The fairytale backyard wedding, the stuff Pinterest is made of! At first thought, it may seem easier and perhaps even less expensive to pick your grandparent’s backyard Cape house over that yacht club venue, but that fairytale comes at a price. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Here are some tips to make your backyard wedding dreams come true, on a *budget*.
Decide how much you would like to spend overall at your wedding. Is it $5,000, $30,000, $300,000? No judgment over here, whatever it is, set a number. It’s not smart to just go into wedding planning with no plan.
List out all the vendors you need. For a backyard wedding, you have to plan every little thing. From caterers, to the tent, plate rentals, music, day-of coordinator...and don’t forget portable bathrooms if you have a high guest count.
Quote, quote, quote...get at least three quotes for each vendor. Then, ask each vendor for a discount! Sometimes, vendors have discounts if you book through websites like WeddingWire and The Knot. It never hurts to ask, and more often than not they will give you some sort of discount.
Ask your vendors if gratuity is included. This can be a missed detail and you absolutely need to tip your caterers, bartenders, and musicians.
PRO TIP: If you are hiring bartenders and providing your own alcohol, have a “Stock the Bar” party. This can be a great choice of engagement party, where guests are encouraged to bring items to stock your bar as gifts.
Most wedding venues have their own coordinator to make sure vendors arrive on time and the day goes off without a hitch. After catering hundreds of weddings, the only time we saw mishaps was when there wasn’t a seasoned coordinator onsite. Friends are great, but let them enjoy the wedding!