Weddings are expensive and not everyone can afford them. If you're one of the people who are going to hold a wedding but need to tighten the belt, it can be challenging. Instead of wasting too much money on a one-time event, why not go for a backyard wedding? Don't worry, we have compiled small backyard wedding ideas for you to try.
1. DIY Wedding Arch
The wedding arch is an important part of a wedding. It symbolizes the future of the bride and groom. The arch has different meanings in many cultures. When they walk through an arch, it means that they are moving on to a new phase of their lives. An arch can be made with wood or you can also use doors or wires as an alternative.
2. DIY Wedding Invitation Cards
Ordering invitation cards can add up and end up becoming expensive. If you want to save money from invitation cards, you can print your own. There is some free software that you can use to customize them. Another way to save from invitation cards is to send them digitally. An e-invitation can be sent via email so that you don't need to spend extra anymore.
3. Rent or Buy a Simple Wedding Dress
Renting a wedding dress is not uncommon any more. In this time and age, brides no longer spend a lot on something that they only wear once. It's not practical to spend thousands of dollars on a wedding dress anymore. If you don't like the idea of renting your wedding gown, buy a simple wedding dress instead that will not cost you a lot.
You can shop at Lulus or David's Bridal to find a cheap and trendy wedding dress.
4. Shop a Cheap Bridesmaid Dress with High Quality
A bridesmaid dress is also important after the wedding dress. But it doesn't mean that it has to be as expensive. There are many cheap bridesmaid dresses that you can buy out there. Find a bridesmaid dress of good quality to avoid it from falling apart during the wedding. Chiffon and satin are good fabrics for a cheap but beautiful bridesmaid dress. Renting is also a great option to avoid spending too much.
5. Self-Serve Food and Drinks Table
After the wedding ceremony, the wedding reception will come next. Instead of hiring waiters, you can instead have a self-serve food and drinks table. The guests can go there to grab their food and drinks without a problem. If you need to hire a catering company, just pay for the food and skip hiring waiters, and do the self-serve option.
6. DIY Wedding Cake
You can learn to bake by yourself. If you cannot do it on your own, ask a good friend for help. In a DIY wedding, you will need friends to make it happen. Baking your own wedding cake can save you a lot of money since you only have to buy the ingredients. You don't need to pay for a professional anymore and it's more personal.
7. Invite Your Friend to Be the MC
Weddings need MC but you don't have to hire someone to do it. Who can do it better than a friend for free? Instead of hiring an MC who doesn't know you on a personal level, ask a friend to do it. They will be honored to be your wedding MC. It will be great for your friendship and your wedding budget.
8. Make Some DIY Gifts for Your Bridesmaids
Making some DIY gifts for your bridesmaids such as soaps, scented candles, and more is more personal. They will feel happier to learn that you did those yourself. It's better than ordering useless figurines as wedding tokens. You can also give the other guests other DIY gifts that they can use. When they light up that scented candle, they will be reminded of your special day.
9. Reception - Prepare a Long Banquet-Style Table
Another way to save from your wedding reception is to have a long banquet-style table. It will save you from renting multiple tables and chairs. Having a long banquet-style table will also let your guests talk to other guests. If you have an intimate wedding, you can just have one table for everyone.
10. Simple Dancing Floor - Hanging the String Lights to Light It Up
Create a simple dancing floor so that the bride and the groom can have their first dance. Hanging the string lights will also make it look more classy. Just allow enough space for the guests to dance as well to keep the celebration going.
11. Prepare Some Balloons
Instead of decorating everything with expensive flowers, it's best to also have some balloons. It will fill in the gap of not having so many flowers for your wedding. Create some balloon arrangements to save you from buying a lot of flowers.
12. Get a Free Venue
If you don't have a backyard big enough for a wedding, find a cheaper venue. You can even have it for free with the help of some friends or family. It's a once-in-a-lifetime event and some of them will be willing to lend you their backyard.
13. Shop Budget Friendly Flowers
Weddings are not complete without flowers but you don't have to waste a lot of money on them. Supermarkets offer affordable flowers and stick to those that are in season. Fake flowers will also look good as the real ones. They are cheaper and you can use them to decorate your home after.
14. Get a Free Wedding Photographer
A wedding or any event is not complete without pictures. That's why many people hire photographers to document their special day. However, you can have a wedding photographer for free with the help of your friends. Everyone has a camera on their hands through their smartphones, anyone can take pictures of the event. Assign a friend to be your wedding photographer without the need to spend.
15. Create an Intimate Guests Lists
Weddings can be expensive especially if you have a lot of guests. If you want to cut costs, it's best to make your wedding intimate. Instead of inviting everyone you know and don't know, stick to having your family and close friends instead. The fewer your guests for your wedding, the lower it will cost. Limiting your guest list will save a lot of money.
Conclusion
Planning a wedding when you're tight on the budget is not that hard. All you have to do is to try these small backyard wedding ideas to help you to make it happen. It will allow you to have a memorable wedding that you have been dreaming of without breaking the bank.
FAQ
What is the best way to plan a budget backyard wedding?
DIY is a good way. It can strengthen the experience of your wedding.
Is it tacky to have a backyard wedding?
No. If you want a casual and semi formal wedding, an outdoor wedding can be a good choice.
How can I make my backyard wedding look elegant?
You can invite a wedding planner to help you.
