How to Turn Your Backyard Into a Destination Wedding
Destination weddings are extremely popular for their breathtaking views and relative simplicity. However, they can be quite costly and time-consuming, making it difficult for friends and family members to attend. As an alternative to a traditional destination wedding, consider holding a wedding at home. If the backyard is large enough to accommodate your wedding guests, you can use it to create a simple, yet beautiful, wedding space reminiscent of a destination wedding. With just a few simple steps, you can turn your backyard into a gorgeous wedding venue.
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Things You'll Need
- Picket fence
- Fresh flowers
- Shepherd's hooks
- Ribbons in wedding colors
- Gazebo or wedding arch
- White folding chairs
- White chair covers
- Aisle runner
- Lanterns
- Dance floor
- Tent
- Tables
- Chairs
- Outdoor tent
- Outdoor fans
Instructions
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Prepare the yard. For best results, start several months before the wedding and hire a landscaping service to mow the grass, trim the tress and prune the shrubs. Most flowers will also need to be planted several months in advance. Select flowers based on the wedding color scheme and the season the wedding will be held in. The grass should be a fresh, vibrant green and short enough to easily walk through. Although many destination weddings take place on a beach, it will be extremely difficult to fill the area with sand. Instead, simply opt for a vibrant, lush lawn and beautiful flowers.
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2
Divide the ceremony and reception areas into two separate spaces. A variety of items can be used as a divider. Consider a small white picket fence, a row of fresh flowers in the wedding colors or a series of large urns filled with plants. You also can string ribbons along a series of shepherd's hooks, as suggested by Better Homes and Gardens.
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Design an area for the bride and groom to say their vows. Two of the most popular settings used for a destination wedding are gazebos and arches. While some brides may choose to leave the piece unadorned in its simple beauty, other brides choose to decorate the piece with fresh flowers and fluttering ribbons. As long as you stay within your color scheme and do not go overboard on the decorations, the piece will be a beautiful place for exchanging vows.
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Arrange two groups of white folding chairs in the ceremony area. Provide enough space between each row for ample leg room. If white folding chairs are unavailable, consider renting simple folding chairs and covering them with white chair covers. Place an aisle runner between the two groups of chairs and line the aisle with small lanterns or pomander balls.
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Hire an outdoor entertainment company to set up a dance floor, tables, chairs and buffet areas for the reception. Again, keep the decorations simple. Most destination weddings rely on simplistic touches and natural beauty to create an atmosphere of joy. Use fresh flowers, light and fluttering ribbons to decorate the area.
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Plan ahead for unexpected weather emergencies. As with any destination wedding, weather is always unpredictable. Consider renting a tent in case of rain or large outdoor fans in case of extremely hot temperatures.
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References
- Photo Credit wedding chairs image by pixelcarpenter from Fotolia.com
