While hosting a wedding at a private estate is not a new concept, it has become a much more popular option during the Covid health crisis. Hosting a wedding at home can be a wonderful experience, but it also comes with it’s own set of challenges. Here are some do’s and don’ts to keep in mind if you’re planning on hosting your wedding at home!
Just because your wedding is being hosted at home, does not mean that you cannot wear the dress of your dreams! Many brides have concern about wearing the dress they really love because of the setting. So long as you create a proper setting, your outdoor wedding can feel as elegant, luxurious and refined and you’d like. So yes, wear your dream wedding dress! If it’s a ballroom gown, then by all means create your own ballroom outdoors and go for it! It’s your wedding day and you should not short-change yourself! Create the environment you want to be in, and wear the dress you love! Keep in mind that transforming an outdoor space into a beautiful, ballroom-like setting is a very complex process that is better done with a professional designer/planner by your side.
This is another aspect of planning an at home wedding that many people don’t think about. You can’t just have anyone serve alcohol to all your wedding guests just because you’re on your property – you’ll need a licensed bartender! If you’re serving hard liquor, you may need an additional permit, so be sure to check into it and comply with the alcohol laws in your county. Another important thing to check is the noise ordinance – the last thing you need is a visit from law enforcement to your wedding reception because someone complained about the noise. I think we can all agree that’s no way to end a beautiful day!
Planning an outdoor wedding in the hopes that the weather cooperates is just a bad idea. If you have an option to move everything indoors comfortably in the event of inclement weather, great. This is not usually the case when hosting a wedding reception at a private estate, so getting a tent is really the only way to assure that you are covered. Even beautiful months have rainy days, so always hope for the best weather, but prepare for bad weather.
Many people don’t realize that you need a permit to set up a tent on your property, but yes, you usually do! Regulations can vary from county to county, so the best thing to do is to consult your local permit office in advance. You’ll want to find out the permit requirements for your area, get the correct permit forms turned in and approved in time (the best time to do this depends on your permit office as well), so that you don’t run into any issues. They’ll have an inspector come out to check the tent once erected, so make sure to rent from a credible company that will comply with all the requirements so you don’t get charged extra fees for re-inspection.
Oh my, the beauty of a clear top tent with gorgeous clear chandeliers hanging from it! I get all the fairy tale, outdoor ballroom feels and I love it! However, if a clear top tent is your vision, be sure to consider one important fact; during hot, sunny days, they work like a greenhouse! They’ll become very hot and humid inside, so you want to keep them covered with tarps on warmer days, and have the tarps removed shortly before the event is set to begin. Also give preference to a later start time if you’re set on this tent style, and be sure to add fans to the tent as well. This is very important to keep your flowers, cake and candles from becoming a disaster. Now, of course if you have a cool day this is not a concern, but if the sun is out, avoid placing flowers, candles and cake under the tent too early in the day.
Boring subject, I know, but it’s very important to make sure you know what will happen with the trash at the end of the event so you don’t end up with a ton of trash bags to dispose of the next day. Talk with your caterer and see if they’re able to take it with them – sometimes there may be a fee. If not, you may want to rent a dumpster for the wedding weekend and place it somewhere inconspicuous.
It’s a common misconception that planning a smaller, at home wedding will be much easier than planning a larger wedding. As far as guest management goes, of course, it should be easier to manage 40 guests than 100! But when it comes to all of the other aspects, planning a smaller wedding at home can be just as complex – sometimes more – than planning a larger wedding at a venue. If you are getting a tent, which is recommended, even more so! In the end, no matter the size of your guest list, If you want a beautiful, well organized, easy flowing wedding day that’ll provide a great experience for your guests, then it is highly recommended that you find a planner to work with so that you and your family can relax and enjoy your wedding festivities.