Setting up a garden wedding in your own back yard can be beautiful and less expensive. With a little planning you can have a wonderful wedding with out a lot of the stress.
For a Backyard-Garden Wedding Ceremony
A metal arched trellis makes a perfect focal point for the ceremony and can easily be lifted and moved behind the head table for a backdrop for the bride and groom. String lights, tulle, ribbon, grapevine or garlands of flowers, fresh or silk around the arch. Rose’s, calla lilies or lilies of the valley can be used for a more formal setting and daisies, zinnias or sunflowers if it is more on the casual side. If your garden or flowers are in bloom, add some of these to the arch. Having some on both the arch and in the yard creates a beautiful effect.
Have the tables and chairs set up, but for the ceremony have all chairs facing the arch. Tables and chairs can usually be rented reasonably at a local church or town hall. Depending on the amount of guests you are having, you will want to consider renting a tent or canopies from a party rental store.
For the tables have tablecloths on them even if they are the paper tablecloths. You can put some large tulle or ribbon bows at the corners of each table. For a centerpiece use a small clear bowl or vase and float candles or flowers in them. For a center piece less formal you can have a terracotta pot with plants in them, both keep with a garden theme. All centerpieces will make nice favors for any guest to bring home. Then for the head table you can put tulle or ribbon along the front and sides and the large bows on each corner. For the center piece get a large clear bowl or put a few small ones together to float the candles or flowers, and then put on a round mirror. For a less formal centerpiece you can put together a small terracotta fountain, they are easy to put together and relatively inexpensive. You can have rose petals or sunflower petals scattered on the tables.
Dinner and Dancing for the Garden Wedding Reception
Whether you are having a catered dinner, family made buffet or appetizers; you will want to decide if it is to be set up by the tables and chairs or in a separate area. Keep in mind you will want to have an area that is out of the sun, protected under a canopy or a material made trellis, you need to consider the food, cake and beverages. This area should also have tablecloths and be decorated to match the seating area.
If the reception is in the evening have strings of white lights everywhere, for light and ambiance. Lights can be put in the tents, on the tents, around any entry ways, around canopies, trees and along fence lines.
If setting up a dance area, stake and rope out an area, lights can be strung on and tulle or ribbon gently draped on or around the lit ropes. If you can borrow solar lights from family and friends, a circle of these would make a great dancing area.
In keeping with the garden theme the more flowers, the better. You can have potted plants or flowers set in vases or even old watering cans with a mason jar inside to hold water for the flowers.
A bird cage with flowers on it would make a nice card holder for a garden wedding.
Things to Consider before your Backyard Garden Wedding
The amount of guests you can invite for your size yard.
Draw your back yard on a piece of paper, inch per foot, and plan where each setting will be.
Are there enough parking spaces for all your guests?
If weather turns bad do you have enough tents or canopies?
Do you need to rent a portable toilet?
Are you catering or having someone to help set up the food, are you having a D.J. or playing your own music, are you having a friend take pictures or hiring a photographer?
Is there something unsightly in the yard that needs a covering or a piece of lattice put in front of it?
When sending out invitations make sure your guests know that it is a backyard-garden wedding and reception and whether attire is to be formal, dress or casual.
Most of all relax and enjoy your garden wedding and reception.
