Booking a venue can be tough. Not everyone can afford the venue of their dreams, and often they’re booked months or even a year in advance. It’s for this reason that so many couples are choosing to get married in their own home. In fact, some craft-minded couples actually prefer to create their own dream venue in the place where they’re most comfortable.
However, this choice is not without its own challenges. For one thing, it brings the stress of preparing for the big day right to the place where you live, so there’s really no escape. There’s also the issue of creating all your decorations and coordinating how to fit your guests. It can be a stressful process, but ultimately rewarding. Here are a few tips to keep your peace of mind while getting married at home:
Tell Your Neighbors
Think about it: your wedding is probably the busiest your street will be for a while. There will be crowds, parking, and plenty of noise, especially if you’re hosting your reception in the backyard. You also want your wedding to be free from disruptions, like loud dogs. So the best thing is to give your neighbors a heads up about the big day. If they’re good neighbors, they’ll be happy for you and might even be willing to pitch in, offering guest parking or an extra hand with planning.
Enlist Your Friends
It’s hard to let go when you’re planning your wedding. You want everything to be just like you imagined in your head, and there’s always a chance that not everyone will share your vision. But planning a home wedding can be especially stressful, particularly if you’re going it alone. That’s why it’s important to enlist your friends. They can help you organize, come up with the best ideas to optimize your space, and create decorations. Your bridesmaids, at least, should be down to help, and some of your other guests might be as well. Even a friend who’s just willing to get you out of the house and distract you when you’re feeling overwhelmed is a valuable friend for this event.
Reception Dinner Made Easy
Don’t have the budget for catering or the time and patience to cook for all your guests? Consider a simpler alternative. Ask your guests what they’d think about having a potluck. Everyone who can cook can bring a dish, those who can’t can bring drinks, and at the end of the night, everyone can take their casserole dishes and slow cookers back home with them, so your cleanup is much easier. Another option is to order GrubHub from a favorite restaurant or have a friend pick up something from a favorite restaurant.
Rent a Bathroom
How big is your house? It’s important to know whether you can fit all your guests in your backyard, but it’s also important to consider things like how many bathrooms you have. If the answer is two and a half or three, and your guest list is under 50, you’re probably fine. However, if you have one bathroom and 40 guests, you probably want to rent a bathroom or two. Porta-potties have a reputation for being kind of nasty, but portable bathrooms these days can be pretty nice. You can even rent a trailer with two or three bathroom stalls to it.
If you’re getting married at home, it’s important to take time for yourself when you can. After a long day of crafting or calling vendors, cuddle up with your spouse-to-be and a glass of wine and watch your favorite movie. If your house is full of half-finished decorations and you’re getting overwhelmed looking at them, go on a date. Little breaks here and there will help your sanity as well as help you to remember why you’re getting married in the first place.