For some people, it’s alluring to have a wedding in some far-off, exotic destination. For others, it’s much more attractive to have a wedding at home, perhaps in your own backyard. Millions of people have had backyard weddings in the past, though it’s not an option for everybody.

If you’re on the fence, you’ll want to know all the pros and cons of hosting a backyard wedding.

The Pros of a Backyard Wedding

These are some of the best advantages of hosting a backyard wedding:

·       Cost savings. If you want to host your wedding at a big venue, you’ll need to pay a lot of money for it. You’ll end up paying even more if you have your wedding at an exotic destination – and your friends and family members will have to pay a lot of money to attend as well. Hosting a wedding in your own backyard is a way to save a ton of money, allowing you to put that money toward a more exciting honeymoon or the purchase of your first house together.

·       Comfort and familiarity. Some people are drawn to the possibility of a backyard wedding because of the comfort and familiarity of this location. This is a space you know and love already, so why not take advantage of it on one of the most important and exciting days of your life? Add a gorgeous fire pit, and you’ll be able to party deep into the night, gathering around the fire with the people you love most.

·       No agonizing search. Even if you’re genuinely excited about researching various venue possibilities for your wedding, it’s very time consuming and stressful to scout different locations. If you choose to host the wedding in your own backyard, or the backyard of a family member, this search is effectively cut to zero.

·       Relative convenience. There are some additional planning issues and hassles associated with setting up a backyard wedding, but relatively speaking, this is a convenient location. It doesn’t require anyone to travel very far, and you can spend days and weeks setting up, instead of trying to cram everything into a few hours.

·       Privacy. Depending on the location of your backyard, you’ll likely be entitled to greater privacy. For some people, this is very important.

·       Total control. Some people love the idea of having a backyard wedding because they’ll have total control over just about everything. There are no rules or limitations to what you can do or how you do it, there are no time constraints, and you’ll be able to take advantage of practically limitless design possibilities.

The Cons of a Backyard Wedding

These are some of the disadvantages of hosting a backyard wedding:

·       Lots of prep work. If you’re hosting a wedding in a space of your own, you’ll likely have to put in more prep work before the event. You can recruit people to help you, but unlike a designated wedding venue, this space isn’t naturally perfectly suited to hosting a wedding.

·       Space limitations. There may be additional limitations to your space. For example, if you’re trying to host a wedding in a relatively small backyard, you may only have room for a few dozen people – and even that may be cramped.

·       Invasion of personal space and boundary problems. Some people are naturally uncomfortable with hosting a lot of people in a space that’s familiar to them. Plus, some of your guests may be less respectful of your boundaries than others.

·       Cleanup duty. Have you ever cleaned up after a big party? Most of us that have can attest to how awful it is. After the wedding, there will be significant cleanup duties, and nobody’s going to be excited about taking them on.

·       Lack of amenities. There may be a relative lack of amenities at your house as well. Most wedding venues are designed specifically to make the event flow as fluidly and conveniently as possible, giving people access to everything they need for such an event. Even something simple, like having only a single bathroom available for your guests, can present challenges.

·       No specialists. It’s true that you can hire a wedding planner, caterers, and other specialists for a backyard wedding, but you won’t have anyone specifically residing over the venue. This can present additional challenges when trying to plan your event.

Ultimately, the decision is yours. There are certainly a lot of advantages to hosting a backyard wedding, and a lot of drawbacks to consider as well. Much of your decision will boil down to your personality and preferences, as well as the personality and preferences of your spouse to be. Just make sure to research all of your options before making a final call.