If your original wedding plans were cancelled during the pandemic last year, you may be looking for a budget-friendly alternative venue. Imagine the perfect, intimate area where you can have your wedding exactly how you want it, no booking deposit required? Take a look outside, it can be none other than your very own backyard!
The best thing about backyard weddings is the creative freedom. It’s an excellent alternative to hosting an outdoor wedding with social distancing measures and free parking. Save money and enjoy the cozy, nostalgic feeling of exchanging vows at home. It’s comfortable, cost-effective, and convenient! Looking for ways to create the backyard wedding of dreams? These ideas will ensure your special day is as meaningful and epic as any other venue!
Ceremony Decor
There are dozens of DIY decorations you can incorporate into your ceremony to make the backyard look romantic and enchanting. For example, you can build a custom wooden altar and adorn it with flower arrangements and linen! You can also spruce it up the aisle with vintage accessories such as lanterns, rugs, and greenery.
Think about the signage you’d like to display. To make sure guests remain outside the house, there can be arrows hanging from the porch or trees that point towards the backyard. Glass signages are also very popular and stylish, where couples use dry erase markers to write the welcome message in beautiful cursive.
Reception
Next, decide what you’d like to do with your guests after the ceremony. Since you’re already in your backyard, you can easily host a cookout or potluck-style dinner for everyone to enjoy. As for the seating arrangements, you can purchase furniture rentals or keep it simple using patio chairs and picnic tables. For a bohemian-chic look, take it a step further by removing chairs altogether! Guests can get cozy sitting on comfy rugs and lush pillows.
If the wedding reception takes place later in the evening, you’ll need some lighting. String lights and candle lanterns can add a personal touch and create an illuminated ambiance for the yard. Do you have a fire pit? Light it up to keep guests warm and add a table of s’mores for a delicious treat!
Entertainment
Last but not least, don’t forget the games! What better way to celebrate your special day than fun and interactive activities with your loved ones? Wedding games are the perfect way to keep guests entertained while the newlyweds sneak away to take photos and change clothes.
The Shoe Game is an all-time favorite for weddings, where the newlywed couple sits facing away from each other, each holding the other’s shoe. Wedding guests are to ask them a series of funny (or embarrassing) questions such as “Who snores the loudest?” in which the couple will answer by raising the shoes! Other lawn games, such as ring toss and cornhole, are also great for kids to join in on the fun.
If you’d like to serve adult beverages during your backyard wedding, a DIY mimosa bar is simple and classy! You’ll need a table or bar cart to dedicate the drinking area, a beverage tub full of ice to keep the alcohol chilled, and a variety of juices for the mix. Decorate the table with glassware and bowls of fruit, and you’re done!
We hope you enjoyed these creative ideas. If you’re considering a backyard wedding and would still like the assistance of a planner, we’re here to help.
Images courtesy of Zola
