These days, couples choose all sorts of venues for their wedding ceremonies and receptions, and some couples decide that the best place for their reception is their very own home. Having a wedding at home can offer many benefits, from being more personal for the couple to being more convenient and more cost-effective.
If you live in a property with a decent-sized garden, you can enjoy holding a great wedding reception in the comfort and privacy of your own home. With some forward planning you can organise a memorable event where the guests can enjoy themselves and you won’t have to fork out thousands of pounds for a venue.
5 tips to help organise a great garden reception
There are a number of tips that can help to ensure your garden wedding reception is as perfect as possible.
Consider getting a marquee: If you have a big enough garden area, a marquee is a great idea. Guests will not only have shelter in the event of bad weather but you will also be able to enjoy setting up your food and drinks in the marquee so guests can congregate there and socialise.
Decide on a dress code: If your guests are going to be milling around your garden, they may not be keen to wear high heels that are going to leave them sinking into the grass. You may therefore want to opt for a more casual dress code for your guests, who will probably be more than happy to enjoy the comfort of more relaxed yet appropriate attire such as maxi dresses for weddings paired with wedges or flat shoes that won’t sink into the grass.
Sort out catering: When you are having a garden reception, you can do your catering at home if you have the resources and time. However, if you are inviting a lot of guests, you may want to get outside caterers in. Either way, you should make sure you get this sorted out well in advance so that you can plan and budget ahead. Also, make sure that the food organised is well suited for outdoors and won’t spoil quickly if the weather is hot.
Decorate the garden area: To make the garden area perfect for the reception, consider how you can decorate it ready for the big day. You don’t need to spend a fortune – items such as fairy lights, floral displays, hanging baskets, and decorated arches can really bring the surroundings to life.
Organise some entertainment: While music is a core part of any wedding reception, you may want to consider additional entertainment to add a little extra excitement to the proceedings. This can include a magician who mingles with the guests, live music, or even a comedy or variety act.
These tips can help to ensure you have a memorable and exciting garden wedding reception that both you and your guests will enjoy.
