Home weddings can be some of the most beautiful and personal weddings to plan. There is something special about getting married at a family home or on a piece of property that means something to the couple.
But home weddings also come with an entirely different set of logistics than weddings held at traditional venues.
When you plan a wedding at a venue, so much of the infrastructure is already there. There are restrooms, electricity, parking, lighting, trash cans, a catering area and a plan for cleanup.
When you’re planning a wedding at home or on private property, you’re essentially building a wedding venue from scratch.
Here are some of the biggest things I consider when planning a wedding at a private home.
1. Where Will Everyone Park?
Parking is one of the first things I think about for a home wedding.
Where are 100, 200 or even 300 guests going to park?
You need to determine how many vehicles the parking area can realistically accommodate and whether guests can safely get from the parking area to the ceremony and reception.
And don’t forget about the weather. A field that works perfectly for parking when it’s dry may be a completely different situation after several days of rain.
I recommend having parking attendants directing vehicles as guests arrive. Don’t expect guests to automatically know where to go or how you want cars arranged.
You also need to consider how guests will get from the parking area to the wedding.
Depending on the property, this might mean using:
- Golf carts
- Passenger vans
- Shuttles
Think about elderly guests and anyone who may have difficulty walking long distances or over uneven ground.
And if guests will be returning to their cars after dark, the parking area and the path leading to it need adequate lighting.
2. You Will Probably Need Additional Power
Never assume the house has enough electrical power to operate an entire wedding.
Bands can require a significant amount of power. Catering equipment, bars, lighting, restroom trailers and other vendors may also have electrical requirements.
I always want to know exactly what each vendor needs before wedding day.
Depending on the event, you may need generators and temporary power distribution to safely provide enough power throughout the property.
This is one of those details you don’t want to discover on wedding day when the band plugs in and starts tripping breakers.
3. Don’t Forget the Restrooms
A home’s bathrooms usually aren’t designed to accommodate hundreds of people over several hours.
For larger home weddings, restroom trailers are often a much better option.
But simply ordering a restroom trailer isn’t enough.
You need to determine:
Where will it go?
Can the delivery truck access that area?
Does it require power?
Does it require water?
How far will guests have to walk to reach it?
Will guests be able to find it easily after dark?
Restroom placement should be convenient for guests without putting the trailer directly in the middle of the event.
4. Where Is All the Trash Going?
This is one of those details that isn’t glamorous, but someone has to think about it.
A wedding with a few hundred guests produces a LOT of trash.
At a venue, trash cans and dumpsters are usually already part of the operation. At a private home, they may not be.
You may need to purchase or rent trash cans and place them strategically around the reception, bar and catering areas.
Then think beyond the trash cans.
Where are all of those full trash bags going at the end of the night?
You may need to arrange for a dumpster. Another option may be placing the bagged trash in the back of a truck or enclosed trailer until it can be hauled away.
The important thing is that you have a plan.
You don’t want dozens of trash bags sitting outside overnight where dogs, raccoons or other animals can tear into them.
And someone needs to be responsible for emptying the trash cans throughout the reception—not just at the end of the night.
5. Lighting Is About More Than Making the Wedding Pretty
Lighting serves two purposes at a home wedding: atmosphere and safety.
You’ll likely need event lighting installed for the reception itself, especially if you’re working with a tent or an outdoor reception area.
But don’t stop there.
Walk the entire property and think about what it will look like after dark.
Consider lighting for:
- The parking area
- Walkways
- Restrooms
- Catering areas
- Bars
- Tent entrances and exits
- Steps or uneven areas
- The route guests will take back to their vehicles
A property that is easy to navigate at 4:00 in the afternoon can feel completely different at 10:00 at night.
6. Think Through the Catering Setup
A catering company working at a venue may have access to a commercial kitchen or designated catering space.
At a private home, you may have to create their workspace.
Where will they prep?
Where will their equipment go?
Do they have access to water?
What are their electrical requirements?
How close can their vehicles get for unloading?
Where will food waste and dirty dishes go?
Don’t assume the caterer can simply use the family’s kitchen. Ask what they need and build their requirements into the property layout.
7. Have a Plan for Ice and Refrigeration
This is another easy one to overlook.
A residential refrigerator and ice maker aren’t going to keep up with the needs of a large wedding.
Think about the bar, catering and any other vendors that need ice or refrigeration.
Determine how much ice you’ll need, where it will be stored and who will replenish it throughout the event.
8. Consider What Happens If It Rains
A rain plan for a home wedding involves much more than putting the ceremony under a tent.
What happens to your parking area if the ground becomes saturated?
Can the catering truck still reach its setup area?
Can rental companies safely unload?
How will guests get from their vehicles to the wedding without walking through mud?
Will you need additional flooring or covered walkways?
Rain can affect almost every logistical part of a private-property wedding, so your backup plan needs to consider the entire property.
9. Plan Vendor Access Before Wedding Day
Think about how every vendor is going to get their equipment onto the property.
Where will the rental company unload?
Where will the florist unload?
How will the band get their equipment to the stage?
Can large trucks turn around?
Are there low-hanging limbs or narrow driveways?
Is there a designated vendor parking area so vendor vehicles aren’t mixed in with guest parking?
Walking the property from a vendor’s perspective can uncover problems you might otherwise miss.
10. Have an End-of-Night Plan
Don’t let your planning stop when the couple makes their exit.
What happens next?
Who takes the gifts and cards?
Who packs the personal décor?
Who collects leftover alcohol?
Who removes the trash?
Where do the rental items stay overnight?
Who picks up cups, bottles and trash from the lawn?
Who makes sure the property is secure?
And does someone need to return the next morning for additional cleanup?
I like to know the answer to all of these questions before wedding day.
Home Weddings Require a Different Kind of Planning
Home weddings are beautiful, but they require you to think about things you may never have to consider at a traditional wedding venue.
You’re not simply planning the ceremony, flowers, food and timeline.
You’re creating the infrastructure needed to host hundreds of people safely and comfortably on a property that wasn’t designed to function as an event venue.
Power. Parking. Transportation. Restrooms. Trash. Lighting. Water. Catering. Weather. Cleanup.
The more of these details you solve ahead of time, the fewer surprises you’ll have on wedding day.
If you’re planning your first tented or private-property wedding and aren’t sure what you might be overlooking, my Guide to Tented & Private Property Weddings walks you through the logistics and details I consider when planning these types of events.
| Terrica McKee is a seasoned wedding planner, florist, and educator with over 15 years of experience helping new and aspiring wedding planners build confidence and run professional, stress-free weddings. As the founder of Southern Productions, Meridian’s first full-service wedding planning and florist company, Terrica provides step-by-step systems, done-for-you templates, and expert guidance so planners can show up like pros from day one. |
