Backyard Wedding

Planning something as important and special as a wedding is a herculean task. In case you are a bride, you might be already overwhelmed with the list of things you need to get done for your wedding. Budgets can be a nagging worry at the back of your mind. Generally, the food and venue are the two major expenses which eat away most of your wedding budget. What if you could just ditch the conventional church wedding and extravagant reception and go for something as simple and comforting as a backyard wedding? Sounds great, doesn't it? Not only you will be able to save thousands of dollars on food and venue, but you will be able to render a very warm and homely touch to your wedding. So, in case you are interested in a backyard wedding, go through our backyard wedding ideas on a budget.

Backyard Weddings on a Budget

Although, saving money is the prime objective of a backyard or outdoor wedding, there are number of other purposes that can be served through a backyard wedding. If you have an ailing parent or grandparent who cannot travel to far away locations, then a backyard wedding can be a great idea to get them involved in wedding right from beginning. Your own backyard can provide a feeling of comfort and warmth during this most important moment of your life. Given below are a few points to consider while planning a wedding on a small budget.

Choosing a Backyard for Wedding
The size of the backyard is obviously the most important thing one should consider while choosing a backyard for wedding. The backyard should be large enough to accommodate seating arrangement for all guests as well as have separate areas for the ceremony and wedding reception, if you plan to have everything in one yard. If you have too long a guest list, then your small backyard won't house all of your guests. In that case, you can host your wedding at a friend's or relative's place if they have a large backyard. Other things to consider include condition of the lawn, evenness of the surface etc. Lawn care should begin several weeks before wedding day, so that you have healthy growth of grass. Besides, the yard should be ideally even and should not become too muddy in case you have rain on your wedding day.

Backyard Decoration and Arrangement
Simply erecting a tent and setting a few tables and chairs won't complete your wedding decoration and seating arrangement. A simple yet beautiful decoration can transform an ordinary backyard into an ideal wedding location. Separate the ceremony area from rest of the yard by erecting a small stage. You can also put decorative fences to separate the wedding area from the reception area. Some of the interesting backyard wedding reception ideas include hanging lights from trees and setting tables under colorful umbrellas. Make wedding centerpieces out of simple, cheap, yet beautiful flowers. These need not be exactly identical. You can choose flowers according to the theme of your wedding. You can also place potted plants bearing large colorful flowers. Set the buffet table in the shade, so that desserts do not melt. You can have a simple menu of dessert and champagne or you can have several biscuits and cookies along with variety of tea and coffee, if your wedding theme is inspired by a tea party. Do not have a very elaborate and exhaustive menu, as it will unnecessarily increase your wedding cost and defeat the whole purpose. Other wedding arrangements include making provision for rest rooms and preparation rooms for the wedding party.

Getting Ready for a Backyard Wedding
You can plan a backyard wedding on a budget of $5000 if you have a solid support system in form of friends and family. You can truly save the cost of professional decorators and caterers if you have family members to take care of these matters. Many families bake their wedding cake at home. Similarly you can also make cupcakes and cookies for guests at home. Backyard wedding dresses can also be made at home if you have an accomplished seamstress in family. Make wedding bouquets from elegant flowers like roses, calla lilies, hydrangeas etc. These flowers look absolutely fabulous and arranging them in a bouquet is also quite simple. Similarly, you can also make boutonnieres for the groom and his men at home.

Getting married in your very own yard can be a very emotional experience. Hence, go for backyard wedding even if budget is not a problem for you. It's the perfect place to bid adieu to childhood memories and take a step towards a new future together.