Today’s economy has proven to be a bit of a rollercoaster for weddings. Perhaps a sign of the times as mom and dad’s 401K’s started to shrink or just the ever-evolving wedding industry; none-the-less home celebrations are becoming popular once again.
Since smaller, family-focused weddings are a hit; what better place to have a wedding than at home, a la ‘Father of the Bride’ (no Franck required!). With this also comes more opportunity to be creative – which is what we LOVE! Enter the DIY bride. Crepe paper and bells you say? We say well, okay, but why stop there?
While you are considering an at home wedding, don’t be surprised as the costs add up. You will likely have tenting, flooring and table and chair rental not to mention the storing of house furniture if need be to open the floor space. Yes and we have not even discussed the catering and their mobile kitchens. But let’s not give up hope before we start, especially if you have always dreamed of getting married in the lilac lined backyard.
So here are some fun ideas to incorporate into your at-home wedding.
TENTING
Tenting at times can be intrusive to the neighborhood, but if done right by professionals this can be minimized. If you don’t want to feel like you’re in a white vinyl box, add clear side walls if available to give the indication there is more room in the tent.
Interior décor of a tent lends a sense of shall we say savoir-faire. Keep in mind most tents have a white or ivory tent liner to give you that finished draped ceiling, but if you want the ceiling draped is dramatic swoops, then you need a draping expert. What’s fun about hiring an expert draper is that they have a variety of fabrics, which can be used to coordinate with your color palette.
CEREMONY
Enhancing the “already existing natural backdrop”, backyard landscapes can be an added bonus. Sometimes people will finally spruce up the back yard and house, which they have been planning on for years due to the upcoming celebration. Sometimes it’s just a simple tree you used to swing from, or where you had a tree house, which bring back fun memories, which will make a perfect location for the ceremony. Perhaps hanging over-sized love knots from the tree will give you the chapel look your have been trying to develop.
OUTDOOR UNITY CANDLE
A dilemma most couples have with an outdoor ceremony is what to do for the unity candle. Think of something different than sand or water ideas. We used the releasing of doves for the unity candle, which is an element normally used for the couples departure from the church. It was so beautiful and spiritual and the pictures were amazing especially the video.
In another wedding we combined the moments of the Unity Candle and the Blessing of the Couple. As guests arrived in the garden, each was given a gladiola blossom with a ribbon message of love and blessing. At the time of the blessing all the guests came forward placed their blossom in the fountain and stood hand in hand around the couple and blossom filled fountain.
ABOVE ALL HAVE FUN
Sometimes the most romantic home weddings are those that bring in some nostalgia, but this also has a tendency to bring in some melancholy. So our advice is to bring in some fun elements such as the game croquet. It’s fun to watch the younger adults try their hand at the game. It’s especially fun when people are somewhat dressed the part. For those who play the game, serve them old fashion root beer or a mint julep. Just let them know it’s no like hitting a game of golf! No need to shout FOUR and drive the ball 100 yards!
Stay tuned for PART 2 on Logistics, Utilizing Space, Catering and Details.
