A Vast majority of people opt for a large, expensive venue for their big day. This is understandable. Not only do people often have a lot of guests, but they want somewhere truly special for, arguably, the most important day of their lives. There are, however, other ways to create a wedding day that will inspire lasting memories. Some people do not have the large budget to facilitate an extravagant wedding. Other people simply want something slightly different, and more meaningful, than the standard church wedding.
A trend that has grown in popularity in recent years is to create a small, intimate wedding day. This includes people opting to host their wedding at home. Although this might seem bewildering to some people, there are actually a huge number of benefits to hosting a wedding at home. Today we are going to explore the benefits of home weddings. We are also going to outline how you can create your dream wedding at home.
The Benefits of Weddings at Home
The wedding celebration has become synonymous with extravagance. People often spend far more money than they can afford on their wedding, all for a day that is often comparable to something smaller and more intimate. A wedding day, at the foundation, is a celebration of your commitment to someone you love deeply. A wedding at home, therefore, can go hand in hand with this.
This will not apply to everyone. Some people, although they might be warm to the idea, simply do not have the space to facilitate guests. This is especially true if you live in a flat. If you live in a medium sized house with a fair sized garden however, you are perfectly capable of hosting a phenomenal wedding in the garden and your house. And this does not have to be hugely expensive. A lot of people spend a lot of time at home, and some people have a real attachment to their property. This, coupled with the intimacy of a small wedding with limited guests, can make for a truly memorable and special day.
How to Create a Wedding at Home
Wedding days are stressful, and require a great amount of patience, determination and planning. When they come together however, it is all worth it. Celebrating your relationship with loved ones and friends is a truly special moment, and it can be made more special with the intimacy of a home wedding. So, how do you go about creating a home wedding? You can start with the following:
Planning
Weddings require a lot of planning. With the reduced space, a wedding from home may require more planning. If you feel a bit overwhelmed by the prospect of planning it all, you may want to enlist the help of someone with experience. If you are up to the challenge however, we believe it is perfectly possible to do so yourself.
There are a lot of things to consider when planning. These include: invitations, catering, music, photographs, logistics, space, allocation of tables and chairs, notifying neighbours, weather considerations, the legal parts. Unfortunately, these are only a few things that you will need to consider. There are many more. When completing the planning for your big day, ensure you give yourself plenty of time and tackle each section in smaller chunks. Be methodical, and try to enjoy the process rather than stressing.
Execution
When the big day arrives, the execution is important. It is wise to select a day that is predicted to have good weather. This is not guaranteed, but it is worth considering. Ensure you have picked a talented photographer that can draw out the intimacy of the day in the photos. Film photographers are excellent for intimate shoots.
You may also need to enlist the support of someone, or a few people, on the day to help with directing people and the logistical side of things. The house will need to be decorated and made to look special. An interior designer can help with this, or you can get inspiration from sites like Pinterest. Natural light is hugely important, as it will help to open up your home and give the illusion of more space. Plus, no one wants to go to a wedding in a dimly lit home. In the UK, the venue of the wedding has to have a marriage licence. Your home obviously does not have this. The team at Hitched suggest visiting a ‘’registry office prior to your wedding date to sign the formal paperwork, and then have a celebrant carry out a blessing or humanist ceremony at your at-home wedding’’.
You will also need to consider guests and the facilities available. A home wedding usually cannot host a great number of guests, so you will need to produce a guestlist wisely. On the day you may need to hire a portaloo or two for guests, and perhaps think about creating a small bar and hiring someone to maintain it.
Your Dream Day at Home
Hosting your wedding day from the comfort of your own home is perfectly doable with planning, preparation and a bit of help. By using your home, you will create a sense of togetherness and intimacy not found at large venues.
