How to plan a backyard wedding

Are you planning a backyard wedding and you need backyard wedding ideas? You will find great ideas and all the tips to pull a great wedding here!

Our backyard wedding ideas will come in handy for couples who want a cozy and intimate outdoor wedding. Backyard weddings are convenient and have a lot of sentiments attached to it if it is your childhood home. Couples on a budget will also get a huge save on the cost of a backyard wedding, in the absence of paying for a venue.

At wedding forward, we have cheap backyard wedding ideas to save the day but they come with downsides that could mar the day if not handled well. Hence, we have put together some backyard wedding tips and a backyard wedding planning checklist for a hitch-free day!

Find your guide below!

GREAT LIGHTING

A backyard is mostly bare, with the exception of some plants and trees. It needs a transformation and that largely depends on décor and lighting. If you are having a small backyard wedding, the right lighting can set a cozy and romantic ambiance. Lanterns, twinkle lights, and chandeliers are ideal for lighting. For a more dramatic effect, hook strings of cafe lights through trees and watch the whole place light up. The aim is to give the ambiance a welcoming air, some calm, enough glow for people to see and party with and a backdrop for breathtaking photos!

GET INSURED

Before you proceed with planning a backyard wedding, get all the insurance information on your homeowner and vendors. Contact your homeowner to know amenities (within & outside the house) and space covered by insurance. Contact your wedding vendors also to find out what kind of insurance they have and what the insurance covers. Every single person working on your team needs to be well accounted for. Sometimes, you may have to buy more insurance to be on the safe side. Do not wait until there is an accident or you are shrewdly gobsmacked with a lawsuit.

NATURE CANNOT BE CONTROLLED: HAVE A PLAN B

Setting plans in place to combat nature are casual wedding ideas for every kind of wedding holding outdoors. Guests have to be safe and comfortable, protected from organisms and plants which can cause allergy. You also don't want any of your guests burning up in the sun or getting wet and freezing up in the rain.

Good preparation can keep all these mishaps at bay and you can even save cost by offering them as wedding favors. Get sunscreen, sunglasses and hand fans for the guests if the sun/heat is intense, for them to use at their discretion. Make provision for umbrellas and well-covered tents to shield against the rain.

Get blankets and beverages for warmth or chilled drinks for the heat. For situations where insects are on the rampage, make citronella candles a part of your décor. The weather and nature could prove the most challenging factor of an outdoor wedding, so it's wise one is ready.

POWER

Outdoor wedding consumes so much power that could light out the whole neighborhood when connected. As such, do not use the light in your home for outdoor weddings, especially if you are using heavy equipment. Contact generator rentals with the specifications of sound systems and other appliances you would be using for your wedding. They will help you pick out the right machine to fit these electronic appliances without causing a power surge or blowing any fuse.

DÉCOR

Décor is a major highlight of how to plan a wedding in 2019, because of the trending styles designers keep coming up with. This is seen more at outdoor weddings, most of which are backyards. When decorating a backyard, your space for creativity is endless as you are not limited by the original decor of a venue. The Backyard is nature and yours to fill up with complementary colors. Take advantage of the trees, earth, flowers, grass, wedding dress and even theme. Highlight strategic parts of the backyard to make them catchy and unique.

If you're having a backyard wedding ceremony, use aisle markers and arches to define the space and give the place a proper dimension. Backdrops are also necessary for boundary purposes.

For your backyard wedding reception, you can choose to have it under the stars or under tents. Both are super indeed beautiful and leave lasting good impressions. For a reception under the stars, your décor and lighting will most likely hang on tall centerpieces and trees. Combined with natural lights, the ambiance becomes dreamy.

You can replicate the same in a tent, but this time, the floral arrangements will come in too. It is also necessary to create boundaries, unlike under the starts where you have all the free space. Create boundaries that separate tables from a restroom, food area, dance floor and all.

GET PERMITS

Even for a small backyard wedding, you need to get permits! There are those that you may think unimportant but will earn you a lawsuit. Contact city law officials to find out what it takes to host an event in your home. Familiarize yourself with the health law, noise law, regulations, fire, parking and zoning laws. Fill your vendors in on it and have them file in paperwork to that effect. That will save you a lot of damage.

Another set of people you should check with are your neighbors. Let them know of your wedding proceedings in details, so that if they are not attending, they can plan to stay away. Inform them of the exact time and how long your wedding will take so that they will not be uncomfortable on your account and vice-versa.

WEDDING RENTALS CHECKLIST

For an outdoor wedding, you will need to rent a lot of things, most times everything. Below is a mental checklist that will come in handy when you need it. In this list are necessary items that you should not forget. Simply cross out those ones you will not need and remake a neat list.

• Dinner tables
• Photobooth
• Table décor
• Tent
• Centerpiece Vases
• Ceremony chairs
• Cocktail Tables
• Cake stand
• Portable restrooms
• Gifts Table
• Reception chairs
• Ceremony backdrops
• Place Settings
• Thrash and recycling bins
• Ceremony décor
• Dance Floor
• Generators
• Overhead Decor
• Bar
• Food Prep/Storage Equipment
• Lighting
• Placement tables
• Linens

RESTROOMS AND CLEANUPS

Small guest lists are ideal for backyard weddings, but if there are over 20 of them, you will need more restrooms, especially if guests have kids with them. Rent mobile toilets that are just as comfortable as home toilets with vanity surfaces attached to mirrors, running water and sinks. Spice it up with air fresheners and emergency kits (Band-Aids, safety pins, plasters, hand sanitizers, toilet soaps etc.) for the guests. This will ease you of the stress washing up your own toilets after your big day. Rent trash cans also, to clear out waste dropped by guests. The caterer can take care of this as the day progresses. These are some of the most important aspects to cover at outdoor weddings.

TIMING IS KEY

The time of the day to have your backyard wedding is important for the sake of the guests, neighbors and your wedding photos. Have your wedding when the natural light is subtle so that it will serve as a backdrop for beautiful pictures. If the light is harsh, the picture will turn out too bright or dark, depending on your angle.

There should be a cocktail hour for the guests to move around and mingle and it's very important. This can come up after the ceremony and before the reception. It also gives you an opportunity to touch up your make up and change your dress. In the absence of a cocktail hour, there should be a photo booth or games to keep the guests busy and excited. You should avoid dull moments by all means.

Lastly, your neighbors may have left for somewhere else for the duration of your wedding, while others didn't. Round off your wedding at a decent hour, so that your neighbors do not suffer noise pollution. If you insist on having your party into the night, book an after party venue for your guests and proceed there after the reception.

MAINTENANCE AND DESIGN

Before your backyard wedding, you need to prepare the grounds and make it beautiful by allowing the flowers to sprout and bloom. Clear out the weed in the wedding week and get landscapers to check if the ground is level for chairs, tables, dance floor, and guests. The landscapers also take the stress of designing and maintaining the grounds of you. This will go a long way to ensure that items placed on the grounds and guests commuting are safe.

PLAYLIST

Prepare all your beautiful love songs for your big day. Create a playlist of these songs and send off to your band or DJ. Get ready to enjoy your day!

With all the backyard wedding ideas we have outlined in this article, we know you are ready to host a beautiful celebration! These backyard wedding tips will serve as the ultimate guide to give you a seamless wedding planning timeline. Whether you are having a small backyard wedding or a huge one, we have you well covered. With the right plans in place, you can rest easy and smile for the pictures without worry at your wedding!

Content writer for Wedding Forward blog. Writing about weddings, planning weddings, preparations.