Bride on a Budget

Planning a wedding is very exciting. But, sometimes it’s daunting because of the cost (amongst other things).

However, it doesn’t have to be. A wedding doesn’t have to be expensive and it doesn’t have to make you go broke. You are just starting your new life with your best friend… do you really want to start it in debt?

A wedding can still be very special and “the best day of your life” without spending more money than you are comfortable with.

I am no expert in the subject of marriage or wedding planning, but I believe your wedding can be anything you make of it! It’s your special day, so it shouldn’t have rules if you don’t want it to. And it shouldn’t have tradition just for the sake of tradition. You can make up the rules and make the day truly your day by doing whatever you want. And, who knows, maybe other people might take the same ideas and it’ll create a new “tradition” for their wedding!

I am a bride-to-be, and I have been looking forward to my wedding since before I was even proposed to! I am beyond excited to get married to the love of my life, and I love planning for all sorts of parties! I am very much a DIY-er, and, while some may find it tacky or lack a professional air, I think that making your own stuff gives a more special and personal touch. Not only is it a good way to save money, it’s also fun (for me, at least. I know it’s not for everyone) and it’s special to look back on your events and pictures and say, “Wow, I did that!” When your guests also comment on your hard work, it’s also such a satisfying feeling. You can say with pride, “Yes, I made that food!” Or, “Yes, that sign was made by me!” How gratifying!

That being said, your venue can also be “DIY”. While some people might be entirely against having their wedding at home, a wedding at home is a great way to save money and work with a lighter budget! You don’t have to have a wedding at a church or a fancy venue because you feel religious, societal or familial pressure. Or even because you feel like it has to be at somewhere “fancy” and “expensive” because it’s your special day and you feel like your wedding won’t seem extraordinary if you’re at home.

Your wedding can be extraordinary right in the backyard! For me, this is a perfect choice. I am very much a home-body. I feel most comfortable in my own home, and the idea of being in a new, unfamiliar place surrounded by a bunch of people is scary to me. I want to feel safe and comfy on what is supposed to be one of the best days of my life. As a person who struggles with OCD and anxiety, the idea of having to go somewhere else is unthinkable when there’s already so much going on. I admit that I have thought of having a wedding at a fancy venue because that’s what I see in movies and media and it looks so romantic and like a fairy tale. But, I know myself. As much as that sort of wedding looks amazing, 1) I wouldn’t be able to afford it and 2) I know that if I were the center of that type of wedding I would be uncomfortable and anxious. I wouldn’t enjoy myself. And I would be worrying about all the moving parts and the whereabouts of all my stuff the entire day.

Additionally, I love planning things. To have a backyard wedding means that I get to control everything and plan every step of the way. It might be a lot of work, but this is the type of thing that I thrive in. I took event planning classes in college and even considered, multiple times, being an event planner. I love creating lists and being creative and coming up with new ideas! And because I am choosing to have a backyard wedding, I get to be the bride and the coordinator! I get to do it all! Although people will tell me I need to step back a little so that I can enjoy my day without having to run the day, I am very much the type of person who loves to plan and cook and put on a party for people. Often times I have more fun planning and being behind the scenes than actually “partying”. So I am very excited to make my wedding exactly the way that I want, while also having a fun day! And, the good thing is that I will have my family there to help me, as well!

Having a backyard wedding will allow me to be in my place of comfort, surrounded by close friends and family! And, yes, it will save money. So, onto a few of my pros and cons that might help you in deciding if you want a backyard wedding:

Pros of a backyard wedding:

• comfort

• save money - no venue costs, no travel costs

• intimate

• smaller amount of guests

• you get to choose what you want to do

• you get to choose all decor and how to arrange everything

• no timeline you need to follow set by a venue

• more freedom with time, in general

• no rules set by a venue

• total control

• you can have your pets there

• you don’t have to worry about packing up everything after the wedding to go home because you already are home

• at the end and beginning of the festivities, you don’t have to drive anywhere because you’re already where you need to be

• for as long as you live in the house your wedding took place, you can look into your backyard and memories will flood back of your wedding day— that backyard will always be even more special “we got married there!”

Cons of a backyard wedding:

• less space, especially if your yard is small

• less parking, depending on where your home is located

• cleanup

• no coordinator, if that’s something you’re looking for. Although, it’s still your rules so you can still have an event planner, even if the wedding is at home

A backyard wedding is not for everyone. Some people feel like they need a fancy venue or a church in order for their special day to feel like a special day. And that’s understandable. Not everyone has the same likes or needs or dreams. However, if you are on a budget OR you prefer to be close to home (or both), a backyard wedding is perfectly fine and definitely preferred, at least for me! It can still be romantic and fantastical and everything you’ve dreamed of because it will still be the product of your love and hard work!

There’s nothing wrong with any choice that you make for your wedding because this day is all about you and what you want! But a backyard wedding is my choice! Will it also be yours?

~Sincerely and best wishes,

A Bride on a Budget