There’s something truly elegant about a backyard wedding. It doesn’t matter if you’re looking for a small, sentimental gathering or if you’d prefer a large, picture-perfect party with friends and family - hosting your wedding on your family’s private property will add undeniable charm to your big day. Before planning a romantic backyard soiree, take a look at our ultimate guide to planning a backyard wedding.

The Beauty of a Backyard Wedding

Convenience

Hosting your wedding in the backyard of a friend or family member takes away many hassles that come along with renting a formal event s

. Often, wedding venues have a plethora of rules and restrictions that couples must carefully adhere to on their big day. The beauty of hosting a wedding in a backyard is that you’re not locked into a contract or obligated to only use certain vendors. Not to mention, you’ll save money on venue rental fees.

Flexibility

Often, backyard weddings are laidback, low-key events. With that said, there’s no reason that you can’t go full-glam and host a decidedly upscale affair with white tents, food trucks, and lots of decadent decorations. When hosting a backyard wedding, the only limit is your imagination.

Planning A Backyard Wedding - Where To Start

Start by committing to a location. When it comes to a backyard wedding, there is nothing more important than the location. Be sure to scope out the property in person and think realistically about how it would function as a venue for your wedding. Think realistically about all of the logistics before committing to hosting a wedding there - and be sure that the property owner is aware of all of the responsibility that comes along with hosting any type of large social gathering. The location you select for your wedding will help you determine the overall size of your big day. A large, sprawling estate, for example, can accommodate far more guests than a small backyard near the city. Be realistic when creating your guest list and don’t be afraid to err on the side of inviting fewer guests so that there’s plenty of room for everyone on your list.

Factors To Consider Before Throwing A Backyard Wedding

Parking - Parking is an important factor to consider when throwing a backyard wedding. Is there enough space for all of your guests to park without disrupting the neighbors? If not, what type of shuttle services are available in your area?

Surrounding Properties - Hosting a wedding in a backyard usually means that you’re surrounded by neighbors. If there are people living on surrounding properties, be sure they won’t have an issue with a large number of people gathering in your backyard - and make sure they won’t be offended if your party lasts well into the night.

Accessibility - Most professional wedding venues are equipped to handle differently abled guests. Be sure to consider how well disabled or elderly guests will be able to get around.

Restrooms - Having enough restrooms for all of your guests is an incredibly important factor. Do the nearby buildings have enough facilities to accommodate your guests? And if not, are there restroom rental services you can use instead?

An Alternate Location - Many backyard weddings are held in the great outdoors. But be sure to have a Plan B just in case Mother Nature decides not to cooperate. Is there a nearby building where you can move the wedding to instead? And if so, is it large enough to accommodate everyone on your guest list?