Having a small guest
list? Why not have an at-home wedding?
When it comes to choosing
a venue for your wedding, you might not have
to look any farther than your own backyard.
At-home weddings are
becoming increasingly popular, especially for
couples who want to add a personal touch to
their weddings.
With 60 percent of
couples living together, many already own homes
and love the idea of tying the knot there.
Others couples may choose to get married at
the home of a relative or friend.
For many couples,
an at-home wedding means a small guest list.
Stephanie and Mark, for instance, had only
25 people at their wedding, which was held
at a friend’s farm.
“They live in
a great heritage farmhouse. An artist lived
there in the 1940's and painted spectacular
murals on the walls in the living room and
dining room, so it is quite a backdrop for
a wedding, especially combined with all of
the flowers we had,” says Stephanie.
Julie and Mike got
married in the home Julie grew up in, surrounded
by only eight guests.
“I had lived
my entire life there until I was 21, when I
bought my own house an hour away. My
dad was the original owner of the house, and
I remember how proud he was when he made the
last house payment. To be married there
made me feel closer to my dad,” says
Julie. “It added to the intimacy that
there were few guests and the house is somewhat
small. It just felt right.”
Although at-home weddings
can be intimate and charming, they are not
for everyone. Depending on how elaborate the
wedding is, they can be more costly and stressful
than a wedding elsewhere.
If you are having
your wedding outdoors at your home or the home
of a friend or relative, chances are you will
have to rent a tent, as well as tables, chairs,
and linens – which can add quite a bit
to your costs. Even if you are having the wedding
indoors, there’s a chance you won’t
have enough tables and chairs to accommodate
everyone. Unless you are making dinner yourselves
or having family do it, you will also have
to hire an outside caterer.
There’s also
the stress of getting your home ready for the
Big Day. (Trust me. I know all about this one.
We had our outdoor wedding at our home and
it was a lot of work getting our digs ready!)
To reduce your workload, enlist friends and
family (we sure did!) to help get your house
ready. Also, have them help decorate, which
can reduce your costs.
Last, but not least – make
sure your bathroom facilities can handle the
wear and tear of frequent use. If not, consider
renting portable restrooms. The last thing
you want on your wedding day is an overflowing
toilet!
By Christina Friedrichsen
Author of Intimate
Weddings: Planning a Small Wedding that Fits
Your Budget and Style
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