Backyard DIY Wedding: What are you truly saving when you do it yourself?
*Special thanks to Andrew Jorden for assistance with editing.
So, you have been engaged for a few months now and you have probably dipped your toes in the water that is wedding venues, and vendors for the big day. And let's face the facts, it is like the Pacific ocean. Now you're overwhelmed and thinking, I don’t need all these people, I can do it myself. Your parents have a big backyard and it’s only 125 people. It can’t be that hard right, and I will probably save a bunch of money. But the big question is, do you really save as much as you think you do?
Ok, let's dive into what it truly means to do a wedding in your backyard where you and your family are doing it all versus finding a venue and vendors for your big day. We will be looking into not only the monetary differences, but we will also look into all the other things that you might not think to consider.
Now, one person’s idea of a backyard wedding is different from another, and there is always a large range in cost, time, and level of difficulty. For the sake of consistency, let's say your guest count is 125 since that is the national average, and you want to do an event where you are using a family or friend’s large backyard. You are figuring it all out on your own with a few, if any professional vendors. You’re making all your own food and having a friend run a speaker with a playlist.
Ok let’s start with some numbers. On average a traditional wedding venue with all vendors ranges around $30K to $50K, but a simple backyard wedding is $15K to $30K. That's a big difference in cost, and definitely something to consider when trying to decide which one to choose. However, we can’t forget the things that will affect you during the planning and execution that don’t present as a dollar amount. Things such as time, mental toll, and basic logistics can really chip away at you.
Time is money, and just because you aren’t paying someone else to do it doesn’t mean it’s considered free. Take centerpieces for instance. You have 16 tables that need them and you are planning to make them from scratch. Of course, you have the supply cost which is a minimum of $200 depending on what you are doing, but there's also the time, and you are spending about an hour on each centerpiece. Minimum wage in Washington state is $17.13 per hour, and you spend 16 hours working on your centerpieces. That means you just spent almost $275 worth of your time working on them. Now apply that thought process to the whole wedding. How much time is this really costing you? The cost listed earlier here did include the rentals like a tent, tables and chairs, now think about the time it will take to put all of that up. How about the time to do things like put your playlist together, establish your timeline, and get the space ready for your big day.
Now, let's look at another factor that you should be thinking about such as the space itself. Your parents have 5 acres, and they have offered it to you to use. What kind of landscaping needs to be done before it looks good for the event? Where will people park? Will your parents open their house for the guests to use their restroom, and will their septic handle that many people? Most likely you will need to rent a restroom, and now the decision is a port-a-potty or are you going to spring for a luxury restroom trailer? Is there a flat space that will support a ceremony and reception set up? Are you going to need to rent a dance floor? Are you going to need to rent or purchase lighting? What about power, is your parents house set up to handle all that additional voltage? These are just some of the things that need to be considered before you look at things like tents, tables, chairs, and everything else that you will need for the big day.
Once again, let’s look at the numbers. There is a 5-acre venue on my recommended vendors list, Nature’s Connection. A Saturday in the summer is $6000 for 12 hours. They include tents, tables, chairs, bathrooms, and do the landscaping. Let’s break it down.
40x60 tent rental from Cort - $2596
16 5ft round tables from Cort - $238
8 6ft rectangle tables from Cort - $109
125 of the most basic chairs - $538
Bathroom rental - starting at $1500
Landscaping crew for cleanup and prep - Starting at $2000
Total $6979 before taxes, delivery & set-up.
Just for the space, you are already saving money and time by using a venue rather than using a family member’s home, but you make up that difference by doing the other “vendor” jobs yourself.
Ok, those are the basic cost comparisons, but here is another thing that needs to be considered. Did you know that in Snohomish County you need a special events permit for backyard parties with 50 guests or more. You need a tent permit, banquet permit, and event insurance. Some of these items you will have to get no matter where you use, but other things are already attained by your venue and vendors.
Well, we’ve talked about a lot of things that go into a backyard wedding, now what about after? You didn’t choose to rent decor or table linens, and now you have all of this stuff cluttering up your garage. If you plan on selling you can expect to only get about 50% back on what you spent on it, but that can be an option for recouping some of your money. But, once again you have to consider the time that goes into cleaning the linens, and spending time online selling everything you don’t need.
In conclusion, let's put it all together. What are you really saving with a backyard do it yourself wedding? Unfortunately, it’s not time or stress, but it could save you money. The question you need to ask is what is more important to you. Of course, doing your research will be the key to finding the right path for you to follow, but even if you decide to do the backyard wedding, I strongly suggest hiring a day of coordinator. That way you can enjoy your wedding and not be worried about every little detail that goes into the big day. Last but not least, please hire a professional photographer. It will make a big difference when you look back on your day.
Tune in for my next blog where I look into the top 10 questions to ask during venue tours.