12/03/2020
5 Things to Keep in Mind When Planning Your Backyard Wedding
Backyard weddings have plenty of charm and are often more affordable than renting a traditional wedding venue or hall. If you're in the process of planning your special day, then it's important to keep a few different facts in mind to ensure that the event is smooth and successful from beginning to end. Here are a few things worth looking into in the months leading up to your backyard wedding.
LIGHTING
The lighting is an important part of the event that will determine how well your photos turn out and also set the tone of the special day. Your wedding photographer should scope out the setting in advance to determine areas where the wedding party can pose.
String lights may be needed to illuminate areas of the yard in the evening, and they can also add a romantic touch. Colored lights can be used in the evening to enhance certain features in the yard.
REFRESHMENTS
Set aside an area where refreshments and drinks can be served. Someplace that is shaded and relatively protected from the weather and occasional bug would be ideal. This area should be manned at all times to make sure there are no mishaps and to keep the drinks or food readily available. Using the help of a bartender at the open bar can alleviate one of area of stress and delegating the food handling to a caterer will help you enjoy the day without worrying about food.
LANDSCAPING
Although backyards may be easy to decorate and host a wedding in, they still need to be in good condition for the big day. Hiring landscapers in the days leading up to the event will ensure that the trees are trimmed and any weeds are pulled. Youโll also need to consider wedding decor, which will inevitably integrate with your landscaping as part of an outdoor affair. Aside from lights, most couples choose to decorate with fresh flowers. Decorating an entire yard with professional fresh flower arrangements can add up, but doing it yourself takes a lot of time and skill that you may not have. Looking at floristsโ porfolios can help you figure out which one will be able to achieve the look youโre dreaming of.
You'll also need to think about how the yard will be cleaned up after the wedding concludes. You may need to recruit your wedding party to assist with picking up trash and stacking chairs.
If you are traveling to a coastal city and planning to getting married on the backyard of a beach house, youโll definitely need to consider how youโll be changing the landscape for your ceremony and reception. Coastal cities have great access to a variety of beaches, but you will still need to check with the city or with whoever owns the beach (if it is private), to see how you can set up for your wedding and what rules youโll need to keep in mind.
STORAGE
Hosting your wedding in a backyard means that you'll need to have somewhere to store all of the decor items and supplies that are used for the event. Storage lockers are a great way to secure your table linens, chairs, and centerpieces until the day they are needed. This ensures that the items are kept in a space thatโs easy to access and that all of your things will be protected.
WEATHER CONDITIONS
Although outdoor weddings in backyards are known to be beautiful, stormy weather can put a damper on the ceremony and reception. Renting a tent isnโt just a great way to prepare for bad weather. Itโs also an iconic way to get all of your loved ones under one roof for your special day.
If the temperatures are high on the wedding day, then a tent or large umbrellas can be used to shade specific areas of the yard where there's a seating area or where the tables are placed.
Planning a backyard wedding can be exciting and allow you to be creative with the design and style of the space. By keeping a few factors in mind, you can avoid common issues that can pop up when using the outdoor space of a residential property.
