Tips for Hosting a Backyard Wedding
Backyard weddings are unique, intimate, and a when the weather is good, a great reason to have your event outdoors. After all, there’s no place like home! At-home events have become more popular over the last couple years; but, for as long as we’ve been performing, couples have been hosting incredibly beautiful and sweet backyard weddings. We really enjoy the atmosphere that a wedding back home creates! If you and your loved one are looking to tie the knot in a one-of-a-kind and totally ~you~ setting, and maybe save some money along the way, a backyard wedding is the way to go.
Depending on where you live, you will need to get permission and notify your neighbors well in advance of your plans. Next, think about location and set up. Chat with your wedding planner on ideas for placement of a ceremonial arch, tables, chairs, food and beverage sections, and be sure to designate an area for live entertainment. For the ceremony, you will need to make sure your wedding officiant is licensed and certified to perform the ceremony outside of a traditional setting. Is there a specific area where you’ve dreamt of saying “I do”? If you live on a lake or have a favorite tree from your childhood, that would make the perfect backdrop for your nuptials! Just imagine it wrapped in twinkle lights and flowers. Or maybe you’re hosting on a family farm and are able to set up multiple locations for the ceremony and reception with a cocktail stroll in between.
With outdoor events, it’s also important to take into account that weather is unpredictable, so you definitely want to be prepared if rain decides to roll through. Be sure to have a tent hired, even if you would prefer not to use it. Tents are also useful for those guests who may need a break from the dance floor to rest in the shade.
Now let’s focus on your party! Live music brings the sentiment of human connection and personalisation full circle, and we really can’t imagine a backyard wedding without live music to set the tone. The guest count of your wedding will help determine how many band members you should have. We offer a cocktail trio option, which is perfect for an intimate soiree or cocktail party where you and your guests can converse in a relaxed environment. You can also customize the instruments to fit your vision. If you plan on having a dance floor, we suggest a 5-8 piece band to guarantee that your guests will be dancing all night long!
Lastly, all the band needs to perform is a hard, dry surface and power. From there, we can provide all of the equipment required to wow your guests! We also have Add-Ons including Lighting and Sound Production options. You can see our list of Add-Ons here.
Backyard weddings are so amazing and memorable, so we hope these tips will jump-start your planning with live entertainment in mind – and we hope we can contribute to making your special day that much more fun!