Backyard Wedding Ideas & Advice for
Planning an at Home Wedding

• A backyard wedding reception brunch complete with white linens, potted flowers on the tables and jazz on the iPod.
• An elegant backyard garden party with a live classical trio, waiters and croquet set up for the children.
• A casual afternoon backyard wedding reception BBQ with plenty of picnic fare, games for the children and cheerful music.
• A magical evening reception complete with a dance floor, live music and white paper lanterns or strings of white lights on everything that doesn't move.



• An exotic backyard wedding reception inspired by Morocco or some other far away place. String colored lanterns from the trees or fence posts, hang temporary curtains from posts or shade tents and bring borrowed or rented decorations, furniture, rugs, pillows and lamps outside. Mix a playlist of world music.

Learn how bride Lisa Spooner saved over $20,000 on her dream wedding

Homes and backyards can be great wedding locations, but think carefully about all that it involves before committing to this path.

When having the wedding at a person’s home or backyard there will need to be some touch ups to paint, gardens, and overall cleanliness.

There should be an understanding, within clearly established guidelines, who will pay for these home improvements.

Some people take on big home improvements before the wedding, a few have even sent the bill to the bride and groom!

Make sure everyone agrees on improvements and who is paying what. Keep it simple. Extra flowers in pots and existing beds is usually all it takes to make the average backyard nice.

Keep in mind that for a backyard wedding at home the number of wedding guests should be limited to about 15 square feet per person for a sit down dinner.

Dining tables can be scattered throughout the home or yard, but you do not want service to be impeded by overcrowding.

Before committing to one of the backyard wedding ideas above, considerations need to be made as to parking, kitchen production ability, bathrooms, electricity, etc.

If there's not enough space inside the home for the entire wedding party, guests and hired help, add a tent to the yard in case of inclement weather.

See wedding tents, white light strings, lantern strings, Moroccan lanterns, garden hooks, hanging silk flower pomanders, outdoor curtains, wedding arches, pool orbs, floating pool flowers, luminaria, hanging solar garden lights and outdoor fire pits on Amazon.

When you purchase from our Amazon store, all orders go through Amazon's secure order server.

Be sure to read additional recommendations and advice for outdoor weddings on the unique outdoor wedding ideas page.

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