At-Home Weddings

Does the idea of throwing a luxury bash at home sound like the ideal wedding? Can you picture your guests all marveling at the new home that you and your partner have just acquired? Have you always dreamt of having a quaint, intimate wedding in the house where you grew up? Pull out the tiki torches,  picnic bench,  croquet set,  and gingham linens,  it's time for a party!

These are just a few of the reasons why people become interested in at-home weddings. Just think of all the advantages to having a wedding at home. Here is a summary of the major pros and cons of staging a wedding in the comfort of your own home.

Advantages

• You don't have to worry about not being able to get the reception site when you want it and there are no site fees, time restrictions or regulations to follow. You can party as long as you like, not a set 1 hour cocktail/5 hour pary affair. 
• You know the location and you can do whatever you want with it -- no working around bizarre color schemes or having to worry about whether the service will be all that you hoped your money would buy.
• It allows you to show your home to your family and friends and it gives you an excuse (or incentive) to fix up your digs. Keep in mind though that renovations should all occur far enough in advance of the wedding so that in case they take longer than expected everything will still be finished before the guests arrive.
• There is no traveling from one place to the next. This saves a lot on transportation. It also makes for a relatively hassle free wedding since everything is occurring in one place. Nobody can get lost, get into an accident, or become stuck in traffic.

The list could go on. But do keep in mind the drawbacks of an at-home wedding.

Disadvantages

• You have a lot to worry about because most of the time you are planning and preparing everything yourself. There are all sorts of issues to deal with that if you were to rent a reception site, you'd never think of. Because of this, it's usually recommended that you hire a wedding planner -- even if just for a consultation to get you moving on the right track.
• It's not as cheap as one might think. Once you add up all the costs, a wedding at home can become pricey. The trick is doing your research, planning far ahead, and budgeting  well.
• Your home and/or property could be slightly damaged. Just think of tent stakes in the ground, a hundred people trampling on your lawn (or carpet ), and then of course, there's the clean up.
• You'll have no privacy for at least a week before the wedding. That's because unlike just showing up somewhere, you have to start preparing and getting things set up in advance. The one way to make this easier is to hire a planner.

Planning Ahead

All of the planning issues that are part of creating a wedding still apply for at-home weddings, namely budgeting, staying organized and on schedule, and hiring vendors. When it comes to logistics, there are some major issues to think about:

• How big of a wedding are you having?

So you want a 200-person wedding, but the fact of the matter is that you don't have the space for it -- or maybe you do. You need to realistically look at how much room you have (without furniture) and decide how many people you can really invite. Obviously having a wedding in a small apartment or home is harder to pull off than having an outdoor wedding on a spacious property. Nonetheless, regardless of whether you are partying indoors or out, the rule of thumb is that each person needs four square feet of space. In other words, a 50-person wedding requires a 200 square foot space not including furniture, and a 200-person wedding 1000 square feet. If you realize that your home is too small for the guest list, you might need to thin it out a bit. Also considering maximizing space for indoor weddings by moving your furniture elsewhere and just leaving the space as an open layout.

• Indoors or out?

Having an outdoor wedding during summer is a great way to host a casual wedding. However, outdoor weddings have a whole slew of issues that come as part of the package. One of the biggest is mother nature. If it rains, will everyone fit into your house? Or will you rent a tent  to keep people dry and to keep them cool in the burning summer sun? Check out the guide on Wedding Rentals to get the 411 on tents and other useful items for throwing a wedding at home.

Outdoor weddings at home have their advantages: They're perfect for summertime, they keep everyone from traipsing through your house, they keep your house and furniture from being destroyed, they are easier to clean up, and they usually provide you and your guests with more space. One of the keys though is making it clear that guests are not welcome inside the house by locking the doors.

• How does the yard look?

If your house is in dire need of a paint job, the lawn looks like a desert, and the flower garden looks more like a twiggy graveyard, it's time to do some sprucing up. Clean  the exterior of the house, mow  and fertilize  the lawn,  trim  shrubs, pull out the weed whacker,  and invest in some mosquito powder  to sprinkle into the lawn. It'll help ward off an influx of bugs that could make a potentially great wedding turn into a scratch-fest. Also remember that the yard is the backdrop for an outdoor wedding. Use the plants  and flowers  to your advantage. Check out these guides on decorating the ceremony and reception, as well as wedding colors and themes. They might help inspire you. Otherwise, always remember that you want to create an ambiance that suits the formality of the wedding. This goes for the decorations, food, and drink.

• How's the house look on the inside?

If you will have people in your house for the wedding, it's a good idea to either dig up the old Hoover or give the pros a call. If you go pro, see if you can strike a deal for two cleaning sessions -- one prior to and another after the shindig.

• Is parking a problem?

You should talk to a) the town and b) your neighbors. Find out about rules and regulations for parking in residential zones so that your guests don't all wind up with tickets or get towed. Notify your neighbors about the wedding and the scale of the event. You might even considering offering an invite to avoid conflicts. Also, check local ordinances regarding noise curfews and regulations on port-a-potties.

• Got juice?

You might need a generator  for an outdoor affair to help power a band, musicians, lighting, heating, or cooling. Make sure that if you are going to be running heavy duty electrical cords  that you keep them all nice and tidy and out of the way so that nobody trips on them.

• Port-a-potties  are a necessity.

Minimum one per 50 guests. For more convenience, rent one per 20 guests. They should be in a place that is well lit so that people can get to them if the party is still swinging after the sun sets. The bare necessity is a sink, but nicer ones have a mirror  and light in them.

• Are your kitchen facilities up to snuff?

If your kitchen is too small or off limits for the wedding, you'll probably need to have the caterer come prepared with all the necessities. Otherwise, check into what you will need to rent, keeping in mind simpler food and drink options, outdoor grilling, and the potential to prepare your own food in advance.

• Get rid of the pets.

Yes, it's terrible to have to send away Fluffy and Fido, but it's better for you, the guests, and the animals. Without animals around you don't have to worry about them jumping up onto the cake table, dirtying guests lovely wedding frocks, or potentially acting up and biting someone. Send them to a boarding facility instead of simply locking them up in the house.

• Lighting is key.

Check the grounds after dark to find any spots that could pose a tripping hazard. Place pretty lights or candles  around the pathways.

• Garbage doesn't pick itself up.

You might need to arrange an extra garbage pickup for the day after the wedding.

Related Guides
Wedding Rentals	Choosing a Location	Choosing a Date	Outdoor Weddings	Destination Weddings