have a very different menu than a lavish soiree. Coordinating the meal is also important–will it come out in courses? Is it a buffet? When will it happen, before or after the presentation? The planning, preparation, serving, and cleanup of food is far more complex than you’d think!

9. Figure Out Your Covid Plan

Adhering to social-distancing and Covid safety guidelines is a crucial concern. Seating guests in reasonably-separated spaces, providing plenty of room for walk-ways and lines to gather, limiting party size, and making sure you’re on the same page as your event staff is important to consider. If you’re going to require masks or proof of vaccination, be sure to let your guests know far in advance. Also, have a way of properly and discretely enforcing these policies–nobody wants to attend a superspreader event!

10. Secure The Sanitation!

If you haven’t thought about your bathroom situation, now’s the time. Making sure your guests have access to pleasant, comfortable restrooms is vital. Nobody wants to wait in line–make sure you have enough units to accommodate your party size. Having hand washing or sanitization stations may be advisable as well.

Portable Restroom Rentals in Kentucky

At Moon Portable Restrooms, we offer a variety of restroom rentals for every kind of special event. Choose between our standard, flushable, and handicapped portable restrooms, or explore our 11 luxury restroom trailers including Porta Lisa, Comfort Elite, 24’ and 28’ trailers, showers, and more. 

Our luxury trailers include offerings such as sophisticated design, heating and air conditioning, stainless steel sinks, flushable toilets, private cabins, full size vanities with faucets, wood grain floors, and more! Plus, we have hand washing and hand sanitizer stations available exclusively through Moon Portable Restrooms. 

If you’re planning a special event in Lexington, Louisville, Southern Indiana, or anywhere in-between, look no further than Moon Portable Restrooms. We have decades of experience serving the region and take pride in our personalized, high-quality service. Our portable restrooms and restroom trailers can be rented daily, weekly, or monthly depending on your needs. Give us a call at 502-776-2199 to get started today!