I’ve seen a growing trend of more couples choosing more personal, intimate celebrations and foregoing a big, traditional wedding—this includes choosing to plan a wedding at home.
I had the chance to photograph one of the best weddings ever and it took place in the couple’s home! The women featured throughout this blog got married on New Year’s Eve at home!
I thought it was incredibly special how involved their family and friends were in the wedding as some of their friends performed and one of the bride’s sisters officiated their ceremony. This wedding was so meaningful and wonderful for everyone who attended and I loved being a part of it.
Let’s dive into how you can plan your own wedding at home.
How to Plan a Wedding at Home
Decide if your wedding is going to be indoors or outdoors
One of the most important decisions you’ll need to make is where your wedding and reception will take place. This may involve taking a look at the space you have and figuring out how you can actually use it.
You’ll also need to decide if your entire wedding, from start to finish, will happen at home, from getting ready to a first look with your partner to your couple portraits to your ceremony, etc.
If everything is going to take place at your home, you and your partner will need to figure out where everything is happening. Is the ceremony going to be indoors, and will the reception be outdoors? What is the backup plan in case of inclement weather? Are you both going to get ready in the same room? Are you going to have a first look and if so where can this take place?
Trust me—figuring out the logistics of your wedding and how you can use the space in your home first will save you a future headache and a lot of time.
Research county/city permits
You might find you need a city or county permit for your wedding, even if everything is taking place inside of your home. It’s best to research based on where you live if this is a requirement to avoid any potential fines or issues on the day of your celebration.
Also, for your wedding, even if it’s happening indoors, I would advise you to make sure you talk to your neighbors about what is happening. This is supposed to be a celebration and the last thing you want is one of your neighbors knocking on your door during your party!
Figure out your guest list
Another important item you’ll need to address is how many people can fit into the space you have for your wedding. You’ll want to accommodate everyone comfortably and think about the maximum number of guests you could have as you start discussing with your partner who you’re going to invite.
Parking/ Extra Facilities
Parking is another aspect that cannot be overlooked when it comes to having an at-home wedding.
Depending on the number of guests that you’re planning to invite, you’ll also need to make a plan for where everyone is going to be able to park, if you’re going to need to ask your guests to carpool, or if you’re going to provide transportation for your guests.
A few other things you may not have thought of are extra seating and tables, bathrooms, generators, and more. Don’t forget about all of this to make sure that you and your guests are totally comfortable throughout the entire night!
Catering and alcohol services
I can’t forget to mention catering and alcohol on this list. If you want to serve drinks at your wedding, remember that selling drinks requires a license. To avoid any issues, it’s better to have your guests bring their own drinks or provide them with drinks.
For catering, you’ll want to make sure that your caterers have enough space to set up everything and serve food.
Decide which vendors to hire
If your ceremony and reception take place at home, this is different than planning your wedding at a venue that might provide you with a list of recommended vendors. You and your partner have the freedom to choose which vendors you want and need.
I personally would recommend hiring a cleaning crew to help you with some of the tidying up before and after your wedding. They can also help you clean your home before the big day.
Also, a wedding planner will be your new BFF for planning an at-home wedding. A wedding planner can assist you with choosing which vendors you do/don’t need and helping you with logistics.
Create your flow
You’ll want to map out an ideal flow for your wedding at home. For example, how will your guests get a drink or snacks? How will they move from the ceremony to the reception space? How will you manage congestion? These are all important to answer as you think about everything your guests will need.
Wedding-At-Home Ideas
Try out these wedding at-home ideas to make your celebration extra special:
Use the spaces that already have special meaning as part of your celebration
Your entire home doesn’t have to be used as part of your wedding, but as you’re deciding where everything is going to take place, think about using places that are meaningful to you and your partner.
Maybe that’s having your ceremony on your front porch because that’s where you and your partner always sip your morning coffee. Or you could have your ceremony (or take some couple portraits) in front of your favorite bookshelf that is filled with you and your partner’s favorite novels.
Or you can have your ceremony on your staircase and decorate the steps with candles. You can get creative with the spaces that you do decide to use! Also, for any space that you don’t want your guests to enter make sure that this is something you make clear before your celebration.
Have your family members and friends involved
A family member or friend can officiate your ceremony, share advice, play music, etc. One of the huge perks of having a wedding at home is having your family and friends as involved however you would like.
Give your home a signature scent
A specific scent will remind you of this special day forever. You could pair a scent that matches the season when your wedding is taking place, a scent you and your partner both love, or even choose a scent that pairs well with your wedding theme.
Bring in unique entertainment
When I say bring in unique entertainment, I’m not just talking about having a DJ or hiring a string quartet. Do you and your partner love tarot cards? What about hiring a tarot reader for you and your guests to do card readings?
Or if you both love astrology you could hire an astrologist. You could also hire a wedding painter to paint a portrait of you and your partner at your ceremony or reception. The sky is the limit when it comes to fun and unique entertainment options you could choose from!
Use family recipes
Food and flavors create lasting memories. You could speak with your caterer and ask them to create a meal based on a favorite family recipe (or recipes).
Ready to Plan Your Wedding at Home?
I hope you found this guide on how to plan a wedding at home helpful. A wedding in your home is a beautiful way to make new memories in a space that you and your partner already love.
And if you want every magical moment of your wedding captured so you can relive it again and again, feel free to reach out to me here or check out my services here. I’d be honored to be part of your celebration.
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