At home weddings
One of the latest trends in recent years is the at home wedding. These were once quite popular and very much the norm as they are cost effective, personal and very easy to host. The comeback of the at home wedding is probably in response to a weakening economy and turn against commercialism as weddings have become such a huge industry built up on “things” that many people are very against the whole concept of a “wedding” but still want to get “married.” There is absolutely nothing wrong with either concept, it’s a matter of personal preference as well as budget. Here are some things to consider when planning an at home wedding.
Size
The size of your home or the home and property of a relative will largely determine the size of your guest list. If the house doesn’t have a fairly sizable backyard it’s unlikely you’ll be able to accommodate one hundred people however if you have a good acre of land or more you may be able to do so. Be realistic with the space you have and plan accordingly. You might consider having the ceremony inside as well if you don’t plan on inviting too many guests.
Style
If the wedding is held at your home then you already have some style set in place, your style as a couple (if you live together before marriage). Decide on how you can decorate the space to accommodate your style and keep the house in tact. Since it’s your home or that of someone close to you it’s especially important everything remains well kept as it’s unacceptable for furniture to be ruined or things stapled in the walls which you might be able to get away with at another venue. Figure out how you can decorate ahead of time without harming the existing space and in such a way that clean up is minimal.
Food
Are you going to cook all the food (or family members) or have the event catered? There are advantages and disadvantages to each so you have to decide what works for you. If you and your family cook the food you can likely save a good deal of money as you’ll be able to control what you spend based on what’s served and where it’s purchased. However you’ll also have the burden of getting all that food made as well as everything else done and prepared for your big day. It can be a lot of stress if you’re ill prepared or your planning falls through. Catering can ease the stress of having to deal with food however it is more expensive. But if there’s a special restaurant you love this can also be very personal and just the thing you need to make the party that much better.
Set Up and Clean Up
The advantage is you can take as long as you would like to set everything up if it’s at your home. That means you can begin hanging decorations and arranging tables long before the actual day if you so choose. You can also take your time cleaning up but remember, you do have to clean up and it will be you (and your helpers) doing the work not some hired employees at a venue.
There are lots of great things about having an at home wedding that make it well worth the time and energy to plan. Whatever you decide you should just make sure it makes you happy and will be what you want to look back on and smile about years from now.