Planning a Backyard Wedding

If there is one day in your life that you will remember forever, it is your wedding day! Besides the presence of the person with whom you will spend the rest of your life, as well as that of your near and dear ones, the way the day will be planned and celebrated, adds to its memory!

However, not all of us are lucky enough to spend thousands of dollars on wedding decorations or book a five star hotel as the wedding venue. What happens when someone has a really low wedding budget?

Does it mean that their wedding day should not be made as special as that of others? Absolutely not! Even though you plan to tie the knot in your backyard, we give you some wonderful and affordable ideas to have the wedding of your dreams.

Considering that you already have a wedding venue in place, the next thing to decide is the number of guests that you plan to invite. Since your budget is tight, I would suggest, keep the number of guests manageable and to the bare minimum. See to it that it does not exceed hundred in any case.

For a low-budget wedding, it is suggested that you send out handmade wedding invitations. Since the wedding is in the midst of nature, a good idea would be to make invitations as an extension of the same! So, in the wedding invitation envelope, you could add some dried flowers and leaves!

The best part about having such a wedding is that there will be colorful flowers, green trees, and chirping birds around to add to the beauty of the wedding reception venue and that you would not need to do much to enhance the sight! Still here are some ideas that you could use:

• As the place where a couple takes their wedding wows will be most prominently figured in the wedding photographs, so choose the best location in the backyard for it.

• If there is a gazebo in the garden, then half of your work is already done. Decorate it with flowers, lanterns, and monograms and you have a perfect ceremony spot. These days you can get rented gazebos as well, so you can consider getting them.

• Another option is a large tree. Hang some decorative items from its leaves and branches and have the wedding ceremony in front of it. If there is a covered patio adjoining the garden, make it the focal point of your ceremony.

• Since the venue for both the ceremony and the reception is the same, do not make the mistake of lining a number of chairs around the ceremony spot. Instead, keep the tables and chairs facing the ceremony spot.

• As for the centerpieces, there are hordes of ideas you can choose from, like, placing three to four wine bottles in various positions, stacking vintage books, placing candles of different heights, placing a decorative glass bowl with floating candles in it.

• In case it's a morning wedding, a simple flower bouquet will look great as a wedding centerpiece as it will complement the surroundings really well!

• You could also use string lights of various colors, especially on trees, bushes, and shrubs. Throw heart-shaped red balloons on the ground to lend a dreamy, romantic effect to your wedding.

• Lanterns, candles, and flower pots which are already there in the garden can be placed on both sides to clearly define the aisle for the bride's entrance. Throw dried rose petals in between these to make the bride feel even more special!

When it comes to the food, the first thing that comes to mind is the wedding cake. A not-so-expensive idea is to either make your own cake or get cup cakes of different flavors and place them in three tiers, resembling a three-tier cake!

As for the food, keep it simple. Barbecues, salads, finger foods, corn on the cob, sandwiches, hotdogs, and homemade cookies as desserts, are some of the food items that you can consider. As for beverages, iced tea, wine, lemonade, and beer would do!

The key lies in being creative and shopping intelligently! So, whether you are shopping for a wedding dress or wedding decor, look for discounts, double deals, or shop from thrift stores, second hand stores, or yard sales!

When everything's done, more than the wedding decor, your guests will remember the wonderful experience you gave them by having the wedding in the outdoors. So, don't stress a lot on the plans, instead enjoy your big day!