Not only is a wedding ceremony at your home -- or the home of your parents, relative, or close friend -- feasible, it can be one of the warmest, most charming settings for an exchange of vows. This type of wedding, however, requires an enormous amount of work, so plan to handle many more details than you would at a rental site.
Rentals
The typical home is not furnished to handle a large, formal event like a wedding. You’ll need to rent tables, chairs, silverware, glassware, and linens. You may also want to rent an arch, underneath which you can exchange your vows, as well as an aisle runner.
Lighting
If any part of your wedding will be held outdoors after sundown (dinner, dancing, etc.), you will need to bring in professional lighting. It is best to leave both design and execution to professionals, but definitely voice your preferences.
Temperature Control
Heat lamps are often essential for outdoor receptions after dark.
Tents
Any outdoor wedding should have a sheltered back-up site ready in case of inclement weather. Also, a white tent can turn an ordinary backyard into an elegant, weatherproof setting for your reception.
Parking
For a large wedding, you’ll need to hire a valet service. If there is a school or municipal building nearby that is not being used on the day of your wedding, find out if you can use or rent the parking lot for your guests and vendors.
Sound
Whether you’ve hired a band, DJ, or a string quartet, they’re going to need proper amplification. Be sure to contact the local authorities for any noise restrictions on your neighborhood, and consider sending bottles of wine to your neighbors with notes explaining your upcoming event. You don’t want the police showing up at your wedding because of a complaint.
Power
Your lighting, catering, and sound teams will all need an adequate power source in order to do their jobs. Look into temporary generators, and make sure that any wiring is out of the way.
Plumbing
If there are not enough restrooms to accommodate the number of guests, you’ll need to rent temporary ones. There are companies that specialize in providing elegant, temporary restrooms, so you needn’t worry that your guests will be doomed to using outhouses.
Permits
Get the appropriate permits, necessary inspections, and electrical specifications needed well in advance of the wedding. Also, have important phone numbers on hand, like the police and fire department.