Planning a wedding can be overwhelming, especially when it comes to selecting the venue. You have a lot to consider to make this special day memorable. If you are getting married during peak season, wedding venues may be sold out or extremely expensive. However, this should not kill your dreams.
Several options are available to make your dream come true. You can start by considering your backyard as an option. Depending on where you live and the size of your house, you may end up creating one of the most beautiful yet affordable wedding venues at the comfort of your home.
Have you ever asked yourself whether you can create your own wedding venue? If your answer is yes, you are in the right place. We have compiled a guide to help you make the most of your space while saving on costs.
Factors To Consider When Choosing Your Wedding Venue
If you are looking at your backyard as a viable option, you need to consider some factors before settling on it for your big day. Some of the factors include:
Wedding Date – many people have a specific season when they would like to tie the knot. Some like summer weddings, others during spring. If you are considering a backyard wedding, think about your guests. Will they be able to sit outside when it is raining? Check for weather updates and ensure that your selected date does not ruin your special day.
Size – How big is your backyard? Will it be able to accommodate your ideal number of guests? Consider the number of guests you would like to invite to your wedding and work around it. It would be best if you enlisted the services of a land surveyor to come up with an accurate site plan and allow you to plan accordingly. You may have to revise your guest list to make it work for you.
Accommodations – Consider that some of your guests will have traveled from far and may request accommodations. Will you be able to attend to their requests? Are there sleeping arrangements after the wedding is over? You can book a block of rooms at a nearby hotel to prevent any inconveniences. Some may even offer shuttle services.
Décor – Everyone has their vision of what décor style they would like their wedding to portray. Can your backyard match the theme and style you are looking for? If not, can it be incorporated to make it work? Asking yourself such questions will help you put things into perspective and allow you to make better plans.
Advantages of a Backyard Wedding Venue
One of the biggest advantages of a backyard wedding is that it’s budget-friendly. Wedding venues are highly sought after, making them pricey. Building your wedding venue in your backyard saves you the cost of hiring space for a few hours.
With a backyard wedding, you are also not tied down to a specific vendor list and have the freedom to choose from a wide range. Usually, hired wedding venues come as a package with their own vendors. You’ll also have complete creative control over your big day. Whatever you envision, you can bring it to life. Your wedding planner will consider all your ideas and bring them to life.
Since it is your backyard, you have the freedom to change things as often as you would like until you are satisfied.
Once you are satisfied that a backyard wedding venue is ideal for your big day, you need to get into planning mode. Here are some tips for building your backyard wedding venue.
Tip 1: Hire A Wedding Planner
Planning a wedding is a lot of work, and making the arrangements can be exhausting. In addition, if this is your first time, there are many industry secrets that you are unaware of and, if ignored, could ruin your big day. A wedding planner can see what you do not see and advise you on how to go about it. Your work will only be to tell the wedding planner of your ideas and let them execute your plans.
A professional wedding planner will help you with wedding ideas, décor styles, and themes, as well as a list of vendors to work with. However, you are better off leaving the wedding planner to deal with vendors because they are more experienced at dealing with them and are likely to get a fair quote.
Tip 2: Get Permits
This is an important step for the wedding to take place. Your homeowners’ association and local government give permits for events in the neighborhood. You cannot have music blasting or make unusual noise without permission. It is essential to let them know beforehand as your wedding may be cut short if reported.
>Familiarize yourself with the laws in your street before you settle in your backyard as a viable venue. The last thing you want is to make plans only for your wedding to be canceled at the last minute.
Tip 3: Find Furniture For The Venue
Your household furniture may not be ideal for your backyard wedding. Depending on your theme, you will have to either buy or rent furniture for that day. Again, your wedding planner has the contacts for the best rental equipment and can help you secure the furniture you need at a favorable cost.
If you cannot buy or rent furniture, consider DIYing your own furniture. For example, you can create wood pallets from old unused furniture if you go for the rustic theme and use them as chairs. It will be much more affordable.
Tip 4: Have Basic Amenities
Since the venue will be in your backyard, you need to ensure your guests are cared for. Unfortunately, your home bathrooms may be inadequate to cater to the large number of guests you have invited, so you must consider alternative options. Some of the basic amenities include:
- Washrooms – You can hire portable washrooms to cater to the number of guests to avoid overcrowding.
