Backyard wedding

Have you tried Airbnb?

They're often times more expensive than a venue after you add up the cost of tables, chairs, linens, a tent, place settings, portable restrooms, etc. It's doable, but I would seriously compare the cost before committing.

View Quoted Comment I have not. But that's a good idea. Thanks!

We are doing a backyard reception and I'm with Caytlyn, the expenses add up quickly. Between all the things she added, plus potentially having to have a permit, lighting if it's at night, a dancefloor, etc. If you do it, just compare all the prices you can.

I'd be worried about parking. Tbh.

Often it’s more expensive for a DIY backyard wedding. Table rental. Chair rental. Food. Drink. Tent rental. Plates/glass/utensil rental. BATHROOMS. Music rental.

I love them, but they end up being expensive if done right in my opinion. Parking is always a huge hassle. Then you have to plan for tents for back up in case of bad weather, bathroom rentals if the house isn't big enough, a generator for extra power, lighting, etc. Then you have to deal with things like bugs & spraying for them, neighbors, city regulations, etc.

My FH's brother did a backyard wedding last year. I think they did a great job with it and it turned out beautiful. However, they didn't plan on a tent and ended up renting one the day before the wedding due to bad storms predicted, which cost them about 4x the regular rental price. The tent ended up making it feel a lot cozier and more intimate (even though it never rained) so I'm glad they did it. Just be sure to price out EVERYTHING ahead of time and see if its really cheaper. Also consider whether you will have enough parking, bathrooms, space to get ready (especially if you want to be separate from groom), space for caterer to prep, etc.)

People give them the side eye but please be open to VFW's, Knights of Columbus, Elk Clubs, Legions, etc. Some are very beautiful inside (my first wedding was in the early 90's and it had just been remodeled with beautiful wooden floors and vaulted ceilings!) My local VFW rents out a very nice room for $600 and that includes a licensed bartender!!!

I agree with PP's: Backyard weddings add up quickly with table/chair/plateware rental. Garbage will add up, where will people park and tents are expensive to rent. We went to a backyard wedding and reception last Saturday but it was for maybe 20 people, no dancing, just a simple ceremony and lunch.

We found a very nice historic hotel with food and ceremony and Reception room rental for 3k. Maybe try a hotel that includes everything? Some hotels will include the room rental for free if you spend a minimum on food and drinks

U can also look at parks, look for places that arent actually wedding venues. Or sometimes churches and stuff have tables and chairs for free. We are having our wedding at a private campground.

I agree with many people on here. I live a backyard wedding but the are expensive too. So many things you have to bring in for that.

Unfortunately, you'll probably end up paying more than expected. Could you possibly look into churches? Those are usually more cost friendly!

The backyard weddings I've attended have almost always ended early or had unforseen expensive circumstances (needing to rent a generator the day of due to overworked power outlets, last minute port-o-john rentals, and parking tickets for the guests).

On top of homeowner's insurance riders that can get expensive and local permits to host an event it can really become a nightmare.

Maybe try a local fire hall, community center room, golf club or something of that nature. I am starting to find that these venues are a lot more affordable than some other choices. Of course, with the choices I've listed, there is usually a lot of do it yourself tasks, such as decorating, sourcing your food and stuff. Some of them may have bartenders or other vendors which is great. But usually, it's a clean slate and you have to work with the space. I'm just sort of worried the backyard wedding will end up being very expensive.

Check out Clubhouses or local town halls. I found a $5000 waterfront venue that I couldn’t get out of my head. After tons of research I found another waterfront at a local community Clubhouse for half the price and the view is just as gorgeous. There’s a little lore DIY to be done. But it’s super affordable and within our budget.

View Quoted Comment This! We were actually initially planning a backyard wedding and then we added up all these costs and it was way more than we expected. Once we got to the point of realizing we’d need to actually rent portable restrooms we were like screw it this is just as expensive as an actual venue and twice as complicated 🤦🏻‍♀️😂

Ours would be considered a backyard wedding. We're getting married at my FH's grandparent's 180+ acre farm. This is the same farm we will be buying so there is also sentimental value. The ceremony will be out at a pond that my FH has completely redone and landscaped and the reception will be in a brand new 60' x 52' building that my FH will be using as a shop/garage after the wedding so it was going to be built this year regardless. As for bathrooms we are renting a self contained bathroom trailer for right around $1500. To us after the cost of caterer, tables etc, bathrooms which would likely be included in a venue was still much cheaper than booking a local venue. Obviously parking isn't an issue for us because there is plenty of room.

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I agree - luckily the wedding we attended was very small, more like a picnic, lol. But: There were no tents!! We BROILED in the sun for 15 minute ceremony. It may not seem long but my hubby has had heat stroke and if I was uncomfortable, I was worried about him. It was about 89 degrees and very muggy.

We are doing a backyard wedding and keeping our costs low. I’m a researcher so I’ve done a lot of leg work on getting the best deal for the tent and other rentals. I found companies ranged in price but also wanted to ‘beat’ each other. I don’t have everything done but I’m still within budget. I think it is what you make it. It can be beautiful. Good luck!