“Do you want all these people in your house?” I asked the groom’s mother when she offered to host the wedding at her home in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. and son got engaged. All the wedding venues we saw were booked.
“Oh, they’re not at home,” she said. “We will have our wedding outdoors.”
I just met her on Zoom, but I already liked her practical common sense and boundaries. We need more of both.
“What about the bath?” I asked plainly. I didn’t want to visit an outhouse or a Wyoming forest wearing a gown and high heels.
“Oh, rent one of our luxury pull-up trailers with flush toilets and sinks,” she said. Phew! Did I mention practical?
This conversation took place six months ago. Since then, until last weekend, life was a blender of florists and photographers. dresses and tableware; bakeries and bands; tents and tuxedos; lists and linens; and lots of checks written to pay for it all.
Apparently, according to our event planners (God bless all of us), we weren’t alone.
Kimball Stroud, a top-notch event planner in Washington, D.C. whose clients include Elon Musk and Hillary Clinton, said, “We’ve noticed a huge uptick in weddings at home since COVID.” That’s good.”
A big advantage of a home wedding, she said, is that you can choose your date. Every opportunity becomes more poignant by sharing it with others.
“Home is by far the first choice,” Stroud said. “I tell couples who get married to find family and friends who have nice homes. If you have the space and grounds, why not?”
Although more personal, home weddings are not always easy or cheap.Traditional venues such as hotels, churches and ballrooms are turnkey. We have tables, chairs, linens, tableware, parking, bathroom facilities and staff.
When it comes to hosting a home-based wedding, it’s all up to you. If the wedding at home is also out of state or outdoors, it can be even more difficult to sleep at night. Let me tell you.
It rarely rains in Jackson Hole in August, but the town’s annual rainfall all fell at the same time during the wedding weekend. (Insert heavy sob.) I let go of my dream of an outdoor wedding under blue summer skies and flowerbeds and gave myself over to the chairs lined up in the dance tent. But half an hour before the ceremony, the skies cleared and the sun smiled at the muddy lawns, marches, vows, and cocktail hour on the front lawn.
When dinner time comes, guests move to the back tent. Just as everyone hid, the sky brought down the rain they had been hoarding. It’s bathtub. Old and new acquaintances were all dressed up and magically surrounded by candles, flowers, delicious food and grandeur. Yes, my shoes are ruined. The long dress is muddy. But I wouldn’t have changed one detail.
Hosting a wedding or other special event at home can be a hassle, but here are some things to consider:
• Hire an event planner. A good wedding planner not only anticipates what you didn’t expect, but also plans for it. It’s easy to get into the headache of flow and different vendors, but you can focus on enjoying your day. If you’re planning a distant wedding, local planners work with vendors you don’t have. also has an interest in impressing wedding planners who are likely to bring her future business.
• Plan for rain. “You have to pitch your tent and be prepared for the rain, or you can’t have an event,” Stroud said. “Rain can ruin the whole event.” But don’t expect Mother Nature to cooperate.
• Think carefully about parking. Few homes can accommodate 50 cars. Arrange shuttles or golf carts to transport guests to and from the residence and communal parking lots or major hotels nearby. Providing transportation reduces parking problems, prevents guests who are drinking from driving, and allows hosts to make sure everyone is off the premises by a set time.
• Inform your neighbors. The groom’s parents told their neighbors that they would be hosting the wedding a few months in advance and asked for their understanding and consideration.In return, the organizers promised that the band would stop playing by 10 p.m.
• Rent a toilet. “You might be able to host a dinner party for 20, maybe 50 people in a private home and use the toilet in the house, but the plumbing in most homes can’t do much more than that,” Stroud says. says Mr. Luckily, there’s a pretty good trailer for this available.
• Dedicated space for bridal parties. Traditional wedding halls often have a bride’s room for the gals and a separate area for the men. used the house. If you don’t have separate spaces, consider using a nearby hotel room.
• Pest control. Spray your yard with mosquitoes and bring out bug spray.
• Enjoy your ride. I had close friends and family around me for the rest of my life, and as I watched my daughter shine so beautifully on all borders, I wanted to pause and replay the entire glorious night in slow motion. , Unfortunately, it ended beautifully even with a soggy blink.
Marni Jameson has authored six home and lifestyle books, including Downsizing the Family Home – What to Save and What to Let Go and Downsizing the Blended Home – When Two Houses Become One. is the author of Contact her at marnijameson.com.
