Everyone knows weddings can be expensive. The average wedding in the United States costs a whopping $28,000 according to a study from The Knot in 2019. Granted, there are a lot of factors that go into that number, including guest count and location, but still, that’s quite a serious expense! Not every couple can afford such an expense. Cue the backyard wedding!
Backyard weddings are not only affordable but can be super fun and wildly intimate. And, you don't have to make any sacrifices to hold one. You can still have the white dress, delicious catered meals, and be surrounded by family and friends. I LOVE a backyard wedding because it can still be beautiful and everything you ever wanted while not costing you an arm and a leg.
You still get to have the beautiful dress of your dreams in a backyard affair. Many brides choose to bargain shop for their dress to save a few hundred dollars. Even brides who decide on a 300 person wedding on top of a mountain bargain shop! If having the perfect gown is important to you and you don't want to wear a second hand dress, hosting a wedding in the backyard can open up a lot of funds to get a new, designer dress.
Having a backyard wedding includes a number of other perks as well. You get to invite "guests" that otherwise might not be allowed at a more traditional ceremony, such as your furry friends! Having everyone who is important to you at your wedding is such a blessing and one way to make the big day that much more special.
Even if you don't have a collection of pets you would bring to a wedding, backyard weddings tend to be simpler and more intimate. Having the people closest to you at your wedding in a smaller setting allows you to socialize with them more frequently and dedicate more time to each individual person. It's hard to accommodate hundreds of people who all want your attention on what should be the happiest day of your life. Limiting the guest count to the number of chairs in your backyard is a great way to make sure everyone can be seen and heard.
You can also include some smaller traditions that might not go over as well at a massive wedding in a venue with restrictions! This couple in particular included a mead toast using drinking horns from Viking culture! They were able to pick something they both enjoyed and that added meaning to their ceremony without having to worry about alcohol restrictions at a venue. Plus, their officiant was a good family friend rather than a stranger assigned by their venue, making the drink they share with him that much more perfect.
They also kept the ceremony simple, only including a maid of honor and best man in the wedding parties and focusing instead on what was important: their love for each other. While having a large wedding party doesn't take away from the special day, having so many people following you around during the event can make it harder to enjoy. Writing your own vows is a great way to add intimacy to any wedding, but doing it in such a tight-knit setting seems so much more special to me somehow.
Backyard weddings are just so much fun and I love how intimate everything can be. Whatever you choose to do for your special day, it's important to make sure it's right for YOU. This is an amazing time and a beautiful event. Every detail is carefully chosen by the bride and groom to make it exactly what they always dreamed. If a larger wedding including everyone of your family and friends is the direction you chose to go, embrace it! And if a smaller backyard wedding works better for your lifestyles and personalities, do it! No matter what it is, it's going to be magical.
