Backyard // Outdoor Wedding

This is the best time to start planning backyard and outdoor weddings. The weather feels amazing, the flowers are blooming and everything is a lush green. My parents live on top of the highest mountain in Birmingham and have a gorgeous backyard. I have always dreamed that some day I will get married at their house. In fact, my brother and sister-in-law had a backyard wedding there in 2007 and it was beautiful!

They had a custom light pink and green dance floor built for their wedding and placed in the drive way under lights strung from the trees tops. Paper lanterns adorned the branches and the night was perfect for lit luminaries. 

This to me is the ideal wedding and reception. No extra costs for a location, very laid back and of course a GREAT view!

We all know that wedding planning can be stressful. And we all know that every bride wants her big day to be perfect and go off without a hitch. There is a LOT that comes into making a wedding happen and it certainly cannot be done overnight. 

Many brides see these lavish weddings on TV and dream to have a wedding that mirrors Jennifer Aniston's nuptials. And brides will drive themselves crazy on Pinterest trying to plan the ideal wedding straight from Southern Living or The Knot. 

At the end of the day, the wedding is about you. Yes, fancy things and big weddings are nice, but they are not "must haves". A backyard wedding is a great alternative to a wedding venue and it is incredibly budget friendly. 

There are dozens of ways to make a backyard wedding perfect. First, use the natural scenery. For my brother's wedding, we used the trees to hang lights and paper lanterns. It was wonderful and was used as lighting when the sun went down! Floral arrangements can be very expensive so if there are flowers already present, that is a huge bonus! Use what you have and be resourceful! Lighting can be as easy as putting tea candles in mason jars or lighting luminaries along the path. 

Try not to over think anything. Making a backyard wedding have a romantic feeling is very easy. Centerpieces can be flowers/plants from the garden. Decorations can be lights strung through the trees. Make signs. Create your own unique touch to the wedding. Maybe you want streamers in the trees or even a clothes pin photo display. Make it YOU!

For a backyard wedding, buffet style catering is simple and easy to manage! It is very casual and people love it. Simple is the way to go. Try BBQ or a slider bar. Minimum stress with maximum deliciousness.

 

A few extra ideas:

*Loose flower petals along the walkways

*Drinks in tin coolers/drink table

*Hang ribbons

*DIY Photobooth or hire a Photobooth 

Why Hire a Wedding DJ/Entertainment?

So the wedding planning has begun, the date has been chosen and the dress has been picked out. What should be on the top of your "To Do List"? A bride usually spends thirteen months planning her wedding. About seven or eight months away from the wedding is when you should begin booking your DJ or wedding entertainment.

Your wedding day is a going to be a once in a lifetime event and should be uniquely special. Who you choose as your wedding entertainment will by default represent you on this special day. Some brides think that using a laptop or iPod will get the same result as using a DJ/band. Wrong. An iPod will not interact with the crowd, an iPod will not change the mood of the crowd and an iPod cannot speak to your guests. Yes, this route will save you money, but in the long run hiring entertainment will make the night much more unforgettable.

Entertainers and wedding bands understand that this is one of the MOST important days of your life. They do not stand up in front of your wedding guests and just play music. They interact, they have fun with the guests and most importantly, they make sure the bride and groom are having fun.

If you wait to use what money you have left over from your wedding budget to book entertainment, you will have the "left over" DJ.

Here are some examples of what you DO NOT want, but could receive if you "budget" on entertainment:

 

 

 

When brides look back on their wedding, the reception is what stands out. You want your guests to have a great time and remember the dancing, the music and the great memories. You do not want to look back and remember that your low budget wedding entertainment forgot what your Dad's name was when introducing the "Father/Daughter dance" or that the wrong song was played on your first dance.

 

So before you rule out hiring a top of the line DJ or wedding entertainment, please consider these tips. Most brides wish they had made entertainment a higher priority, so with that being said, look in your local area for quality DJs and give them a go!

 

 

Less of this:

Bad Presentation

 

 

More of this:

 

Dressed Nicely

Gorgeous Lighting and Display