Thursday, September 24, 2009

planning a wedding at home


A home garden wedding is a romantic, intimate event perfect for both formal and casual ceremonies. If you have a small family, or limited wedding budget this type of wedding might be perfect for you.

The most difficult part of planning a home or garden wedding is finding a location to have your wedding. If you are lucky you will have a family member or friend who has a lovely backyard and is willing to let you celebrate your special day there. If not, there are private homes you can rent for your special day. No matter which route you go, there are things you need to keep in mind when choosing your wedding location.

1. Is the home large enough to hold all of your guests? You want to choose a home that has enough room for everyone you are inviting.

2. Are the bathrooms adequate for the number of guests you are inviting? You do not want your guests having to stand in line for a long time to use the facilities. Realize there will be some wait time, but having more than one bathroom is optimal.

3. If you are having your reception at the same location, will your caterer be able to use the kitchen and is it large enough for them to use? Being able to use an oven, refrigerator and sink at the same location as the reception would mean maximum food quality and temperature.

4. Does the home have enough electrical outlets? Depending on the time of day you have your wedding you could need lights, heaters, or fans to keep your guests comfortable. If you are having your reception at the same home, you would need outlets for the band or DJ, as well as the bartender and caterer.

5. Is there enough parking around the home for your guests? You want to pick a house that has legal parking around it close enough so the guests do not have to walk blocks to get there. If not, consider having valet parking for your guests.

6. Do not forget rentals. Even a private rental home is not going to have enough chairs, tables, and specialty items for your wedding day. Be sure you can have your rental company, caterer, and other wedding necessities arrive early for set up.

Those are some of the things you need to consider when looking for a home. Now, here are some things you should consider if you are allowing someone to use your home for their wedding.

1. Check with your home owner's insurance company to see if you need an extra wavier for the event. Bad things can happen, whether it is someone tripping and being hurt or property damage. You want to be covered in the event of an accident.

2. Secure valuables. It does not matter if you are renting your home to strangers or letting your best friend use it for her wedding. You have no control over who is invited into your home. Extended family, friends and their guests are going to be inside your home, so make sure you secure what you do not want damaged or taken.

3. If you allow the caterer to use your kitchen ware, be sure to have it labeled as belonging to you. Often times, the caterer will have a staff who may not realize the items they are packed away after the reception belong you. Be sure you let them know what stays and what goes.

4. Send your neighbors a note letting them know you are hosting a wedding, especially if it is going to be an evening event or there will be a band or DJ. Consider having a thank you party after the event for your neighbors.

5. If you are renting your home consider being home that day to ensure your home's safety. You do not have to come to the party, but be on hand in the event of an accident or problem.

A home wedding is a wonderfully intimate way to exchange your wedding vows. It might take a little planning, but the end results will be well worth the efforts.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dawn_Arkin

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Planning a wedding at home

There are plenty of benefits to planning a wedding at home so that we almost tend to ignore the bad bits about it. Here are some revealed truths about planning a wedding at home with its pros and cons. First of all you save a lot of money, right? There's no rental of the ceremony or the reception site, you don't have to deal with all sorts of bookings and you cut off lots of annoying costs. Then, when it comes to food and beverages you are your own master; when planning a wedding home you don't have to worry about paying a cake-cutting fee or who-knows what else.

But remember that planning a wedding at home can easily turn into a chaos if you don't take the safety measures and the precautions necessary by simply following clear guidelines. Let's see how you can avoid turning your wedding into a whole mess. The first and very practical equation involved in planning a wedding at home is the number of guests your house can accommodate, and here you need to include the number of toilets. Statistics for planning weddings at home show that the most comfortable number is thirty five people per toilet.

There are several very important things to consider when you're planning a wedding at home, the most important being the ceremonial place, where you and your beloved will exchange vows. Make sure nobody is sitting in the sun, you don't want your guests to get sun burnt, plus too much light can definitely ruin your photos. Then, when planning a wedding at home, remember that the garden where you may want to hold the ceremony is exposed to noises: dogs barking, lawn mowers and so on. Kindly ask your neighbors to avoid trimming the lawn during that particular day.

Then, when you're planning a wedding at home you need to keep in mind that both hot and rainy weather means trouble for you. For instance, you can either rent a tent or be able to move the party indoors in case of a downpour. Planning a wedding at home is not free of other risks: for instance make sure there are no children unsupervised in the pool area and that all the cables and wires of the electronic material are taped down and away from the walking path. Planning a wedding at home can be both a challenge and a great joy, may you have the best of times!