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Wedding Venue vs. Backyard Wedding

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One of the first things you must consider once you get engaged and begin planning a wedding is the venue.

It is more common for people to use a wedding venue. However, backyard weddings have become more popular. 

This article shows you all you need to know about both types of venues and will guide you in making your decision. 

throwing rose petals at the newly wed

Backyard Weddings

As the name implies, a backyard wedding means holding a wedding in your backyard or the backyard of one close to you.

It is the same as an outdoor wedding but in a more intimate and familiar setting.

Most people opt for backyard weddings because they think it is cheaper and they do not have to spend money to rent the venue. Not necessarily.

A backyard wedding can even cost more than a wedding venue. You must use sufficient decor for a backyard wedding to make it look beautiful.

You also have to plan for if the weather goes south and many other things you might not have had to worry about if you got a wedding venue instead. 

The cost of a backyard wedding is not as small as you may think.

An ideal budget for this option may range from $8,000 and above. This amount will vary depending on the number of guests and how much work you need to do to make the backyard look how you want.

The budget also covers every other expense for a general wedding, such as tables, chairs, food, drinks, music, photography, wedding outfits, and rings for you and your spouse.

You may also have to factor in the cost of getting a tent, especially if your wedding is during the rainy season or the hot days of summer.

wedding reception outside in the backyard

Benefits of a Backyard Wedding

Save! Save! Save!

Yes. To an extent, having a backyard wedding can help you save funds. This is especially true when you use your backyard.

However, the cost of other things like tables, chairs, and decor can quickly add up to be over the hill, so you have to be on the lookout for what you’re spending money on, particularly if you’re on a tight budget. 

Flexibility on Your Wedding Date.

Wedding venues work with bookings, and if you have to change your date, you can incur extra costs.

You may not get your dream wedding date as someone else may have booked the venue for that date. You’ll also need to ensure your chosen vendors are all available on that date.

With a backyard wedding, you can pick any date of your choice and move the date forward or backward to accommodate any changes. The flexibility that comes with having a backyard wedding is unmatched.

Intimacy

Backyard weddings have a more personal feel to them than regular wedding venues.

One of the reasons is the backyard may not be large, thus limiting the number of guests you can invite to the wedding.

This will help you narrow your invites to people who matter and have a personal relationship with you, not a random relative you haven’t seen since your christening or a co-worker you can barely tolerate. 

Carte Blanche on your Vendors

Some wedding venues come with specific vendors you’ll have to use. They may have their own decorator or caterer. These may be people who you don’t really know and will have no choice but to use for your wedding.

These vendors may be costlier than your budget allows or may not be as good as what you had in mind.

For a backyard wedding, you can have any vendor you want, if they’re available and within your budget. You can also patronize local vendors and family members offering the needed services. 

Freedom to Be You and Do You

Most venues come with rules and regulations that you have to adhere to. Some of them can be buzz killers.

No one can tell you what to do with your own backyard—except maybe your dad. You can have as many activities as you want and end the party whenever you want. 

Spacious backyard fit for a backyard wedding

Things to Know Before Having a Backyard Wedding

Space.

Unless you happen to have acres of empty land as your backyard, you will have to consider space before having your wedding.

How big is the backyard? How much work will you need to do? Is there enough room for a dance floor, or will you have to deal with bumping into people accidentally?

These are all questions that you will need to answer. 

Guest List.

The amount of space you’re working with will directly influence how extensive your guest list is. Keeping the guest list small and intimate will be best if your backyard is not very spacious. 

Permits and Insurance.

Find out about the regulations in your area before agreeing to have your wedding there. Some neighborhoods have a strict noise policy, while some have a no-street parking policy.

See what permits you’ll need to acquire before having an outdoor party. 

Budget.

A backyard wedding may not be as cost-effective as you think. Draw up a budget to see how much the backyard wedding will cost you and decide if it is worth it.

Remember you’ll be renting most things from decor to lighting. Also, you may need to factor in the cost of outdoor restrooms. 

Weather.

One thing you’ll always have on your mind while preparing for a backyard wedding is whether or not the weather will hold up.

This is even more so if you live in an area where the weather is quite erratic. You may have to rent a tent just in case the weather decides to go south on your big day. 

Beautiful wedding set decoration

Wedding Venues

Wedding venues are traditional locations that have usually been around for a long time.

They can be halls in buildings or tents placed in strategic locations. Wedding venues can be hotels, villas, country clubs, etc. With wedding venues, your options are limitless.

You can also get package deals when renting wedding halls. This also helps to save costs that would have been incurred with a backyard wedding.

One such cost is renting portable bathrooms for your guests to use as your home may not have enough, or you just do not want many people going in and out of your house. 

Some venues come with tables, chairs, and even decorations, unlike backyard weddings where you’ll have to rent everything or go DIY, which may not turn out well.

The average cost of a wedding venue varies with different things such as location, package deal, etc.

A venue in an upscale place like an exclusive country club will cost more than a venue in a regular part of town. A wedding venue can go as low as $3,000 and as high as $15,000.

If you want to get the ideal packages that come with a wedding venue, budget between $8,000 to $15,000. 

wedding reception with beautiful flower as table center piece

Benefits of a Wedding Venue

Parking

One obvious benefit of using a wedding venue is the access to parking spaces.

For a backyard wedding, you may not have enough space for your guests to park their cars without causing traffic on the road. A venue comes with ample space and regulated parking for all your guests.

No one will need to call the three people parked behind them to move their cars before they can leave the venue. 

Access to Standard Amenities

Wedding venues have amenities such as bathrooms, toilets, etc., which are kept very clean and healthy.

A backyard wedding will often have people standing in long lines in your home waiting to use the restroom.

This can be a party pooper and strain your plumbing system and you may not want that number of people in your home.

You can also get portable restrooms for your backyard wedding, but they can be expensive. This defeats the whole purpose of having a cost-saving wedding.

Using a venue takes your mind off this stress, and you don’t even have to clean up afterward. 

Weather Protection

If you are having a backyard wedding, you would first have to choose a date when the weather is not extreme and still hire a large tent in case the weather decides to go against the predictions.

However, the weather in a venue would be the least of your problems.

It’s raining, and the roof of the building protects you. It’s sunny, and the air conditioners and cooling vents have got you covered. 

Package deal to save costs

One of the reservations people have about using wedding venues is the cost. Most wedding venues have package deals.

The halls can come with decorations, music, extra lighting, and much more. This helps save you the cost of your purchases.

Space

One thing a wedding venue will give you that a backyard wedding will not is all the extra space you’ll need.

You can use the space for games or dancing.  You can never have too much room for dancing.

Young Caucasian couple wedding

Finally

When choosing between a backyard or a traditional venue for your wedding, do not rush to decide which looks more expensive.

A wedding venue will be a waste of money if you are having a small and intimate wedding with only a few guests. In that case, you should go for a backyard wedding instead.

On the flip side, if your guest list is on the large side, having a backyard wedding will not be the cost-cutting wedding option you think it is. Count your costs and measure the benefits of both options.

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