You could plan a wedding at the elegant Four Seasons or the luxurious Ritz-Carlton in downtown Chicago. Or, you can have a romantic ceremony and swanky reception right in your own home. You might immediately think that it's either a great idea or a bad one, but there are some compelling reasons why you might want to consider transforming your residence — or that of a close friend or relative — into a wedding locale.
Up to 10% of couples nationwide decide to say "I do" at home according to the book Bridal Bargains by Denise and Alan Fields. And here are the reasons why:
- Expense — Although weddings at home can be pricier than celebrating elsewhere if you indulge in a lavish affair, you stand to save quite a bit on the overall cost if you don't have to pay to rent a venue like a hotel or private estate.
- Comfort — What's more familiar than having a wedding in your own home or the home of someone close to you? John C. McGinley, who plays the venerable Dr. Perry Cox on Scrubs, decided to have his nuptials at home with yoga instructor Nichole Kessler because of the intimacy and coziness it provided.
- Choice — Many wedding venues, including ceremony sites and reception halls, limit the times and days that you can have your wedding. Plus, if a particular site is booked, you'll either have to change your wedding date or look elsewhere.
- Size — Unless you live in a five-bedroom mansion in Lincoln Park, you probably won't have a guest list that includes more than 100 people. If you're keen on planning an intimate affair without the hassle of booking outside venues, a home wedding is ideal.
Getting Started: The Setting
When getting your home ready for your wedding day, approach it like planning any other wedding with a few differences. Start by creating a budget and then plan from there. Though it's not obvious at first glance, a lot more work can actually go into a home wedding. Think about the following:
- Will you need to do renovations to the home?
- Will you be hosting just the ceremony or both the ceremony and reception at your home?
- Will you have the event indoors, outside, or both?
- Can you accommodate the caterer in your kitchen or will the caterer need to set up elsewhere?
- Will you have a sit-down dinner or will you set up a buffet table?
- Where will the tables be placed for the reception?
- Where will you store the furniture if it needs to be moved?
Décor: Whether you decide to go with a casual, elegant, or unique wedding style, it's up to you. Once you select a theme, carry the details and tone throughout. However you decide to personalize your home for your wedding, it's important to keep in mind the current architectural elements of your home.
Entrance: No matter what type of residence you have, on your wedding day, you'll want to emphasize the significance of the event from the start by creating a grand entrance. You can make a visual impact through floral arrangements, lighting, and fabric.
Aisle: The aisle is the central piece during the ceremony and bride's grand entrance. Indoors, you can choose a stairway that descends to the living area. Outdoors, choose a pathway that leads to a floral archway, gazebo, or terrace. And you don't need to select a standard white cloth runner, either. Line the pathway with white flower petals, large stones, or potted flowers.
Lounge Area: Transform an area of your home into a casual lounge where your guests can sit and chat in comfort. On an outdoor patio, you can place chaise lounges, wooden benches, and candle chandeliers. Indoors, you can add ambience by clustering a few small tables and chairs decorated with a simple floral arrangement in the style of your wedding.
Reception Table: If you have the space for it, having a reception in the backyard gives you the most flexibility in planning a reception. A tent can provide the shelter you need. Decorate with fabric canopies and colored lantern-style lights and you can transform any plain tent into an enchanting environment. For smaller affairs indoors or outside, you can plant a long table so guests can gather in one spot. One way to decorate is by covering the table in white linen and decorating with multiple petite centerpieces. You can adorn the chairs with ribbons descending from rich-hued flowers.
More To Think About
Couples who plan a wedding at home rather than at an outside venue often encounter some additional considerations. Here are some expenses to think about:
- The Music and Dance Floor — Music sets the mood for your wedding ceremony and reception. If it's within your budget, you can hire a string quartet for the ceremony and a live band for the reception. A more budget-minded choice would be to wire in music through a sound system. Think iPod and surround-sound speakers. It's important to keep in mind the size of the room or area you have when incorporating music. You don't want a full swing band in a petite living room. For the dance floor, you can rent by the square foot. You can get a 4'x4' vinyl parquet-type floor fairly cheaply.
- Valet service — Due to the possibility of local traffic compounded by visiting wedding guests, you may need a valet service to attend to the parking needs of wedding attendees. Imagine 50 cars needing a parking space in your neighborhood.
- Rental fees — Though you'll be saving on the cost of renting a venue, depending on how large your guest list is and how posh you plan on decorating your event, you can expect to encounter rental fee costs. For a tent, you might spend a few hundred for a simple pole and canvas tent or a few thousand for a supped-up version with lighting and air-conditioning. And don't forget items like the chairs, tables, and silverware for guests as well.
A wedding at home is unique in that it takes place in a location that is very personal to you. When planning a wedding at your residence, remember that what makes home weddings so special is the history and memories that already exist in the place you've chosen to celebrate your commitment to each other.
