A wedding is one of the most important days in a couple’s life. For those preparing for an at-home wedding, this can be both exciting and nerve-racking. There are many decisions to make when it comes to planning your own personal ceremony; from the venue and caterer to the guest list. It may seem like you need a lot of space for an intimate gathering, but that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice on details!
Venue
Let’s start with the venue: you may want to consider hosting your ceremony in a backyard or garden. Don’t be afraid that this will make things feel too small; dress up the yard with an arbor, string lights and candles, and even place flowers along the aisle. Doing so can add an extra touch of elegance without taking away from the elegance of your special day.
Reception Meal
You will also need to decide on what kind of meal you want. Since the venue is at your home, it’s natural that a backyard wedding would be more intimate and allow for less food options than having guests come to an outside establishment. But don’t worry- there are still many ways around this! One way to create a wedding theme by featuring locally grown produce or farmer’s market items that your guests may not know are available! Another option is to showcase local caterers and have each one complete a portion of your reception meal. You might also need to get a bartender if you don’t have time or inclination to do it yourself.
Décor
How about decorations? Making sure the decorations for your wedding are just as beautiful as an outside establishment you can rent is important. You can feature local florists and maybe even home-grown bouquets if you plan far enough in advance. And if you have a farm that’s been in the family for generations, it may not be too difficult to find vintage decorations. As far as renting equipment goes, unless your family has their own catering business, more than likely you’re going to have to bite the bullet and rent tables, chairs, and maybe even a tent.
Location
A backyard wedding is about so much more than just food and décor- don’t feel limited by venue size! When looking around our property for places to hold the ceremony or reception, we found a little patio area behind our house that was perfect! Having everyone inside felt like an intimate celebration without sacrificing any of the special moments all brides hope for on her very first day as a Mr. and Mrs.
The backyard wedding trend has been popular for years and it’s not going anywhere anytime soon. If you’re leaning towards a smaller backyard ceremony, that doesn’t mean the ceremony needs to feel small. A shorter guest list and homey setting can still feel elegant and special. Dress up the yard with an arbor or some fresh flowers from your garden, light candle votives around a patio table set with placemats made of fabric scraps in reds and pinks or maybe blacks and grays- all things simple but pretty!
Whatever you chose as your theme, remember that this is YOUR day so make it what YOU want without any regrets.
