Wedding Budget Tip #33: Have an at-home wedding

This post is part of a recurring series here on BSB where we share wedding budget tips to help you save money on your wedding! You can access all the wedding budget tips on a single page for your convenience and future reference. This post talks about the budget-saving benefits of having an at home wedding.

Wedding Budget Tip #33:

Consider holding your wedding at home, or at the home of a friend or family member.

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One of the best ways to save money on your wedding budget is to find a venue that doesn’t cost you anything, so what better place to do it then at your family home or the home of a loved one? Backyard weddings are very popular because of their cost-cutting potential, but there are still many of the same details to be hired out just like any other wedding.

If you go this route, there are many details to consider. Here is a short list of just some of the important questions to ask yourself about at home weddings:

Will the space accommodate our guest list?
Are there adequate bathroom facilities to meet the needs of our guests?
What will we do if it rains? What is the rain plan?
Is there room to erect a tent in the backyard?
Are there items we can use from the home to reduce the number of rentals needed?
How will we set up catering?
Is there adequate parking available for our guests?
For the reception, how can we be conscious of noise levels so as not to disturb the neighbors?
Will we need to purchase wedding insurance in case of any accidents?

As you can see, there are risks and rewards involved in planning an at-home wedding. If you choose to forgo a traditional venue, I would recommend at least working with a planner/coordinator to make sure all your bases are covered. You’ll definitely want to look into event insurance to protect yourself in the case of any accidents, and a good planner can recommend where to look for those policies.

Get more advice for choosing the perfect wedding venue