6 Tips for Planning a Backyard Wedding

Make sure your backyard is big enough. Go through your guest list once more and think about what kind of reception you would like to have. Are you going to have an outdoor wedding ceremony? Do you prefer a buffet, a plated dinner or a BBQ? Is there going to be dancing? Different types of activities require a different amount of space, so you need to be absolutely sure that everyone is going to fit.

Be ready for weather surprises. Just like any other kind of outdoor wedding, a backyard wedding or reception can be easily spoiled by rain, strong wind, too hot or cold weather. We recommend that you rent a tent that will provide you with shelter and give you privacy (which is especially important if you have nosy neighbors).

Tend to your lawn. Even if you're planning a low-budget wedding, you don't want it to look cheap, right? That is why you need to make sure your backyard looks impeccable. Preparing your backyard isn't something you can do last minute. It is important that you know the event layout before you do anything to your backyard. If you're not sure you can design it yourself, we recommend that you hire a landscaper.

Rely on professionals. Wedding planning is stressful even when it is a small-cost low-key wedding, and you can't do it all yourself. Make a list of things that need to be done and then divide all items into two groups: things you can do yourself (or with the help of your friends and relatives) and things that require hiring a professional. You've already saved some money on the venue, so now you can allow yourself to splurge on a wedding planner or a caterer.

Think about where your guests will stay. Some guests might want to stay at your house (“Hey, we're already here, why go somewhere?”). But do you really want to spend the morning of your wedding waiting in line to use your own bathroom? If you want privacy, you have two options: to warn the guests that they'll have to stay elsewhere or to rent a hotel room for yourself and your spouse.

Remember that planning an at-home wedding is not so easy after all. There are a lot of seemingly insignificant things that are in fact really important and need to be taken care of. For example, you might need a special permit to throw a party. You might also need to rent a generator, or portable restrooms, or a dance floor, or garden chairs, or something else you would never need if your wedding took place in another venue. By the way, have where are your guests going to park? This is important, too!