When planning an intimate wedding, there is no better place than your own backyard. Backyard weddings are special in so many ways and are considered the most budget-friendly. You can be super relaxed and flexible and plan your special day at your own pace. Here are 8 tips to host a memorable backyard wedding without digging a hole in your pocket.
Reuse the Dresses
Since you are planning your wedding on a budget, the first thing you need to do is cut costs on extravagant wedding dresses. It is your special day but you can keep it that way by reusing old dresses. The bride can borrow her mum’s wedding dress and get it altered to match her size and style.
For the bridesmaids and wedding guests, you can suggest selecting dresses from their wardrobes to match your backyard wedding theme. Reusing old dresses is not only budget-friendly but eco-friendly as well. You can suggest a color palette depending on the season and your wedding theme.,
For example, rust gowns for bridesmaids perfectly match the backyard wedding set in winter. The earthy tones and warm hues align pretty well with colder seasons.
For summer weddings, tell the guests to wear dresses in pastel colors and floral prints in shades of lilac to match your backyard wedding theme. And romantic lilac bridesmaid dresses will set the right tone. Stay ahead of the latest fashion trends and style inspirations at The Biography Magazine.
Set a Realistic Guest List
Backyard weddings have space limitations. You cannot invite as many people as you can invite in a specialized wedding venue. Since you are planning your wedding on a budget, the best way to do it is to set up a realistic wedding guest list.
Invite only your closest friends and family. For colleagues and other relatives, invite only adults and eliminate plus one to shorten the guest list. To further cut the costs, make arrangements for far-off relatives from other cities and countries to attend the wedding virtually.
Do not invite people you rarely talk to or friends you haven’t met in a while. It is a backyard wedding for a reason and you should keep it that way without pressuring yourself to invite anyone and everyone.
Choose an Off-Season Date
It is a fact that during the most popular wedding months and seasons, you have to pay premium prices for all the services. September and October are the most popular wedding months and during these months, weekends are fully booked.
Choosing to wed in January and February on weekdays will help you get discounted rates and special prices. An off-season and off-peak date will help you stay within your budget.
DIY Wedding Décor
Backyard offers you a blank canvas and you can show the creative side of your personality on your big day. If you have a green thumb, you can recycle and upcycle stuff to create one-of-a-kind wedding décor items.
If you love gardening, you can plant seeds of seasonal flowers and use the homegrown flowers for décor and your wedding bouquet. Use branches and foliage from your garden to create a stand where you can hang your family photographs.
Old jars, vases, and tumblers can be used to create centerpieces. You can find vintage décor items at thrift stores and dollar stores for less and turn your humble backyard into a romantic wedding venue.
To make it more special, invite friends and family for a crafting event. Create personalized DIY wedding décor elements and wedding favors and turn the day into a memorable pre-wedding party.
Opt for a Morning or Brunch Wedding
Just like an off-season wedding can help you cut costs, the time of the day you choose can make a huge difference. Most couples opt for evenings for their wedding and being the popular time, it can be a little for those on a budget.
If you opt for a morning or brunch time to swap the vows, you can significantly lower the expenses. Brunch menus are usually less expensive and morning/brunch means less drinking, hence less costs. You can take advantage of natural light and cut costs on extra lighting. Morning weddings mean no late-night parties hence lower costs.
Keep the Menu Simple
Backyard weddings should give a homely feel and for that, you can keep your menu simple and homely. A simple menu means fewer ingredients, less food waste, and overall lower food costs. A simple menu also requires less preparation and cooking time which means lower labor costs for the catering staff.
You can opt for budget-friendly DIY elements such as setting up a dessert table or signature cocktail for a more personalized touch. Ask for friends and family to help cook and bake for the event. What’s better than having a delicious home-cooked meal at your wedding?
Use Digital Invitations
You can get out of your budget without even knowing. There are several elements that eat up your budget and you end up spending much more than you expected. Most couples opt for custom-designed wedding invites which are relatively more expensive. Rather than getting wedding invites printed, opt for digital invitations.
If you are good at designing, you can create your own invitation cards or download free printable invites. You can even build your own website and direct your guests to the website to get information about events and timings. Digital printing of wedding invites is much cheaper than foil or letterpress.
Ask Friends to Help
To make this special day extra special, you hire several service providers. Photographers, videographers, and makeup artists can be pretty expensive. To cut the costs and make this event more special, ask friends and family for help. We all have aspiring photographers and makeup artists in our circles who are trying to build their portfolios. It is a great chance for them to show their talents.
Before asking for help, make sure they are genuinely interested. Don’t force anyone to work for free. By asking friends, you can choose people you trust and are comfortable working with.
Wrapping Up
A backyard wedding has sentimental value. Instead of opting for high-end expensive venues, your backyard is a great place for hosting your dream wedding on a budget. Although wedding expenses can easily get out of hand, you can make some simple changes in different elements to create a look and feel that is romantic and luxurious and still within your range.
Make use of these tips and use the beautiful home you grew up in as your backdrop to cherish in years to come.