Wedding decoration ideas for backyard wedding?

Question

I am getting married July 2007 in my parents backyard. Their backyard really is just BLAH but they have an empty acre next door. I dont want all of the neighboors houses in the pictures and this lot is empty. I was also thinking is there any solutions to making your own gazebo (something simple and cheap) not exactly the real thing or just other things to subsitute it. I am just drawing blanks to make an empty field into a wedding.

Answer 1

The trick is to set up distinct areas, sort of like outdoor "rooms".

Will you have a tent for the reception? Set it up where you will have your backs to it for the ceremony so it isn't in the background. This will make it clear where to go after the ceremony.

Use a wedding arch to attract attention to the "altar".

Use your program to guide guests after the ceremony-"You are welcome to mingle in the flower garden with drinks" for example--this gives you an escape to have photos taken while they are distracted (go where they can't walk over...it makes it a pain in the butt when they do and the photog is trying to work!)

Bring "indoor" elements outside--plaster pedestals (find at Michaels or Hobby Lobby) can mark the aisle and you can put arrangements on top. Use easels with elegant signs (maybe large photos of you) to direct traffic.

You can often rent small tents and even gazebos. I've also seen people make backdrops out of silky fabric draped between two tall sheppherd's hooks.

For the reception, spreading the tables out with luminaries illuminating the path in between them would be romantic if it is a nice evening. Use lots of candles!

Hang paper lanterns from the trees in certain areas to guide people to those areas after dark (we did this and it was lovely)

Make sure you have "bouncers". I can see potential problems with wedding crashers.

Also, be sure to clear parking arrangements and noise management with the neighbors-nobody wants the cops busting their wedding! I've heard of people who paid for neighbors to stay in a hotel for the night so they aren't bothered.

Answer 2

White tents...they fix everything. You can hang fabric (use semi sheer to block the view and keep it open feeling) like walls on the tents.

If you start planting now, or in the early spring depending on whre you are, you could have a great "garden" feel to the whole yard, and that would cut down on the cost of flowers and decorations. Use white folding chairs, lots of lanterns or candle light, and cpntainer gardens. You could create a very inexpensive dance floor with a few 2x4s, some ply wood and some simple b/w peel and stick tiles.

Just a few ideas to get you started. If you emailed a couple digital pics of the area, and told me a bit more about the style/theme yoou are considering I will be happy to advise.

Good Luck and Congrats!

Answer 3

You can add lanterns or strings of lights to decorate the backyard.

To block out the houses around you, you can rent tall plants. But I think your neighbors homes wont be a problem since the photographer will focus on you two, and if the houses do appear, you can have them blurred out for a cool effect.

As for a gazebo, go into the bakyard section at home depot and get those white criss=cross fences that people use to cover ugly fences.

Answer 4

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