Having a less formal, outdoor wedding in a backyard doesn’t make the event any less special for the Bride and Groom. In fact, a small backyard wedding with family and friends will create a relaxing atmosphere for all involved. There are many ways to keep the costs down while creating the ambiance that suits both the ceremony and the evening reception! By shopping sales, Goodwill, second hand stores, flea markets and yard sales ahead of time, you’ll save a bundle without sacrificing the magic of the moment. There are also many online stores with good deals on wedding supplies, one good place to start is Save-on-crafts.com.
Set The Wedding Stage
The biggest advantage to an outdoor wedding is using the stage Mother Nature has already set for you. Take advantage of your planters, flowering gardens and trees as you plan the backyard setting. Spend the largest part of your budget on the location of the main event, the ceremony. Also in space planning, make the following two decisions first:
1) First of all, where will the couple say their vows? Scads of pictures will be taken with this area of the yard in view, so you’ll want to pick a picturesque spot for the ceremony. If you have a backyard gazebo, colorful flowering vine on a trellis, fountain or patio fireplace, you have a perfect frame for the ceremony already!
If not, an inexpensive garden arbor or a wooden bridge can be used to create a perfect backdrop. Both can be found at home improvement stores and discount stores like Big Lots on a regular basis. Watch the sales and you should be able to find one for under $100. The flimsier, bare-bones metal wedding arch can be bought for less than $20. You can fancy up the arbor, arch or bridge several ways, 1) strings of copper dragonfly white lights and silk vines, homemade tissue paper flowers and twinkling white mini rice lights, paper lanterns and bamboo string lights, Gauze or Tulle and homemade strings of glass, copper and silver beads and battery operated LED lights on twistable wire.
2) Next, set up a defined path for the Bride’s Entrance, keeping in mind the Bride’s dress and shoes. A few days ahead of the wedding, mark off the path and test it out for adequate width, pot holes and other ankle twisting hazards along the way. Allow enough room at the end of the path for each person in the ceremony to stand comfortably during the vows.
There are several ways to line the path toward the ceremonial site. You can use potted flowering plants and insert a sturdy stake in each pot from which a string of white lights can be strung; or temporarily install a string of Malibu walkway lights with large white bows tied to each light, or sink Shepherds hooks along the path and hang small metal vases filled with cut flowers or tropical leaves; use branch twigs sprayed silver or gold anchored in terra cotta pots, or even simple luminaries in white bags. Use an aisle runner in the center and/or freeze dried rose petals to further define their trail to forever!
Seating for the Backyard Wedding
Because the wedding site will also be the reception site, there is no need to line up chairs like a church. Set up one spot exclusively for the wedding party and the rest of the tables and chairs around the wedding processional path, making sure that each spot will have a view of the ceremony. If the covered patio area is small, borrowing or renting a few tented gazebos for the yard will add shade, ambiance and insurance in case of bad weather. Dress up the gazebos similar to the wedding path or ceremonial site.
Another way to add shelter in a festive manner would be to use multiple party sails across the seating area. Bed, Bath and Beyond has 9’10” party sails for $29.00 each, and a 16’5″ sail for around $150. Lights could be hung from the edge of the sails for additional lighting and ambiance.
Wedding and Reception Table Settings
Each table can be decorated nicely without spending much money. Shop sales and bargain spots for white tablecloths, white sheets or lace curtains. Wash and dry and trim to fit each table. To ensure that tablecloths don’t blow off the table, you’ll want to secure each corner. You can purchase tablecloth clamps from the houseware section of department stores or Amazon.com, or you can make your own tablecloth anchors. Cut squares of a lacy or gauzy fabric and fill with sand, rocks, colored glass, or rice, gather the corners together to form a pouch and secure with a rubber band. Attach homemade anchors to each corner of the tablecloth with ribbon or silver or gold metallic curling ribbon.
The centerpiece can be inexpensive pots of flowering plants with fabric gathered around the plastic pot tied with a bow. You can also fill large glass vases bought at Goodwill or large glass mason jars with frosted sea glass (from World Market or Michaels) coffee beans, or tinted rice and insert a pillar candle in the center. Tie a satin ribbon around the neck of each vase or jar.
Lighting for the Wedding and Reception
Light up your yard like never before! Wrap your Christmas white lights around tree trunks, bushes and string on patio covers. Drape them across expanses of your yard to add ambient lighting and magic. You can buy the Gazebo 140 light string at Target for around $17. Big Lots has strings of white lights from $1.99.
Food and Beverages
A covered patio is the perfect area to serve the food. Keep the menu simple, similar to an outdoor party: finger foods, casseroles, crock pots, salads and barbeque. Keep the drink selection to the basics: pitchers of iced tea, boxed wine, a keg of beer and bottled water. Leave the bartending to the local pub!
As you plan your backyard wedding, always keep in mind that what everyone will remember is the Bride and Groom and the experience of the wedding, not the petty details. Enjoy the planning but don’t create a financial hardship out of such a wonderful event.
So start shopping for those perfect bargain wedding items, and soon you’ll realize that when you find one great deal, you’ll find another closeby. Rummage in every discount store, clearance aisle and second hand store you can find and check online for discount sites and ideas! Look at everything with a creative eye, and you’ll be amazed at how little you really need to spend to create a beautiful backyard wedding!
