At home weddings are often hailed as the great alternative to having to endure the costs of renting a wedding venue in CT. However, when you dig a little deeper, is having an at home wedding and foregoing the traditional wedding venue truly a frugal move or is it more of a foolish mistake? We’re here to investigate and give you the inside scoop on the pros/cons, the unexpected needs, and the true story behind hosting an at home wedding, whether it be for the whole event, the ceremony, or just the reception.
Permits, You Might Need One
Certain areas and districts require an inspection and a permit before you can have your backyard or at home wedding due to safety hazards, parking issues, and noise potential. So be sure to check before you start planning for your big day. Also, don’t be caught off guard if you have to pay a fine for the inspection and/or the permit as they are often utilized in some cities.
Everything Is In One Place
One huge benefit of having your wedding at home is that everything is in one place. There is no worries about securing a place for a ceremony and/or a reception because it’s all right there from start to finish. This can help cut out the hassle of worrying about both spaces.
Photography by: Revert Photo
You’ll Have To Rent Almost Everything
Unless you have a very small wedding guest list in mind for your at home wedding, then renting anything and everything from tables and chairs to a dance floor to a generator is a definitely possibility. Keep these rental costs in mind when formulating the number of guests you’d like and when planning for the budget. In the long run, it might not be cheaper than renting a venue.
You Can Set Up The Day Before
Often wedding venues only allow you a set time in the space from start to finish, but with an at home wedding you don’t have that limitation. You can set up a lot of things the day before and help reduce some of the day of stress. With lots of major things already prepared, then you can spend more of the day of the wedding focusing on enjoying the day.
Talk With Your Insurance (Yes, Seriously.)
Homes can often taken a serious beating when you have that many guests going in and out throughout the day and the risk of someone getting hurt is always a potential problem, so check with your home owner’s insurance about these risks before you begin planning. They can let you know all the details and options before the big day arrives.
There Is More Vendor Flexibility
A big downside of many CT wedding venues is that they often have an in-house caterer and preferred vendors, with an at home wedding, you don’t have to deal with those constraints. You can choose the vendor you like at a cost that works for you without having the hassle of bypassing the venue. This is a great way to cut costs and have the wedding you want.
Photography by: Justin DeMutiis Photography
Compare The Ratio Of Guests To Bathrooms
To avoid any septic tank issues or a long lines of guests dying to get a turn in the restroom, consider your ratio of guests to the number of bathrooms in your home before you choose to host your at home wedding. If the guests far outweigh the number of available restrooms, then you’ll have to consider the possibility of renting portable options. We know, we know…portable bathrooms aren’t exactly the most beautiful wedding decor, but luckily they’ve gotten a lot more stylish and clean over the years. So put decor issues aside, but remember that this is an additional cost to add to your wedding day budget.
Any Date You Want Is Available
Instead of battling a hundred other brides over the wedding date you want, you can have your wedding any day you want when you host your wedding at home. This allows you to give yourself as much or as little time as you desire for the planning stage and gives you the opportunity to have your wedding in the season you’d like best.
Check With Your Wedding Vendors First
Many vendors aren’t able to accommodate an at home wedding, so check with your vendors before booking them. Especially make sure to check with your caterer as they often need special kitchens to prepare all the food. So before losing money and wasting time, make sure your vendors are good to go with your at home setup.
Deal With Fewer Rules
Because of certain policies, venues often restrict couples on what they can and cannot do at the venue. With an at home wedding, you can do as you please once you get everything cleared with local permits and ordinances. Have dinner under the stars, decorate as you please, let the kids run around, the rules are up to you!
Photography by: Kristen Gardner Photography
Watch The Weather
Just as with any outdoor venue (if you’re considering a backyard location), the weather is always a threat. So make sure to have a plan B just in case of rain, heat waves, or chilly days happen to come your way. In this case, tent rentals, fan rental, or outside electric heaters should be consider for a backup plan. Again, this poses the idea that more unexpected costs might come your way.
Be Totally Unique
When you host your wedding at home, whether it be at your friend’s, your family member’s, or your own backyard, you have the opportunity to have a completely unique wedding. Of course, no two weddings are ever the same, but when you have the unique space to call home to your wedding day you have a space that hasn’t been used by countless other brides throughout the years. At home weddings are also known for being more intimate and personal, which is always a great bonus.
So there you have it — the ups and downs of hosting you special day at home. As we pointed out, there are tons of unexpected costs associated with having an at home wedding that range from permits to many, many rentals. So in the long run, the cost may be the same of even more than renting a venue. However, you have a lot of freedom to have your wedding any way you want when you choose an at home space. So watch you budget, weigh the pros and cons, and pick which option works best for you. Whether you choose to have an at home wedding or a venue hosting affair, the results will be beautiful either way! And, of course, we are always here to answer questions.
This article was submitted by Audra, blog writer for Down The Aisle, LLC Wedding Planning and Design.