How to Prepare Your Backyard for Wedding

Couples interested in an at home wedding, whether they are planning a formal affair or a casual celebration, should investigate different backyard wedding ideas to discover the best ways to make their wedding location memorable and distinctive.

Reasons to Using Backyard for Wedding

The Relaxed Feel of The Venue

Not all couples want a highly formal wedding reception with a sit down dinner; many just want to kick back with their friends and family. A backyard wedding can be a relaxed and fun occasion, with a simple barbeque instead of a formal wedding breakfast. In your own backyard you can do whatever you like without having to follow the restrictions and policies of a hired wedding venue.

The Personal Significance of The Venue

Holding your wedding at your parents’ house can make it a very personal and significant affair. Assuming that your parents have lived in the house for a long time, you will be surrounded with familiar objects and childhood memories. Exchanging your vows under the tree you used to climb as a little girl can be very emotive.

The Reduced Cost of a Backyard Wedding

One reason for the increased popularity of the backyard wedding is that couples are looking to reduce the amount they spend on their big day. Although you probably still need to hire a marquee and furniture, you won’t have the cost of hiring a venue, and you can shop around between various suppliers to be sure you are getting a good deal.

Backyard Preparing Tips for Wedding

Wedding Tent Rentals

In just about any cit you will be able to find a place that will rent you a large tent for your backyard wedding. If you don’t want to use the tent you can always have it as a standby option in case of rain. Also, it may be a good idea to have a covered area where guests can gather during the wedding reception if you are planning the wedding during summer months where it may be extremely hot. It may also be a good idea to have fans or portable air conditioners in the tent as well if you know it will be hot on your wedding day. You could have different areas in your yard and the tent could be just one place the guests can gather or it can be your main area for your wedding ceremony or reception. You may also want to have a backup plan if the weather gets really bad and the tent won’t stand up to the weather. It’s never a bad idea to be over prepared on your wedding day.

Backyard Wedding Menu

There are tons of different menu ideas that you can have for a backyard wedding. You can go the casual route and have some awesome picnic food or even a BBQ wedding reception or you can go for the more formal menu and have a caterer make all the normal wedding foods that people are used to. A good idea is to try to incorporate the food into your wedding theme and atmosphere. If you are going to have a more casual wedding you don’t want your menu to be super formal but instead could even just do appetizers or different eating stations during the reception.

Seating Arrangement for Wedding Guests

When you have your wedding at a reception hall or at banquet center you don’t have to worry about the seating as you just give the place your number of guests. When you have your own backyard wedding you need to make sure that you have enough seating for every guest that comes. You don’t want to have some guests have to stand during the ceremony because there aren’t enough chairs or find that not everyone has a table to sit at for the reception. Also, a nice added touch is decorating the chairs with fabrics that match the wedding theme to add some more color and pizzazz to the outdoor scenery.

Decorations Tips

How a yard is decorated can turn an everyday lawn into a stunning wedding location.

  • Add floral urns and extra blooms to match the wedding colors.
  • Hang bows, ribbons, garlands, or flower pots from trees, windowsills, gates, fences, gutters, railings, or garden hooks.
  • Design the layout of the ceremony area with consideration for the backdrop scenery, since this area will be heavily photographed.
  • Decorate a wedding arch, gazebo, or canopy to distinguish the ceremony site.
  • Decorate the aisle area with a runner or scattered flower petals to give it a special ambiance.
  •  Add decorative accents to the garden or flower beds with a gazing ball, fountain, romantic statue, or topiaries.
  • Ensure there is adequate lighting for the entire event. For an evening wedding, add torches, hanging candle lanterns, luminaries, patio lights, twinkle lights, and other soft lighting for a romantic effect.
  • Choose the wedding date when backyard tree and plants will be in bloom or in full fall color for natural décor.
  • Be sure to decorate the areas of the house guests will see, including an entryway and restrooms. Add coordinating decorations to the front yard so the house is easily identified.