Ahhhhh backyard weddings; a 2020 favorite for couples and an all time crowd pleaser. They’re intimate, sentimental and laid back. I’m chiming in today to add just a touch of perspective on the planning process and give some helpful pieces of advice. There’s a bit of a misconception that backyard weddings are “easier” to plan and “cheaper” than the average wedding. This isn’t always the case. With a venue and a caterer at a venue, there’s a whole lot less to worry about, and many things are included. With a backyard tented wedding, every thing is pretty piece meal. Don’t get me wrong, I love an outdoor celebration at a family cottage or backyard, but the planning process is a bit more extensive and often things end up costing a touch more due to all the “add-on’s”, and sometimes things get overlooked. But in the end, the opportunity for unique-ness and personal touch always outweighs the additional work.
So let’s go through some key things that will help set your tented backyard wedding up for success. Notice I say “tented”. Without me putting a #1 in front of it, that’s my first piece of advice - have a tent. I know sometimes it’s hard to imagine them being cute, but they can be, I promise. It’s important to provide shade to everyone, along with protect them from whatever Mother Nature has to offer that day. Even if it’s clear skies, consider wind and sun.
Have the tent company and your wedding coordinator come by for a consultation of the property. They’ll have fresh eyes to configure something aesthetically pleasing for you, and they’ll be able to tell what size tent should go where. It’s important they can help determine the flow and draw you a little map for the day of. Further, they’ll be able to tell you what’s realistic and not realistic. If you want round tables with linens, but their harvest tables might be sturdier on the uneven ground, you should know that in advance. Is a dance floor even feasible if it’s a hilly property? Leave it to the professionals to help you with all of that.
Get a tent permit. The last thing you want is to get fined for having a wedding (even if it’s a micro) in your backyard and having that liability fall on the homeowner. Especially now that things are high alert, cover your bases. Additionally, contact your homeowner’s insurance to make sure you know what’s covered.
Check noise ordinances to make sure you’re not going to be breaking any laws. Then inform your neighbors about the celebration. You’ll want to do this out of respect but also because you don’t want them mowing the lawn at the time of ceremony.
Have your photographer come by and check it out, if they can. It’s important they know where and when the sun is hitting when and can determine some things in advance so portraits and those perfect golden hour shots happen a little more smoothly.
Rent toilets. Pressure on the septic and the traffic throughout your home all night can be a bit of a nightmare, especially if the caterers are already using your kitchen (which isn’t always the case, but just as a note).
Hire a cleaner/landscaper before the wedding. You’ll be thankful you didn’t have to clean up the property the week of the wedding when it will be utter mayhem. Then hire a clean up crew for the day after. There’s sometimes a misconception that because you’ve hired a caterer or a planner, that they’ll clean everything. That’s not the case. The catering staff will clear plates until they leave, which is often long before the party has ended. The next day you’ll have an entire backyard full of clean up to do. Usually that falls on the venue, but because you’re the venue, it’s now your job! The planner will be back to collect some decor items/whatever you’ve outlined in your contract, but they won’t be cleaning up garbage and empties.
Make sure you hire additional staff. To add to my previous note, because you’re not in a standard venue, you’ll have to assure there’s enough staff to setup/serve food, etc. During the night, you’ll also need someone to change out any garbage cans and recycling bins.
Have a bug plan. I beg of you. And so do your guests.
Consider Power. You’ll likely need a bit more power, so having a generator on hand is a good idea.
Provide shuttles for your guests if parking is limited. Even if parking isn’t as limited, shuttles aren’t a bad idea regardless.
Have a Plan B. Make sure your home has enough space for the ceremony if it decides to rain. Many Officiants have several ceremonies in one day, so it’s important to stick as closely to your timeline as possible, which means not pushing the ceremony off until it stops raining.
The world is your oyster when it comes to design. You’re not restricted by anyone color/theme/pattern that venues have. Get creative and play off the natural elements that are around you. What’s the architecture of your home? Is it heavily wooded?
Rent as much as you can. Because the orchestration of your backyard wedding can be more extensive, you’ll want to make it as easy on yourself as possible. If renting much of the decor is possible where you live, do it! I completely support DIY projects and thrifting for specialty items to make your space look ridiculously cool, but I also support less stress. Don’t add things to your plate that you don’t need to.
I could go on and on and on about allll the backyard tips + tricks, but I’ll spare you the hour of additional reading for now. If you can manage to follow this, you’re already on your way to a seamless wedding. Like I mentioned above, although backyard weddings can sometimes be a bit more planning, you’ll never regret it. Whether you grew up in that home, or have a sentimental attachment, you and your guests will feel at home and you’ll have memories to cherish forever.
Happy Planning!