• You are responsible for the maintenance of your own yard: You can end up spending a lot of money by making your backyard beautiful for the wedding. You might want to add extra flowers, or to invest on lawn care. You might consider hiring a landscaping company to make your backyard extra-beautiful for the special event.
• Your backyard is going to take a hit: In case of rain, it is advisable that you get a tent. To support it, you will have to drill holes in your lawn. Also, with over 50 guests walking in your backyard, the grass will get damaged.
• In case of rain, you need to rent a tent: Depending on its size, a tent can be costly. For insurance, you should keep one on hold.

Tip: Most rental companies require a non-refundable deposit of half the total cost of the tent, so you can put it on hold without paying full-price for it.

• You need to make sure you have good lighting: You will have to invest money on lighting, if you don’t have it already. But you can get lighting that adjusts to your budget by taking care of it ahead of time.
• You need to make sure you have enough electricity: You need to make sure you have enough electricity at home for all your wedding reception needs. This includes lighting, bathrooms and any other entertainment that you have included.
• You need to rent a bathroom station: Your house bathroom might not be sufficient for all your guests. As a rule of thumb, if you have more than 125 guests, or if you do not have an easily accessible bathroom, you should bring in portable toilets. They will need access to electricity and water.

Next on the mini-series: Extra tips for an at home wedding reception .