How To Plan A Dream Backyard Wedding
As much as I love a traditional venue with all of the amenities, there is something so nostalgic and whimsical about a private backyard wedding. Gathering your friends and family in a place filled with meaning and memories is incredibly special. If you're considering hosting a wedding in your backyard, keep reading to find out the benefits, how to plan, and see examples from a real private estate wedding in Los Angeles.
Benefits of Hosting A Backyard Wedding
If you have the space, a backyard wedding can yield many benefits. Here are the top 7 reasons to consider a backyard space for your special day.
1. Save Money.
For most couples, the ceremony and reception venues are the number one largest wedding day expenses. Foregoing a traditional wedding venue allows you to allocate those funds to other parts of your budget, like rentals and decor.
2. No competing for popular dates!
It's not uncommon for wedding venues to book out a year or more in advance. That means A LOT of competition for those peak summer and fall months. A private estate wedding gives you the freedom to choose your ideal date without the stress of someone beating you to it.
3. Complete design control.
Sometimes wedding venues can feel limiting in terms of design. With a backyard wedding, however, the sky is the limit! If you have a very specific vision in mind, a backyard wedding might be worth considering in order to curate the space to your exact specifications.
4. Vendor Freedom.
Wedding venues often provide you with a list of preferred vendors for things like catering, floral design, entertainment, etc. This list can be both helpful and constrictive if you have particular vendors in mind for your big day.
5. Complete timeline control.
Week-of deliveries and week-after pick-ups for equipment and rentals are so much more flexible with a backyard wedding, and you can end the night much later if you wish (being courteous of your neighbors, of course!)
6. Minimal rules and regulations.
Traditional venues usually come with a set of rules and regulations such as: No outside liquor, no loud music after a certain time, specific candle regulations, no confetti, sparklers, etc. These can incur additional fees if violated in any way by a member of your party. A private estate, however, comes with very minimal rules and regulations. (However, make sure to check with your city to obtain any special permits that may be required regarding parking, fire, and noise.)
7. Sentimental meaning.
Some couples choose a backyard wedding simply for the sentimentality of the location. Whether it's your childhood home or a special place in your history, you'll never regret hosting such an important event in a place of meaning.
How To Plan A Backyard Wedding
Ceremony
When planning a backyard ceremony, there are a few things to keep in mind and questions to ask yourself. First, will you be getting ready on or off-site? I typically recommend an off-site location such as a hotel or Airbnb so you aren't bombarded by vendors and questions about setup while you’re getting ready.
Next is layout and decor. What do you want your backdrop or focal point to be? Facing the house, the water, the mountains? Once you've decided on a view, set the scene with an arch, chuppah, floral installation, or drapery. You also have the option of creating an aisle effect using rugs, flower petals, or lining the aisle with decor.
Make sure to assess the shade and be aware of direct sun exposure for your guests. It might be a good idea to bring in additional sources like umbrellas or canopies if needed. It's also important to think about guest arrival and the event flow. Consider having a welcome table and beverage station for your guests!
Finally, avoid having the ceremony during the harshest light of the day. The best time to begin the ceremony is 1.5 hours before sunset. This will ensure the best outcome for photos and will create a natural transition into your cocktail hour and reception.
ceremony details
Emily and Austin’s wedding began with an intimate first look and private vow reading followed by family formal and wedding party photos, all off-site at a nearby park location five minutes from the residence. The invitation time was 5:00 PM with a ceremony start time of 5:30 PM sharp. As guests arrived, they were greeted with passed champagne, a welcome table with a photo guest book, and a drink station with spa water, lemonade, and ice tea.
We decided on a drapery entrance from the residence driveway leading to the ceremony to create a full romantic atmosphere. The sun and vines coming through the draping were absolutely gorgeous and transported guests to a Tuscan vineyard escape. This was a completely custom wedding design for the couple that turned out beautifully!
Cocktail Hour
When planning a backyard cocktail hour, make sure you think about the overall layout and how you will transition into your dinner reception. If you're working with a smaller space, you might have to merge the two areas into one rather than keeping the reception tables separate.
For your bar, the recommended bartender-to-guest ratio is approximately 1 to 50-75 for a full bar with 2 signature cocktails. For quicker service, consider doing pre-batched, passed cocktails at the beginning of the hour. Passed hors d’oeuvres are also a great option for smaller spaces to avoid over-crowding in any certain area.
cocktail hour details
Because the couple opted for a first look, they were able to take most of their photos pre-ceremony which allowed them to join their guests at cocktail hour. We served passed hors d’oeuvres and signature cocktails served at an 8-foot bar with two bartenders for a total of ninety guests. We also repurposed the ceremony chairs for the guest tables and bridesmaid bouquets for some of the table centerpieces.
