As romantic as an outdoor wedding can be, uninvited guests like bats, raccoons, and other critters can ruin the experience. That’s why the animal control specialists at American Bio-Tech Wildlife Services, providing wildlife removal services to clients in and around New Milford, Connecticut, recommend taking certain steps to prevent issues.

Animal Control Experts Share 5 Tips for Keeping Animals Away From Your Outdoor Wedding

1. Store Food Indoors

Until it’s ready to be served, store all your food in an indoor location. Animals generally won’t approach a large party unless the scent of food attracts them. Make sure there are plenty of clearly marked garbage cans nearby for the waitstaff to dispose of any uneaten food quickly. If you can keep the trash cans indoors as well, or at least in a garage, that’s even better.

2. Choose a Fenced-In Property

If possible, select a wedding venue that has some sort of barrier to keep animals out, whether it’s a fence, wall, or even a shoreline if you’re considering a beach wedding. You can also ask the managers of the venue what wildlife control measures they have in place.

3. Time It Appropriately

Get in touch with an animal control professional and ask them what critters you’ll be most likely to encounter given the location of your venue. Learn about the hours the animals are most active, and try to schedule the reception for times when they’ll be least likely to cause a disturbance.

4. Prep the Area

If you or someone you know owns the property where the wedding will take place—perhaps you’re choosing to hold it in a relative’s yard, for example—have an animal control team inspect the property at least two weeks before the wedding. They’ll identify any signs of potential wildlife intruders and take the appropriate steps to remove them from the area before the wedding.

5. Choose a Developed Property

When looking at venues for your outdoor wedding, focus on properties that are relatively developed and aren’t surrounded by woods. There likely won’t be many critters nearby if the surrounding areas are occupied by people already.

To learn more, get in touch with the animal control team at American Bio-Tech Wildlife Services. Contact them online to discuss inspecting the property of your Connecticut wedding, or call (860) 355-1231 to speak to a team member today.