If this isn’t the dreamiest backyard wedding you’ve ever seen, I don’t know what is! I’m about to show you every single detail of this glam backyard wedding, and yes, it was under a twinkle light tent.
Before we go any further, if you’re engaged and feeling overwhelmed with your wedding planning reach out to us! We have different levels of support that we’re also happy to customize for you so don’t be shy. Just fill out this inquiry form and schedule a quick call.
Alright back to this intimate backyard wedding. This was one of the brides’ parents backyard in Gallatin, TN which is just about 30 minutes from Nashville. There are definitely pros and cons to having your wedding in a backyard so let’s talk about a few of those.
Pros and cons of hosting a backyard wedding
Pros:
- No venue fee. The fact that there is no actual venue fee attached to your backyard can sound pretty appealing. Couples can often save thousands of dollars by hosting their wedding in their backyard. Of course, the home owner may want to put some money into landscaping and cleaning up the home before the wedding day.
- No restrictions. For the most part, if you have a backyard big enough to host a wedding you most likely live somewhere with a lot of space. You ultimately have total creative freedom when it comes to decor, tenting and even small details like candles.
- Unlimited number of guests. If you want to have a big bash, hosting a backyard wedding might be a good option. Since you or someone you know is the owner, you don’t really have any limits on capacity.
Cons:
- Hidden costs. Wait didn’t I just say there were no venue fees? True but the reasons wedding venues charge what they do is because they include things such as: restrooms, cleaning crew, trash, electricity, AC and sometimes even rentals. When you’re renting everything yourself, the costs add up quick.
- No rain plan. Unless you’re renting a tent (which we always recommend you should unless you live in the desert), you may not have a rain backup plan for all your guests. Can you fit them all in the house? Is there room for dinner and dancing? Definitely something to keep in mind!
- Grumpy Neighbors and permits. How friendly are your neighbors? Consider talking to them about your idea before you start planning your backyard wedding in case they are completely against it. No one wants the cops to show up at their house on their wedding day! Some counties will also require permits for any type of large event being held. Do your research!
That being said, if a backyard wedding under a twinkle light tent is still calling your name, do it! But first, you may want to grab our Venue Walkthrough Questionnaire to help guide you through the process.
Getting Ready in the Family Home
Most backyards have a house that comes with it too (imagine that!). This makes for a perfect place for you and your partner to get ready the morning of the wedding. Make sure you have separate rooms if you don’t want to see each other before the ceremony and that you have windows to let in that natural light for makeup and photos.
Ceremony under a tree
Now the plan was the have an outdoor ceremony under the beautiful big tree, except the rain decided to come. We decided to wait it out a few minutes and still have a ceremony outside minus the dangling chandeliers that would have gotten damaged if they got wet. Don’t worry, the chandeliers got used above the reception table, you’ll see!
There’s also something so fun about a pre-ceremony cocktail. For this wedding we did champagne for guests to grab and sip one while they waited for the brides to walk down the aisle.
The wedding reception details
Buckle up folks because it’s about to get dreamy in here! For real, that first photo was a sneak peak of what’s about to come. The decor and details under this twinkle light tent was unreal!! Ready? Here we go.
Unique wedding guest book
First up, let’s talk about the guest book. How fun is this record and record player guest book?! Absolutely adorable and will be so fun for the brides to hang this in their home.
Cute trailer bar and specialty cocktails
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again but cocktail hour is one of the best parts of a wedding. This is where guests get to loosen up a bit, enjoy a cocktail and an appetizer and explore the property. Meanwhile, the couple is out taking gorgeous sunset photos or enjoying some time alone after the ceremony.
For this wedding we hired Aero Bar, a cool trailer bar company to come out and serve cocktails. The brides even ordered custom napkins with a monogram of their dog on it. So many fun personal touches!
Dinner under a twinkle light tent
Ok the moment you’ve all been waiting for! This has got to be the best twinkle light tent of the year right? I mean look at the chandeliers over the tables, the hundreds of strands of twinkle lights over the dance floor and that dreamy candle light.
Jess truly had a vision for what she wanted this tent to look like. Although it was only 25 people, we still managed to make it feel like a party! A live band, a giant dessert spread and Jess and Grace’s favorite people were there.
The dance party
After a quick shoe change, the brides danced, sang, drank champagne and ate cake! I don’t know if you could really ask for any better than that. Since this was the family’s backyard, a sparkler exit was allowed so we took full advantage.
So what did you think? Are you planning to do something similar for your wedding? We’re happy to chat with you and share the costs of this wedding as well, schedule a call with us!
Planner @causewecanevents // Photographer @joshuacoreyphoto // Videographer @cardboardfilms // Florist @the_florista_ // Band @emeraldempireband // Catering @flavorcatering // Bar @theaerobar // Hair/Makeup @indigobeautycollective // Desserts/Cake @eastleighdesserts // Rentals @whitedoorevent and @southerneventsonline // Paper goods: Pine and Paper Co // Officiant Jeannie Ingram
