I have been blessed to be part of the planning of three backyard wedding receptions. One was my own wedding! They were relaxing, casual affairs that went off beautifully. All of the guests were relaxed. We enjoyed great food, good conversation and had a lot of laughs. Through the experiences, I learned so much about planning the reception.
Before the Wedding
Make sure the location that you wish to have the reception will comfortably hold at least 1/3 more than the people that you are inviting. You do not want to have people feel crowded in. Make sure that adequate parking is available. Approaching neighbors about your plans to host a wedding reception ahead of time may be prudent. They may allow parking in their driveways or not mind additional parking in front of their homes. Make sure that you have enough seating for everyone on the guest list. Get tables for people to eat at and to serve food from.
Simple Decorations are Best
If you are not having the wedding at the reception location, keep the reception decorations simple. Prepare the area through additional landscaping that will be enjoyed for a long time to come rather than traditional decorations. Use simple tablecloths on the serving and eating tables with a few tasteful decorations. Spruce up the landscaping with flowers that will bloom during the reception. Lots of greenery and plants make for a stunning backdrop.
The menu is best kept simple. Choose an overall theme and then food preparation type. Small, finger foods or tapas are best to serve. Gourmet treats such as filo tarts, stuffed mushrooms, bacon-wrapped meatballs and mini caprese salads can all delight the taste buds. Wine-soaked fruit salad can be a delight for an adult wedding reception. Have a separate table for the wedding cake to be displayed. Make sure that it is out of direct sunlight. Heat could make the cake have issues over an extended period of time.
Drinks
Have an open area where guests can retrieve beverages. All three of the backyard ceremonies that I was involved with used the same huge plastic toy box filled with ice as an oversized cooler. It provided chilled beverages for the entire length of the reception. If serving mixed drinks, have a designated person to prepare beverages. Also, be responsible with your guests. If anyone has too much, find them alternate transportation home.
Clean Up
Make sure to also know ahead of time exactly who is going to help clean up the wedding reception. Of course guests can place any waste into provided trash bins, but it is important to know who is going to pick up the extra food, clean up the dishes, put away the tables and chairs and make sure the backyard is returned to its previous condition.
Most important with backyard weddings is to enjoy yourself. Keep it simple. Make it a day where you can smile and laugh the entire day away.
