A backyard can be the perfect venue if you’re looking to have your wedding in a place that is truly meaningful. That said, It’s a common misconception that having your wedding in backyard will save you money. There are so many things to consider before you decide that this is the direction for you. Given I’ve planned my fair share of weddings in backyards and private homes, I wanted to take some time and share everything you’ll need to know to plan the backyard wedding of your dreams.

My Top Tips for Backyard Wedding Planning

Talk to Your Vendors

Not all vendors are comfortable working in a non-traditional environment. If you’re getting any pushback but they aren’t giving you a hard “no”, reconsider before you book with them. You want your vendors to be 100% confident they can work in a house kitchen, or hang string lights on your trees. Make sure they are willing to come for a walk-through. This is where a wedding planner can really support—planners know different vendors’ specialties and can connect you with the right people.

Cost Analysis

At first glance, it seems like a no-brainer to save on a (sometimes steep) venue fee by having your wedding in a private home. However, you need to consider all the elements that are often included at venues that hold events regularly. For example, if you want to have dancing but there’s only grass in the backyard, you may need to rent a dance floor. Is your backyard lit enough at night or will you need to have temporary lighting installed? Sometimes it really will be less expensive, but it’s good to do a little comparison work up front!

Floor Plans Are a Must

With unique venues like homes, it’s especially important to have a clear map not only when it comes to set up and layout, but for things like water sources and power. Companies making deliveries will need to know where to load in and where they can store items. Backyard weddings often require some maneuvering of furniture during the event, so having a set plan laid out will ensure smooth transitions!

Notify your Neighbors

Aside from town-set noise ordinances, it’s always a good idea to give your neighbors a heads up that you’ll be hosting at your home. Speak with them about parking if you anticipate a lot of your guests will be driving and be open about what they can expect as far as music goes. The last thing you want is a surprise visit from your local police the night of your wedding, so have these conversations early in your planning process!

Know When to DIY and When to Outsource

It can be tempting with a backyard wedding to go DIY overboard. I am all for DIY pieces, particularly when a couple has fun putting things together. There are certain things that simply must be handled by professionals. For example, it’s great that you want to save money with appetizers and make your own platters, but hiring a staffing company to oversee setup, breakdown and bussing is essential. The same goes for other elements like music. Have a friend who will DJ? No problem! Just make sure they have all the equipment they need to succeed and are willing to clean up after themselves at the end of the party. Most importantly, DIYing is only a good idea until it’s not. If you’re getting overly stressed out, it might be time to step back and let someone else take the lead. Everything comes with a cost and sometimes saving yourself a headache is worth it!

Hand it Off

Do you feel confident that you can plan your backyard wedding on your own? Awesome! Once your wedding date gets closer, consider handing it over to a wedding planner to manage everything from there. We’ll take the time to understand your vision and execute it all behind the scenes so you can enjoy your day.

Logistics Breakdown

Now that you’ve read through some of my top pieces of advice, let’s take a closer look at the logistics behind planning your backyard wedding.

Power

This might be one of the most overlooked elements of having your wedding in a private home. While your house may be equipped to handle a small gathering over Thanksgiving, having a wedding, even if it’s intimate is a different story. Between a DJ, lighting and several other vendors, you may need to consider renting a generator. Speak with each of your vendors and see what kind of power they’ll need. Your wedding planner can help with renting a generator if you need it.

Restrooms

Of course you have restrooms in your home, but think twice before you open them up to your guests. For one thing, it’s a lot of foot traffic to constantly have people in and out of your home for the evening. Aside from potentially making a mess or worrying about clogs, you’d need to be aware of replenishing things like toilet paper all night.

If you’re going to have over 25 people, I recommend looking into restroom trailers! Companies provide them in different sizes depending on your guest count, and they are not your typical port-0-potty. For a small additional fee, they’ll even provide an attendant to keep it tidy for the duration of the event.

Yard Check

If you’re going to have a rental company set up a tent or other furniture, schedule a walkthrough well in advance. They’ll need to be aware of any slopes, uneven ground or tough spots. It’s a good idea to set up these site visits before you do any landscaping so that you can know if you’ll need to adjust your plans.

Insurance & Permits

Becoming a wedding venue for a day comes with its own set of liability. It’s a good idea to add a one-day event policy onto your homeowners insurance to protect yourself. You can either contact your current insurance company, or look into a company like WedSafe.

You should also check in with your town office. You may need to file a permit before having an event and your vendors may be required to have additional documentation on hand.

Have a Plan B

Having your wedding a backyard is a beautiful idea, but you must have a weather plan! Most of the time, the backup can’t be moving everyone into your house, so renting a tent with sides is a good option. Most rental companies will allow you to put a deposit on a tent and then decide a few days before if you’ll actually need it.

Have things like umbrellas, blankets, heaters and fans available depending on your location and the time of year.

Backyard Wedding Decor Ideas

Having your wedding in your own backyard can be super magical as far as decor goes. It also means you might be able to repurpose elements you already have at home.

Ceremony

Instead of purchasing or renting an arch you’ll never use again, get creative with potted plants. You can use different height planters to create the illusion of an arch and frame either side of where you and your partner will stand.

If you have a beautiful tree in your yard, use it as a backdrop and have your florist affix an installation directly to it. After your ceremony, it can serve as a great photo opp!

As for chairs, a backyard wedding lends itself well to unique set ups. Maybe you two stand in the middle of a circle of chairs, or if it’s super intimate, you opt for a standing ceremony.

Reception

Play to your yard’s natural shape. If you have a narrow space, a long king’s table could work perfectly.

For a more spread out yard, set everything in one year and use furniture to “block” the rest of the space. Little lounge areas are a great way to line the outside of the dance floor and make it feel intimate.

Transform your Pool

While a pool could be a big eye sore in the middle of a yard, it doesn’t have to be! If swimming is not going to be on the agenda, you can actually build a dance floor on top of the pool. Or, throw some fun wedding themed floats in there to act as centerpieces.

Be Inspired By Nature

Since you’ve chosen to have your wedding outside, use the natural beauty to your advantage. If you’re renting tables, you can forgo the linen—wood works really well in an outdoor setting!

You can also go lighter on florals and use plants instead if you have a particularly lush yard.

Games Can be Decor Too

Oversized lawn games are a fun touch for a backyard wedding. They also provide entertainment for those who aren’t into dancing! You can either rent them from companies like Upstate Jamboree or purchase custom sets on Etsy that you can use again and again.

Hanging Pieces

Use trees in your backyard to your advantage! Drape string lights between trees and your house to create the sense of a ceiling. Place your dance floor under a big tree and hang a chandelier or disco ball for a bit of flair.

If you want to make your New York backyard wedding extra special, contact me here.