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?