9:46 AM

Extra At-home Outdoor Wedding Tips

We previously wrote about the Pros and Cons of having your wedding reception in your own backyard. Here are other things to take into account:

• Some guests may want to spend the night so be prepared for that.

• The caterers should get familiar with your home’s space to make sure everything goes smoothly.

• You need to be prepared for bugs: Mosquitoes, and other bugs, are a nuisance in the summer. They can take away from the experience, so read this to learn tips on how to keep them away from your wedding.

• You need to have enough parking: You need to make sure there is enough parking available for all your guests. You can hire valets to park your guests’ cars in a public parking lot. You can also use a college, a mall or a church parking lot. You will need to check with your town, or the institution you picked, about the permits that are necessary to use their parking lot.

Tip: We all know how hot summer days can get. The heat can make you and your guests uncomfortable, not to mention it can cause the bride’s makeup to melt! So consider having your reception in the evening. It’s best to have your event at 5:00 or 6:00 PM because the day starts to cool down.

The bottom line: If you choose to have a home wedding, you should hire a professional to pull it all together and ease your stress. However, don’t expect it to cost less than a catering hall. Aso, it would be better to keep your guest list small when hosting your event at home.

cons

4:22 PM

Cons of a wedding reception on your own backyard

 Previously, we wrote about the pros of having your wedding reception at home. Here are the cons:
 
  • 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 .