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Having an at-home wedding can be very beautiful and unique.
Follow these tips to make it a success!
If it is outdoors, have a back-up
Most at-home weddings are in the yard, therefore you submit
yourself and your guests to unpredictable weather. Make sure you
have a back-up location in case of severe weather. Either way,
make sure to rent a tent to protect your guests from sun or
rain.
Find a few people to coordinate
Since you won’t have the luxury of reception hall staff, make
sure you enlist a few friends to set-up, decorate, and greet
vendors. Be sure to make these people a list and spend some time
going over how you envision things to look. Most likely you will
be busy getting yourself ready for the wedding. You will have to
count on these people to put together the setting for you.
Be sure that your home can handle the guests
· Make sure your location will accommodate your guest list.
Keep in mind the size of the area and that you need to allow
people to move around comfortably.
· Check the septic, and consider renting portable restrooms to
provide accommodation the guests. Be sure to provide
anti-bacterial wipes and hand lotion.
· Consider renting a generator if you plan on using extra
electricity for outdoor lighting or a DJ
· If it is mosquito season, have someone spray the property the
morning of your wedding. A few citronella candles around the
yard wouldn’t hurt either.
· Homes can be hard to find, so be sure to post directional
signs around the town.
· Be sure there is adequate room to park. Perhaps there is a
parking lot nearby, or room at some neighbors’ houses for your
guests to park.
Personalize it
The best thing about an at-home wedding is that it is personal
and “homey”. No other wedding can be like it! There are MANY
ways to make it even more personal, but try these:
· See if your caterer will serve a “home-cooked” meal for
dinner consisting of chicken, corn on the cob, potatoes,
veggies, and homemade bread.
· Carve your initials and the date in a tree in the yard. Or,
better yet, plant one of your own the day of the wedding.
· Instead of buying favors and centerpieces, get creative and
make them yourself.
· Set out unique items for your guests to see, such as, photos
of your parents’ or grandparents’ wedding, or important
items from your childhood.
Be prepared
Planning an at-home wedding can add a little extra headache onto
your already-stressful planning. Be as organized as possible and
try to enlist help. Also, keep in mind whose home you are using.
They will likely want a say in how things go—count on it if
you are using your parents’ or his parents’ home! |
