backyard wedding reception ideas
When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site.
Hillary Hoffower is a writer with more than six years of experience covering the wedding industry. Her work has also appeared on Bridal Guide and WeddingWire.
What’s not to love about a backyard wedding? They’re intimate, convenient, and—perhaps best of all—often a budget-friendly (if not free) venue. But before you write off a backyard wedding as an overly casual affair that welcomes a rustic vibe only, know that there are endless backyard wedding ideas to transform it into anything you want it to be. After all, there
Backyard Wedding Planning Checklist
"For us, it was all about sharing our home with our family and friends, and inviting them into this day with us, " says wedding planner Alicia Fritz of her own wedding. "Our guest list was very diverse. We wanted to bring the level of comfort and familiarity to a group that was unfamiliar with each other, and we thought there is nothing better to break down barriers or ingratiate our guests than inviting them to our home."
Alicia Fritz is the founder of A Day in May, a luxury event planning company. She has been planning, designing, and producing weddings for over a decade, including her very own at-home backyard nuptials.
Fritz says the freedom to get creative is one of the greatest advantages of a backyard wedding. "Aside from our own wedding, A Day in May Events is often working with blank canvases, like an empty and sprawling lawn or landscape, to transform into a wedding venue, " she says. "The ability to build the venue the way you want it, or envision it, is a gift." So let your creativity run wild with inspiration.
Backyard Wedding Ideas That Are Elegant And Budget Friendly
From a wild organic feel to a classy tented reception, these 40 fresh backyard wedding ideas prove that an at-home wedding doesn’t have to be laid-back.
Pair airy, wicker accents with gilded tones and tons of lush greenery for an elegant, summer vibe. Bringing the indoors out in the form of a luxe lounge area will elevate any cocktail hour or reception, and it can easily be achieved with outdoor furniture you already own or by creatively repurposing indoor furniture. You can even cluster mismatched furniture in various textures or tones for a more eclectic take.
"While we all hope for sunny weather it’s not always the case, " says Fritz. "Make sure you have a rain plan first, before you have your sunshine plan. This will help you mentally prepare for any disappointing weather on the day of the celebration, but it will also help you critically think through what to do if it rains and how you will keep your guests and vendor teams comfortable, safe, and dry." For many outdoor at-home nuptials, this means having a tented area preplanned just in case.
Ideas For An Outdoor Wedding
"Be realistic about the space that you have in your backyard, " advises Fritz. "If you need a tent due to a rain plan (or your design vision), make sure your guest list marries with your tent size."
Bring trees inside your tented reception for a magical forest vibe. Pair with reception tables laden with gold candlesticks and foliage, and you’ve got an elegant backyard wedding. Plus, potted trees or topiaries can make for an unexpected addition inside or outside a reception tent, or they can be used as aisle markers.
An outdoor gelato bar gets a rustic Italian feel with wooden elements and leafy branches. Guests will be completely smitten with this interactive sweets station. If gelato isn't quite your thing, you can always substitute with ice cream for a more Americana feel.
Unforgettable Backyard Wedding Ideas
"Chances are your home is not equipped with glamorous outdoor lighting to really make the property shine, " says Fritz. "You don’t have to break the bank on lighting if it’s not in the budget, but making certain you create the mood and set the scene is critical for creating an ambiance." It's simple to create a welcoming display with very little effort or cost. Illuminate an alfresco dinner setting with a few overhead bistro lights or wrap them around the beams of a tent to highlight the structural grandeur.
Make a grand entrance for a tented backyard reception with curtains elegantly pulled back by foliage and accented with topiaries and candles. If you choose to have a tent for your reception, drapes can easily be attached and pulled back to create an inviting entryway.
Take full advantage of the natural splendor around you by modeling your decor after the surrounding landscape. Sans tablecloths, the bare wood and vases of lush eucalyptus perfectly blend with the scenery, practically growing from the environment itself.
Amazing Backyard Wedding Ceremony Decor Ideas
A backyard wedding isn’t complete without a baked pie for dessert—it’s the epitome of grandma’s kitchen. And let's not discount homemade cookies and cupcakes while we're at it. Add these decadent options to your dessert bar for a homegrown approach that will leave your guests smiling.
Add visual depth to your alfresco cocktail hour by draping tables in printed linens. Nautical tones are quintessentially coastal New England, whereas floral prints have a charming country quality.
Transform your pool into the visual focal point of your wedding. During the ceremony, a makeshift walkway can serve as the aisle. Afterward, it can double as the entrance to your reception. You can also go full glam and have a dance floor built over the pool.
Creative Spring Backyard Wedding Ideas
Framed wire has roots in farm life but makes for a surprisingly chic escort card display when shrouded in white buds and boasting pops of blue. All you need for this easy DIY are some escort cards and miniature clothespins. Tuck in some stems of greenery,
Potted flowerless plants mimic the shrubbery of a backyard and make for stunning centerpieces. Cluster a few plants, baby fruit-bearing trees, and herbs from a local garden store for a visual masterpiece that will smell just as good as it looks. Bonus: The plants can live on as landscaping for the backyard instead of meeting a quick demise.
Photo by KT Merry; Event Planning by Bellafare; Floral Design by Fern Studio; Rentals by Ooh Events & Mayker; Lighting by Ambient Media; Draping by Berbank Events; Tent by Sperry Tent Southeast
Summer Wedding Trends And Ideas: From Ceremony To The Cake
Tents have the perfect structure for soaring decor. Take advantage by creating a whimsical canopy of draped fabrics and lush, interwoven greenery for added softness and intimacy. Keep the rest of the color palette neutral to allow the exquisite ceiling decor to shine.
Cocktail hour gets a lot more fun when there are lawn games to be played. Lend them an air of sophistication with your own personal touch—stamp your initials on croquet balls or have cornhole sets customized with your wedding date. Elevate an oversize Jenga set by painting it in your wedding colors and setting it on a polished side table.
Nothing puts guests in a good mood like self-serve beverages on ice. Stock up a bar cart with bottles of bubbly for a quick and stylish refreshment. Want to kick things up a notch? Bring in a vintage car or truck and set up the basins of ice in the trunk.
Low Budget Ideas For A Small Intimate Backyard Weddings
Stack white crates filled with black and white photos of the newlyweds, eucalyptus, and lanterns for a personal decor statement that’s both refined and rustic. Or add a sentimental twist by displaying family wedding photos that go back generations.
Small leaves make a big statement in a simple place setting, bringing the backyard straight to the table. You can also use fresh herbs like sprigs of rosemary for an artisanal flair that hints at the culinary delights to come.
Fruity drinks are a must for a summer backyard wedding. Display them in a bespoke wagon for a bit of vintage flair. Add some Southern charm by filling adorable mason jars with iced tea or lemonade. You can also have a self-serve bar with glass beverage dispensers or a mimosa station brimming with different garnishes.
Backyard Wedding Reception Ideas You'll Love
Let nature work its magic: Greenery is all you need for a breathtaking ceremony backdrop. This simple design is bursting with boughs of fresh green leaves and white buds, creating a tranquil scene. Two stumps exploding in an array of ferns are placed on either side to balance out the symmetry.
A lush garland with pops of pastel florals and vintage candelabras create a dreamy scene of garden romance. Soft, powdery tones look exquisite with the richness of the sturdy wood furniture.
Leaves as escort cards not only complement a backyard wedding, but also they’re a budget-friendly DIY. Pull leaves from a tree right in the backyard—with a bit of calligraphy, they transform into escort cards. Give them a feminine touch with
Post a Comment for "backyard wedding reception ideas"