There are many perks to having a wedding ceremony in your backyard. It’s typically a more affordable scenario where you have more control than you would at a rented venue. Plus, you can include your personal style. But if your yard is like many others, you may need to make some tweaks before the big day arrives. 

This guide will provide tips for making the backyard more comfortable and suitable for large events and offer some ideas for do-it-yourself projects that can beautify the space and make for the perfect summer wedding.

Beautify The Backyard And Clean Your Home

Whether you’re getting married or you’re holding the wedding for someone else, you want to ensure that your yard is in good shape since you’ll want everything to be just right, and there will likely be many pictures taken. If you have a patchy or weedy yard and have some time before the wedding, reseed the lawn so it has a clean look. Then, consider applying liquid lawn fertilizer to give your grass an extra vibrant appearance.

This is also a good opportunity to power wash the exterior of your home and the patio, where many guests will be mingling. Tougher stains may need extra care. For instance, if you have concrete with rust stains, you can brush baking soda and vinegar on the area, and the acidity will help remove the stains. While you’re working on the deck, consider also building an extra space for a dance floor. You can do so easily by laying down several wood pallets, covering them with flat wood, and securing them in place.

Although you’ll likely want to keep the guests outside during the wedding and reception, there’s a chance that people may come indoors at times, so clean inside your home as well. It’s advisable to limit guests to a specific part of the home and lay down mats so people don’t track dirt on your floor. Even if your guests don’t go deep into your home, vacuum and clean so it’s presentable, and don’t forget the dusty and dirty areas that most cleaners miss.

Make The Space Comfortable 

Now that the backyard is clean and presentable, it’s time to make it comfortable for everyone. Get an attendance count early on and put out enough chairs for everyone to sit. Stackable chairs are ideal so it’s easy to get them out of the way when the reception starts. You may want to leave some chairs or patio furniture out so people can sit when they see fit. 

It’s also wise to divide your yard into sections. You can have one area for standing and mingling, another for the dance floor, and a space for a drink station. Stock the station with various beverages, from bottled water to alcoholic beverages, if applicable.

You’ll also want to put some consideration into the lighting of the backyard space so guests can enjoy themselves safely when the sun goes down. One idea that can really beautify the space is adding hanging lanterns. The candlelight that many of these lights can supply will be very romantic, and they’ll show up well in photos. Another idea is to add solar lights around walkways. They’ll turn on automatically when the sun goes down, and they can help the guests safely navigate the space. Finally, you can create a magical atmosphere by moonlighting, which includes adding lights high up in trees that imitate the radiance of the moon.

To power all the lighting, music, and other electronics, consider renting a generator to supplement your existing power. This will give you the necessary energy to keep the soiree going all night.

Include A Little DIY

You can continue to create an affordable wedding by making some of your own decorations, signage, and more. To start, you can implement DIY wedding ideas like building a website or hiring someone to make it with your input. Use it as a space to list important information, like the address, directions, dress code, gift registry, and more. You can then make your own physical wedding invitations or create them online and send them out digitally. After the wedding, you can do the same with your thank you cards.

Next, use your imagination to create DIY centerpieces and decorations. Some fun centerpiece ideas include pinecone structures that are elegantly glued together with ribbons. Another fun touch is to decorate the center of the table with beautiful flowers like roses or blue hydrangeas. You can even take candlelight lanterns and safely wrap some greenery and flowers around them for a nice romantic touch. An easy project is to find clean mason jars and put flowers in them for each table.

You can go as big as possible with your DIY decorations and wedding accessories. If you’re really handy with tools and woodworking, you could design and build the wedding arch, custom seating, and wooden direction signs that show guests where to go for pictures and food. 

Conclusion

If you’re throwing a wedding in your backyard, then don’t delay. Start beautifying your yard, creating a comfortable atmosphere, and think about DIY projects that interest you. Do what’s best for your yard and home, and you’ll make it an event your guests will remember forever.