Planning an At Home Wedding: Venders to Consider for Your At Home Wedding
At home weddings are the perfect option for many couples for many reasons. They are cost-effective, allow the couple to style the venue themselves, and enables the couple to start and conclude celebrations whenever they choose.
However, when hosting an at home wedding, you may need to hire a couple more wedding vendors to help the wedding run smoothly. If you’re not too sure where to start looking for vendors, a wedding directory can help you find all the vendors you need for your special day.
6 Types of Wedding Vendors to Hire For an At-Home Wedding
Here are our top 6 types of wedding vendors to consider hiring for your backyard wedding:
1. Marriage Celebrant
A marriage celebrant is someone who will perform your wedding ceremony. There are so many marriage celebrants, both religious and non-religious, so you can choose the perfect person to officiate your wedding.
Some questions you can ask a potential marriage celebrant to find out if they are the right fit for your wedding include:
2. Food Caterers
A benefit to having your wedding at home is you get so much control over the menu. This is especially beneficial if you or your guests have dietary requirements or prefer eating a specific cuisine.
There is a large variation on how much food caterers charge, meaning there is a great opportunity to save cash if you are on a tight budget. In contrast, if the menu is of high value to you, you can splurge on an extravagant spread.
3. Bar tenders
Most bartenders will charge a flat rate per hour, plus the cost of alcohol consumed. However, for backyard weddings, couples might choose to pay a friend to help out as a bartender for the night, meaning they can supply all the alcohol themselves to avoid the extra cost.
Another option is hiring out a mobile bar, where your guests can help themselves to their own drinks. Typically, the bar itself is hired out as a dry hire, meaning it is supplied without alcohol, making it a cost-effective way to serve the drinks you want.
If you plan to have a bartender of any kind at your home wedding, keep in mind that the legal requirements of serving alcohol at events vary in each state, so make sure to do some research before making any decisions.
4. Entertainment
Singers, bands, and DJs are always popular choices for wedding entertainment.
If you are on a budget, consider what entertainment is most important to you. Would you like a singer and guitarist playing for you before and after the ceremony? Or would you prefer a band or DJ for your reception?
If your budget is tight, a cheaper option might be to hire the DJ equipment yourself and create a playlist, or have a friend DJ for you.
Price ranges vary widely for performers and equipment hire, so it is important to do your research before making any bookings.
5. Photographer and Videographer
The importance of hiring a photographer and videographer varies for each couple. Some couples want the entire event documented.
However, others might just like a few nice photos with their family and friends to commemorate the date.
When looking for someone to capture your day, look for someone with good reviews and a portfolio that you like. It is also a good idea to meet in person as hiring someone you feel comfortable around can transfer to you feeling comfortable when having your photos taken.
6. Furniture and Decor
If you are planning an at-home wedding, chances are you don't own all the furniture and decor items required to host a large number of people.
Hiring is a great option to get everything you want without paying full price! You can even hire things like flowers, sound systems, lighting, and tableware.
However, when hosting an at home wedding, you may need to hire a couple more wedding vendors to help the wedding run smoothly. If you’re not too sure where to start looking for vendors, a wedding directory can help you find all the vendors you need for your special day.
6 Types of Wedding Vendors to Hire For an At-Home Wedding
Here are our top 6 types of wedding vendors to consider hiring for your backyard wedding:
1. Marriage Celebrant
A marriage celebrant is someone who will perform your wedding ceremony. There are so many marriage celebrants, both religious and non-religious, so you can choose the perfect person to officiate your wedding.
Some questions you can ask a potential marriage celebrant to find out if they are the right fit for your wedding include:
- What type of ceremonies do they perform?
- How long have they been performing weddings?
- Do they have any special requirements?
- Are they available on your chosen date?
2. Food Caterers
A benefit to having your wedding at home is you get so much control over the menu. This is especially beneficial if you or your guests have dietary requirements or prefer eating a specific cuisine.
There is a large variation on how much food caterers charge, meaning there is a great opportunity to save cash if you are on a tight budget. In contrast, if the menu is of high value to you, you can splurge on an extravagant spread.
3. Bar tenders
Most bartenders will charge a flat rate per hour, plus the cost of alcohol consumed. However, for backyard weddings, couples might choose to pay a friend to help out as a bartender for the night, meaning they can supply all the alcohol themselves to avoid the extra cost.
Another option is hiring out a mobile bar, where your guests can help themselves to their own drinks. Typically, the bar itself is hired out as a dry hire, meaning it is supplied without alcohol, making it a cost-effective way to serve the drinks you want.
If you plan to have a bartender of any kind at your home wedding, keep in mind that the legal requirements of serving alcohol at events vary in each state, so make sure to do some research before making any decisions.
4. Entertainment
Singers, bands, and DJs are always popular choices for wedding entertainment.
If you are on a budget, consider what entertainment is most important to you. Would you like a singer and guitarist playing for you before and after the ceremony? Or would you prefer a band or DJ for your reception?
If your budget is tight, a cheaper option might be to hire the DJ equipment yourself and create a playlist, or have a friend DJ for you.
Price ranges vary widely for performers and equipment hire, so it is important to do your research before making any bookings.
5. Photographer and Videographer
The importance of hiring a photographer and videographer varies for each couple. Some couples want the entire event documented.
However, others might just like a few nice photos with their family and friends to commemorate the date.
When looking for someone to capture your day, look for someone with good reviews and a portfolio that you like. It is also a good idea to meet in person as hiring someone you feel comfortable around can transfer to you feeling comfortable when having your photos taken.
6. Furniture and Decor
If you are planning an at-home wedding, chances are you don't own all the furniture and decor items required to host a large number of people.
Hiring is a great option to get everything you want without paying full price! You can even hire things like flowers, sound systems, lighting, and tableware.