- Tent – Unless your backyard is covered, you will require a tent whether it is raining or not. Since you cannot control the weather, you can make sure your guests are comfortable regardless of the weather conditions. If your backyard is roofed, check with your local roofer for any leaks. Everything should be in tip-top shape on the wedding day.
- Back-up electricity – The primary purpose of your wedding is to create memories and enjoy good times. A lot of music and dancing will be taking place, so you want to avoid any mishaps. Having a back-up electricity plan will save you from a boring party. You can consult your local electrical services to install a backup generator or any other means to avoid such issues.
- Ventilation and Air Conditioner – Your backyard will hold a large number of people who will need proper air circulation. It is your duty to ensure that your AC is fully functioning before the date of the wedding. You can even ask an HVAC contractor for an AC repair service to check your AC unit and ensure it is fully functioning before the big day.
- Water – This will be needed at all times. From washing hands, drinking, washrooms, and many other tasks. You need to ensure there is a steady flow of water at all times.
- Valet and Parking – This is a huge issue as your home may not have enough parking space to accommodate your guests. You also want to avoid a long queue at your home because you don’t have a designated parking area. You can talk to your neighbors and see whether they’ll let you borrow or rent their compounds for a few hours. You can also find nearby schools or churches and ask them to provide you with parking space. It will be much easier to prevent overcrowding. Your work will, therefore, be to hire a valet and ensure your guests enjoy their time.
Apart from the basic amenities, some of the rentals you will need for your wedding include:
- Bar
- Serving tables
- Reception table
- Gifts table
- Dessert Table
- Cocktails table
- Photo Booth
- Sound System
Tip 4: Get The Yard In Shape
When you decide on the date for your wedding, you need to start preparing your backyard. The last thing you want is to be scrambling last minute to trim your grass or pave your walkway. The earlier you start, the better. You can begin by cutting and laying the grass and planting flowers and giving them time to bloom. In addition, make sure your backyard is ready for decoration. Do you have a stand where your banner will rest? Are your sprinklers functioning well? Check the ground level to ensure the tables and chairs fit perfectly. These little preparations will ensure your big day is picture-perfect and proceeds without any hiccups.
Tip 5: Hire Outside Help
You could probably get away with catering for a small get-together amongst a few friends. However, if your guest list exceeds more than 20 people, you will need to hire outside help. The help is not just with food, but also to perform duties throughout the day. Do you have a banner creator? You will probably need janitorial service for cleanup, a bartender, and other essential services. A nurse might also come in handy as an emergency may pop up at any time, and you need to be prepared for anything. One person cannot handle all these tasks. It is best to hire experts in various areas to help execute your vision.
Tip 6: Insurance
Although you do not expect anything wrong to happen on your wedding day, it would not hurt to be prepared. Check with your home insurance and ensure you are updated on what property is covered. Your vendors should also have their own insurance in place for their property. Depending on the number of guests you will invite, you may need to purchase supplemental insurance such as attendee insurance to cover any medical costs or injuries that may occur at the event.
Tip 7: Invest In Décor
Since you will not be paying for an expensive wedding venue, you can channel the funds to your décor. Your regular backyard backdrop will not cut it if you are going for an exquisite event. Your choice of décor will make or break your event.
Consult your wedding planner and research as many themes as possible until you find a style that suits your needs. Décor can be over the top and can cause a dent in your pockets. However, you can always find alternative financing options. Is selling my gold an option? Should I sell my car? Do I use up my savings? You will definitely find a way to cater to the expenses.
Tip 8: Security
The security of your guests and your house is paramount. Inviting people to your wedding should not give them access to a tour of your house. Instead, create banners to show guests the accessible areas on entrances and staircases so that they don’t wander off to your private rooms. You can hire security to keep your house secure as well as direct people to designated areas. In addition, people will feel more confident to park their cars or walk around when they know someone is taking care of things.
Weddings can be costly, but you can save some of the costs by building your own venue. Your backyard is an excellent option because you get to control everything and have the flexibility of changing things as you please. With these tips, you are bound to have an enjoyable time while saving on expenses. Be sure to get the services of a wedding planner, as they are more experienced in the industry. They are able to see grey areas that you may have missed and help you bring your vision into reality. After your wedding, you don’t have to worry about cleaning as you sail for your honeymoon. Get the best janitor services in your area!
