Backyard Weddings 101
We get it - the thought of having your dream wedding at your house, business, or piece of land sounds…. dreamy. It’s perfectly you, you don’t have the same strict access rules you get at traditional venues and you can basically do whatever you want. But - hosting a wedding on your own property isn’t as easy breezy as one might think.
We’ve been getting a lot of inquiries for weddings on personal property. And we get excited at any opportunity to transform a space for a once-in-a-lifetime celebration - but occasionally we hear clients say their motivation for hosting at their home (or their own property) is that it will be cheaper or easier. We are here to bust that myth and to chat through the things that need to be considered for an event of this type. The good and the bad.
Let’s start with the PROS:
Flexible access - most venues restrict how much access you get, which results in same-day set up (and sometimes tear down). You don’t have flexibility for deliveries, your installs are limited unless you are prepared to bring extra labor, and you can’t always rehearse at your venue.
Extended Hours - similar to the above, when you’re hosting at your home or private property, you have flexibility to decide when you want to shut the party down.
No Venue Fee - you avoid rental fees when you host on your own property, which can help with the budget.
Decorate with Ease - When you’re hosting on your own property, you set the rules when it comes to decorations. Glitter? No problem. Open flames? Let’s do it. Fog machines? Why not.
Now for the downside:
No true “venue” staff. When renting a venue it normally comes with at least one person, but sometimes a team of people who take care of things like the bathrooms, limited set up, cleaning, etc. When you host at home, it’s all on you.
Added Costs. While you lose the venue rental fee, you might have added costs in things like tents, bathrooms, and extra power. Sometimes, those items end up costing more than a venue rental would have been.
Extra Stress. When hosting on your own property, you can’t just show up and throw a party. We find that when clients host at home, they are more stressed leading up to wedding day with a list of tasks they’ve given themselves trying to make improvements to the property.
People in your Space. When you host at home, you never really get rid of people. So the peaceful pre-wedding time is sometimes lost.
Don’t get us wrong - we LOVE a wedding at a family home or private property. As long as things are planned for in advance - both in budget and in logistics - we think this is an excellent choice for a venue location. If you’re planning to host at home, here are some things you should consider.
Weather - you MUST have a weather back up plan. Even if you don’t use it, you cannot “risk” it. This includes pathways to the event site, parking, and coverage.
Lighting - you must plan for ample lighting - both inside and outside the event site. Tent lights, dance floor, walking paths, bathrooms, and parking area - all must be well lit. Not just for a great guest experience, but for saftey reasons.
Surfaces - think carefully about the surfaces you’ll be on. Solid ground is best, for tents, tables, and chairs. If you are on a farm, it needs to be an area of grass or a field where animals are not grazing. Be mindful of how far the site is from the parking area, and what that path is like for guests.
Work with the Setting - choose an aesthetic design that matches the venue and the surrounding area. Doing this will mean less “stuff” you have to bring in to dress up the space.
Keeping Guests Comfortable - be mindful of guest comfort. Plan for fans or heaters if the weather will be a risk. Wraps or blankets are great (and double as guest favors), and you could opt for a hot or cold beverage served to guests upon arrival. Make sure to have plenty of extra water stations if the weather will be hot.
Food & Beverage Planning - make sure to tour your caterer before you finalize your menu. If you have limited access to power or water, no available kitchen, rough kitchen conditions, etc. the menu will need to be adjusted accordingly.
Communicate with Guests - give guests a heads up that you will have a mix of flooring, so they can be mindful of footwear. Communicate if long walks are expected or if there are golf carts to transport. Giving guests all of the details ahead of time will make for a great guest experience.
ALWAYS double and triple check:
Lighting
Power
Water
Bathrooms