The average cost of a wedding reception in the United States is around $13,000. When adding in the cost of a wedding, especially if it was a destination wedding, that number can go way up. As a result, many couples are looking for ways to express their commitment to one another without going broke in the process. One way to do so is to host a wedding and/or reception right at home with a fabulous backyard party.
How can you have a beautiful wedding in your backyard without going broke? Here are five steps you can follow to get you started in planning your dream wedding right in a gorgeous (and free) outdoor venue:
Choose your guest list. The very first thing you want to do before planning a party is decide how many people you want to host. This will inform everything else in the process, from choosing your decorations and favors to organizing seating arrangements. Just be sure to keep the list short if you’re on a budget, and remember that it’s a wedding, not an excuse for a family reunion.
Pick a theme and/or color scheme. The next step is to choose a theme for your wedding and begin picking out decorations. While purple is the most popular color to choose, you can choose just about anything. To have a more quaint backyard wedding, hang fairy lights from trees or arbors, and use reclaimed items like barnwood or mason jars to decorate.
Send out invitations. You have your guest list, so now it’s time to send the invitations out (assuming you have a date picked out, too.) If you’ve chosen a particular color or theme, you can have your invitations reflect that. Make sure to give a clear date for guests to RSVP, so you have an accurate seating count for when you are renting chairs and tables. If your wedding is planned for far in advance, you might send out save the date cards, as well.
Work with a wedding and party rentals service. In order to have all the supplies you need to keep guests comfortable, consider using an event rentals service to get tables, chairs, linens, and other rentals. Wedding tent rentals may be another service you’ll need, depending upon when and where you’re having your wedding. If the festivities will go into the evening, for instance, a wedding tent rental can provide the shelter your guests need to stay warm and ward off mosquitoes. Sailcloth wedding tent rentals are becoming popular because they can give an outdoor space a nautical theme, and a rental company can handle setup and tear-down for you.
Find vendors for catering and cake. Unless you plan to make the food yourself, you will probably need to have someone provide the food. Make sure to plan your food choices in advance — perhaps even before you send out invitations if you’re having a sit-down dinner rather than a buffet-style meal.
Have more questions about how to throw the perfect backyard wedding and reception? Leave a comment in the space provided, and don’t be afraid to reach out to expert vendors who can lend their advice.
