Backyard Wedding Pros and Cons

I had a backyard wedding and I loved it. It's a great way to save money and enjoy a more relaxed wedding with your guests. But… the backyard wedding isn't for everyone.

Here's my list of backyard wedding pros and cons to help you make your backyard-or-not decision.

Image Courtesy of: Miranda Laine Photography

Pros:

• Free venue!
• Can start setting up (and then cleaning up after) whenever is best for you and your wedding timeline.
• Very personal and sentimental.
• No leaving something behind – it will all be there!
• You don't have to worry about transportation to and from the venue.
• Most of the people you invite will already know the address for the wedding – no getting lost enroute!
• You can do whatever you want decor-wise without worrying about paying a fee for putting up hooks or making holes.
• A good excuse to do home improvements.

Cons:

• Everyone you invite will know where you live.
• You are completely in charge of cleaning up.
• Do you have enough bathrooms? You'll need one for every 50 guests.
• You're in charge of EVERYTHING – it can be stressful.
• You have to provide (and pay for) everything – tables, chairs, toilet paper, etc.
• Guests may not understand that this is a wedding and not a house party. You'll get people asking to crash on your couch or passed out in your bathtub.
• Could be difficult to make normal backyard stuff (i.e. basketball hoop, sandbox) pretty and safe for your guests.

Are you planning a backyard wedding?