The most important thing is to find a venue that suits you and you feel comfortable with to create your dream day, whether it’s a magical castle or a beautiful botanic. If you want a wedding with close family and friends, it makes sense to host the ceremony in the privacy of your own home, making unforgettable memories in the rooms you’ve known for decades. You can use Pinterest to create a vision for your big day, but remember that copying someone else’s wedding is super tacky. Schedule more time than you need to get ready.
At-home weddings are increasingly popular with couples who want to do what makes more sense to them, even if it might make their guests scratch their heads in confusion. The venue sets the stage for the entire celebration, so lock yours down before diving into other details. You don’t want to try to squeeze too many guests into a small place. Consider this: Will this person still be in your life in five years? Deciding to have your wedding at home means you get to be creative and plan a meaningful event with intentional moments.
Figure Out How Much You Want To Spend On Your Nuptials
If budget isn’t an issue, the possibilities are seemingly endless. You might think that throwing a wedding at home is free or will work out cheaper in the long run, but the truth is that it can be more inexpensive than booking a traditional wedding venue. Organizing an at-home wedding involves taking care of all the details, and the expenses add up quickly. The pressure to spend comes from all directions. It’s also a big commitment since the venue must be fully equipped with lighting, a catering kitchen, restrooms, etc. You might need to rent dumpsters and plan for waste removal to ensure a seamless event experience while prioritizing environmental care.
Determine who will be contributing to the wedding. Both families can chip in, even if the bride’s family is traditionally responsible for hosting the celebration, so have this conversation as soon as you start planning. It’s not fun to talk about money, but it’s really important. Never break the cardinal rule: don’t break the bank. It’s better to start married life with a savings account. This will allow you to streamline your fiscal responsibilities and share future goals, not to mention you can support each other during times of emergency. Let go of long-held traditions such as what’s acceptable and base your decisions on what’s within your financial capacity.
Select A Menu That Goes Far Beyond Choosing A Meat Or Vegetarian Entrée
From appetizers at cocktail hour to a slice of cake at the reception, food is a huge priority. Even if you want a menu with fresh, tasty food representative of your personality and lifestyle, communicate and compromise as a couple. Food must be lovingly prepared and emotionally satisfying, with pleasurable sights, alluring fragrances, and tempting textures. If you want a less formal, less traditional format, serve buffet style or have a casual layout with an array of fare. The menu should speak of your unique love story and, above all, give your guests a memorable experience.
Handling food for countless people on your own might be insane, but it’s fairly doable if you have a plan and set realistic expectations. While you don’t have to build a kitchen for catering, think about updating the look of your culinary space, especially if it’s pretty worn out. Stunning in its simplicity, a Shaker kitchen is the most satisfactory choice if you’re after something elegant and chic. Whether you’re cooking all the food yourself or coordinating with a good service team, think about what temperature each dish must be served at and assign people to help clear and clean up after everything is over.
Pick Flowers That Match Your Wedding Theme And Colors
It’s believed that flowers offer luck to the newlyweds and represent wealth, purity, and beauty. Since you’re keeping it simple, you only need bouquets, boutonnieres, and centerpieces. Look at your garden for inspiration in creating the floral décor, which plays a pivotal role in setting the mood and tone of the event. For example, if you have a classic garden that exudes timelessness, elegance, and a touch of romance, you can use local poppies, yarrows, lupines, and so on. It will fit naturally with the setting. Working with fresh flowers is an absolute delight that brings immense joy and creativity.
Give Your Neighbors A Finishing Time -One That’s Reasonable
Your small, intimate gathering can make a big, impactful noise. It goes with the territory. In an ideal world, your neighbors would make an exception for this one day, but everyone has their limits, and if your nuptials last up to the wee hours of the following day, people living next door will have reached theirs. It’s recommended to inform those who live in the proximity of your house about the wedding. You should do this in person, but a polite message can make them aware. Introduce yourself, if you haven’t already, and explain you want to cause as little disruption as possible.
Provide a phone number – that isn’t yours (a trusted friend or family member) – in case issues arise throughout the big day, so you can deal with them in a timely manner. Your neighbors will want to know there’s a direct line of communication. You can invite your neighbors to your nuptials; they probably won’t come, but if they do, they won’t stay long. Just because you greet with a simple “hello” every morning, you needn’t feel guilty for not inviting the people next door, but it would be a nice gesture that can help create a supportive network with your community.
Wrapping It Up
At times, the best stage for the wedding celebration isn’t a far-flung location, but the place you call home. Tying the knot in the comfort of your home gives you more control during the planning process, so if you’re already taking a DIY approach to at least one aspect of the wedding, either by doing parts yourself or asking friends and family to help, it’s your best bet.
Written by: Cynthia Madison