Reception
Working with a blank canvas can be tricky without reference to past weddings. Don't be afraid to get creative and utilize your planner's expertise to craft your dream wedding! Begin by creating a full, to-scale schematic of your event space. Make sure to do at LEAST one on-site walkthrough with both your Rental & Catering companies to ensure the plan is feasible for the space and catering service.
If the yard allows, renting a tent is a great way to separate the reception space and create a designated rain/shade cover for your guests. For tight spaces, I recommend assigned seating (always!) with a plated meal. And be sure to add lots of lighting throughout the reception! Good lighting is not only essential for your guests and vendors, but also adds to the romantic ambiance. Twinkle lights, cafe lights, candles, or marquee signs are a great place to start.
**Don't forget to sneak away about 20-30 minutes before sunset for those dreamy golden hour photos! Your photographer can help you scout a good location for this near your location.
Keep reading for our rental and logistical tips below!
reception details
For Emily & Austin's reception, we had planned originally for 130 guests with 90 total attending which alleviated a lot of spatial pressure, though we still had to get creative with the layout!
First, we transformed the driveway into an additional lounge area after the ceremony for guests to mingle and covered half of the pool for more dining space. We added a variation of round and long tables to accommodate the reception area and included a seating chart with pre-assigned seats for each guest. A plated meal with breads, salads, entrees, and sides along with table side water and wine service was served courtesy of Monrose Catering.
Our Creative Vendor Team
Planning & Design by To Be Loved Events || Venue at Private Residence in Tarzana, California || Catering by Monrose Catering || Photography by Aura Elizabeth Photography || Floral Design by Primrose & Petals || Cake & Desserts by Frost It Cakery || Hair & Makeup by Fairytale Hair & Makeup || DJ & MC Ruslan Dali || Rentals by A Rental Connection || Pool Cover & Railing by Opus Event Rentals || Videography by 409 Films || Restrooms by Andy Gump
"Samantha was everything we were looking for in a wedding planner - calm, supportive, and super organized. We can’t even count the number of times we said the wedding wouldn’t have happened without her. As two extraordinarily busy people, we knew we needed a wedding planner to help pull it together. With the wedding at a private residence, literally, every detail had to be picked and brought in, and Sam made sure it all happened. She understood our vision and helped bring it to life. Throughout the year we worked together, she always brought us a couple of options for vendors (but not too many :)), gave us her advice, and answered any questions we had to help us make the right choices. On the day of, I can’t even count the number of details she and her assistant paid attention to that we didn’t even think needed tending to, but that really made the event a level above and beyond elegant. Sam really was our rock throughout the process and we couldn’t be more grateful to have worked with her!!”
- Emily & Austin
Backyard Wedding Rentals
Backyard Wedding Logistics
Power - Generators may be needed to support the additional electric usage (Lighting, DJ, Photo Booth, Musicians, Kitchen, etc.)
Restrooms - 1 restroom per 50 guests for a 6-hour event is recommended. If there are not enough restrooms to accommodate your guest count, additional toilet facilities may be needed. I usually recommend keeping guests out of the residence and having a restroom attendant manage the cleanliness of the restrooms & grounds.
Yard - Plan yard maintenance and gardening in advance, and turn off sprinklers for the day of. If a pool is involved, consider covering it if more event space is needed.
Lighting - Make sure to think through lighting for each area and vendor for the event.
Permits - Some cities/counties require a permit to host a large party at a private residence due to safety codes and noise ordinances.
Neighbors - Make sure to notify your surrounding neighbors in advance about the event taking place (and maybe offer an invitation or small gift to them in advance for any inconvenience.)
Parking - If there's not enough street parking, consider hiring a valet service. Also, you can highly encourage ride sharing and/or you can shuttle in your guests from a local hotel.
Kitchen - Think about whether to allow catering access to your personal kitchen and/or build out an external kitchen elsewhere on-site. Ask your caterer what they prefer and need for the kitchen.
Garbage - Rent or buy dumpsters to house additional garbage, check with your caterer to see if they will monitor/empty bins, if not assign someone to do so.
Weather - Make sure to have a plan in place in case of bad weather conditions — either moving the party inside or offering fans, blankets, umbrellas, etc.
View more photos from Emily & Austin’s wedding here!
Read to start planning your Los Angeles backyard wedding?
