THE BACKYARD KILLJOY

There are so many details that are so easily overlooked when it comes to the backyard wedding. These not only have the potential to steal your wedding day joy but also put major strain on other areas of your life long term. Maybe your parents have a friend with a lake-house, or your grandparents cabin, or an aunt with a pretty yard. It all sounds easy and inexpensive right? All you'd have to do is order the tables, chairs & make a pretty arbor right?

 

But have you considered...

 

 

1. Permits:

• Do you have a city permit for your event? Most fire departments will want to do an inspection to make sure everything is in order in case there’s a fire or emergency. Is there a local noise ordinance that requires a permit or place restrictions on noise? The last thing you want is the local police and angry neighbors crashing your wedding.

 

2. Noise:

• Speaking of neighbors, how will they feel about a big event in their neighborhood? Is someone going to be mowing their lawn during your ceremony, or having a BBQ with their friends with the music turned up loud? Remember, whoever owns the backyard has to continue to live next to these people.

 

3. Insurance:

• Does your homeowner's insurance cover a big event with third party vendors (catering trucks and trailers, DJ equipment, etc). Will you be required to get a supplemental policy for third party liability or do your vendors have their own insurance policies as well?

 

4. Parking:

• Is there room for parking 30-50 (or more!) cars plus vendors? Do you need to file for a permit to park cars along the street? Will there be a problem with your guests taking up your neighbors parking on the streets? Or will they be parking in a dirt field that creates dust, or worse, if it’s raining, your guests will have to walk through the mud?

 

5. Space:

• Does the area for the ceremony and reception have enough space for all your guests? Is the ground level enough for chairs, tables, the dance floor. Your vendor team (catering, florist, DJ and so on) will need to check out the area where you will have them set up to see if it will work for their set up and equipment. Also, you'll need a lot of space (way more than you think!) to store & prep the floral displays, bar/beverage, desert & catering. What are you going to do with garbage? (hint: you'll likely need a big dumpster!)

 

6. Electrical Requirements:

• Will your vendors (catering/DJ/ bar) have all have the room they need as well as the electrical power necessary for their equipment. Caterers and DJ’s require a lot of power for their equipment. You don’t want to be in the middle of your ceremony and everything shuts off - now the property owner has to leave the ceremony to go flip the breaker back on. Most homes cannot accommodate the amount of power necessary to light a tent or provide power for catering needs. You don't want to risk a power outage.

 

7. Weather:

• What if the weather takes a turn for the worst, will everyone need to fit indoors or will you have a tent? Is there covered space for the DJ and caterer to keep their equipment covered in case of rain or out of the heat? Stifling heat can pose just as many problems as rain. Do you have a plan to keep your guests safe in case of severe or dangerous weather or will they all need to leave?

 

8. Vendors:

• Will your caterer have enough room to bring in a trailer? Will they be able to park close to the yard area to serve the food? What about the DJ? They bring a lot of heavy equipment. Do you have a place for the florist to keep the flowers fresh until the ceremony? What about the cake and deserts? Will they stay cool or melt in the sun? If you're thinking more of a 'potluck' style dinner, do you have enough cold storage space to ensure the food doesn't spoil - and somebody to coordinate / manage bringing the food out & putting it away??

 

9. Landscaping & Yard Maintenance:

• A beautiful yard may take months of advance to prepare. From guests dancing on your lawn to vendors traipsing in and out, your home may take a bit of a beating. The expense of a landscaper, flowers & shrubs, and maintenance is a huge investment for a one time event.

 

10. Rental Costs:

• A backyard wedding & reception requires tables, chairs, dance floor, linens, and other rental items to throw a party. If you're planning a potluck you'll also need dinnerware, napkins, place settings, an area for your bar and a tent. What about bathrooms? Figure at least two - three bathroom trips per guest. Since residential septic tanks can't handle that many flushes, portable bathrooms are a must. Is there a convenient place in the yard to be out of the way yet close by for your guests?