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Back Yard Wedding

danaandjoeyjune2012danaandjoeyjune2012
in Outdoor Weddings
We will be getting married and having the reception in my parents back yard in June.

Is their anything I should know before planning a back yard wedding???
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Re: Back Yard Wedding

  • cashkittycashkitty
    First Comment
    Your "plan B" for rain could get costly. Rentals can end up costing a whole lot more than you would expect.
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  • jess9802jess9802 member
    First Comment First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    I got married in my in-laws' backyard last summer. I have information (including a budget breakdown) in my Married Bio--click on the link in my signature. I do think we came out ahead when I consider the venue rental fees we would have paid elsewhere as well as the higher costs associated with alcohol service at a venue (we were able to do self-serve alcohol without a bartender and saved a lot of money). 

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  • kmmssgkmmssg mod
    First Anniversary First Answer First Comment 5 Love Its
    Is parking an issue?  What about neighbors, noise, ordinances, etc?  If my neighbors were having a wedding nextdoor and 75 cars needed to be parked outside, I'd probably have some concerns there.

    How late will the reception go?  Are their neighbors on each side?  Are they invited?  If not, I would chat with them about your plans so they have a heads up.  Imagine planning a cookout for family and friends only to find your neighbors are having a wedding and there is no place for your family and friends to park.  If my neighbor came to me with news of a wedding I would make sure to keep my plans clear and maybe even make alternate plans if it was going late into the evening. 

    cover all your bases, consider bathroom logistics, parking, electricity, rentals.  Lots of people make it work, just make sure you communicate with everyone.
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  • Sue-n-KevinSue-n-Kevin member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its First Answer First Comment
    I think the above posts have a lot of the info to consider.

    I guess it's best to consider weddings you may have attended in a venue and in your head transfer all that information to recreating it (to some extent) in a back yard.

    You will need:
    - places for the guests to park

    - rental of tables, chairs, linens, napkins, plates, glasses, eating utensils (unless it is very casual and then you just need to rent tables and chairs for everyone)

    - bathroom facilities (probably the one(s) in the house are fine, just make sure)

    - people to make the food and make sure it is kept appropriately hot or cold to avoid food poisoning issues, and replenish it when it needs it. If you hire a caterer they will need unlimited access to the kitchen and good working equipment, (stove/fridge) or they will have a truck with some of this inside it. They will also supply people to take care of the food.

    - someone to staff the bar (liquor liability is a huge issue, have your parents check with their home owner's policy to make sure this is something they can do) OR HIRE a bartender who will have this insurance already

    - supply the alcohol

    - decor of some type

    - a dancefloor if it's needed

    - DJ or ipod, and you'd need to check on noise ordinances in your city/town

    - your parents may want to put away anything inside the house that is breakable, a family treasure/heirloom, etc

    - you will need a "staging area" for the food service personnel, or if casual, a place to put trash cans, empty liquor bottles, cans.

    A lot depends on the number of guests you expect. If you are talking about 20-80 people, this is not a big deal. If you are talking about more than that, then you'd need a plan in case of rain, in which case you may be talking about including

    - tents to cover the entire area your guests will be inhabiting. You may need the tents regardless, depending on the layout of their yard, etc.

    Prepare yourself for sticker shock on the items you will need to rent. Round tables that seat 8 people run about $15-$20 each. You will also need some 6-8 foot banquet tables for the food, the bar, and gift table. Chairs can run from $2 - $4 each depending on the type. If you want linens, tablecloths are as much to rent as to buy ($6-$10 each), as are cloth napkins (50 cents to $1 each). A full place setting of dishes, glasses, eating utensils will run $3-$5 per person. Of course if it's casual, you can use nicer plastic plates, cups and utensils.

    I'm sure there are things I've forgotten.
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  • Magdala9Magdala9 member
    First Comment

    In addition to all the other items:
    Check out local laws and ordinance about event coordination.
    Check out whether you need additional insurance.

    congratulations on your engagement!

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  • melslatesmelslates member
    First Comment
    You should check out www.antebellumweddings.net for a barn wedding!!! Perfect venue!!!
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