Tips for Holding a Backyard Wedding
Every bride dreams of her wedding day ever since the moment she is proposed or maybe even before that. The planning starts instantly and every detail is given all the attention it deserves. There is the guest list, the dress, the catering, décor, and of course, the venue. Many brides end up choosing a familiar place for the venue – their favorite restaurant, a family home – or their backyard. If you feel like you want to hold your own wedding in your backyard, here are some tips to help you along the way:
Be realistic with the guest list
If you’ve set your heart on having your wedding in the backyard, beware that you will have a limited space. You want to make sure that everyone who’s been invited can be seated comfortably, without the place feeling overcrowded. If you are going for this type of venue, a quiet wedding with family and close friends is what you should be aiming at. Most importantly, when making a guest list, be mindful of the fact that you might be forced to move indoors due to the bad weather, so keep the numbers realistic.
Don’t let your house become a hotel
When planning a wedding at your own home, it is too easy for people, especially family, to feel invited to stay at your house a few days around the event. The days before the wedding, and especially on the day of the wedding, you will want to have your peace and quiet to prepare for the big day and gather your thoughts. Imagine waking up on your wedding day and having to rush your morning shower because your aunt needs to take a bath, too. If you can stretch your budget, book a few rooms in a nearby hostel or hotel for your guests, or simply recommend them a nice place in the vicinity as a subtle hint that they are not supposed to stay with you.
Plant early
If you are having your wedding outdoors, you want your garden to look as beautiful as possible. But plants don’t grow overnight, so make sure you plant everything in time and give it a lot of care if you want it to grow up to be something beautiful and worthy of being a part of your wedding décor. You should also have in mind the season your wedding is going to take place since planting flowers that bloom in summer won’t do you much good if you are getting married in spring.
Don’t forget about the weather
The biggest risk with outdoor weddings is always the weather. It can change in an instant and there is no guarantee you can know for sure whether or not it will rain tomorrow. When I was helping my best friend with organizing her wedding, we looked around to find the best shade sails in Sydney so we could be absolutely sure that the guests are comfortable even under the scorching sun or pouring rain. Since the wedding was taking place in the summer, we had the sails to keep us all in the shade and also heavy duty silent fans to keep the air flowing.
Since it is your own backyard, you have the freedom to start preparing well in advance, so make sure you don’t leave it for the last minute. Make everything look exactly the way you want it since you have the opportunity to take all the time you need and add a personal touch while organizing the whole thing. Remember that the most important things about your wedding day are the atmosphere as well as the words and feelings that you will remember and cherish for the rest of your life.
