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How To Host A Pinterest Perfect Backyard BBQ Wedding

Most women, and many men (who will deny this if asked) have been planning their perfect wedding since they were young. When the time comes and the question is finally popped, planning begins for real. If keeping costs down, and creating an intimate, rustic, relaxed atmosphere is at the top of your list, we can help with tips on how to host a Pinterest perfect backyard barbecue wedding.

First of all, a backyard barbecue wedding isn’t about outdoing anyone else in the glitz and glam department. It’s about sharing an intimate, life-changing event with those closest to you. There is a lot that goes into a wedding. First of all, having a checklist that details your must-haves, and design inspirations, color, and the theme is important. You and your partner need to agree on these things before planning begins in earnest. When planning our wedding, we used my husband’s tartan as a jumping-off point for our wedding. The rest of the theme and feel flowed from there.

 

Venue

If you have deemed your backyard, or a friend, or family member’s yard as the perfect place for your wedding, this is a great way to save a lot of money when it comes to planning a Pinterest perfect wedding. The first thing to think about is the amount of space that the venue has, as this will dictate the number of guests you can have. Other things to remember when it comes to hosting are: parking, whether or not you will have the ceremony there, what happens if the weather doesn’t cooperate, and where guests will go or stay if they’ve gotten a little happy while celebrating your nuptials.

Table

 

Theme

Backyard barbecue is sort of a theme right? Yes, but it’s not the whole picture. What type of BBQ are you going for? Rustic-bohemian? Relaxed and casual? Shabby-Chic? Woodland fairy tail? Country western? There are endless things you can do and DIY to create themes like this. It’s all about personal taste and your budget of time and money. Keeping things simple will make your lives easier. Use what you have, and add little touches, instead of going crazy and loading the space with unnecessary fluff. Remember you yourself, your family, or friends have to clean up after the event.

 

Food

Wedding food is a notoriously fancy affair; the one thing a backyard barbecue menu should not be. You also don’t want to be eating messy foods either, so leave things like ribs and wings off the menu. Simple food is best but puts an unexpected, special spin on it. Lamburgers instead of hamburgers, with an avocado-feta-aioli on ciabatta, light fish with fresh mango salsa, and Portobello burgers for the vegetarians. Sides can include fresh green salads, homemade dressings, fresh fruit, and vegetables with dips, and even custom flavored popcorn. Keeping things simple and portable will keep guests enjoying the ambiance of the wedding, and not glued to the table.

If you have a talented friend, ask if they will help you out by catering your event, another great cost-saving tactic. Simple fare or foods like pulled pork and brisket that can be prepared in advance will serve a crowd and allow your helpful friend to enjoy the festivities as well. Consider making all of the food as self-serve as possible. Having a buffet or a bar, like a build your own burger, waffle, salad, and even sundae station, is great fun and allows everyone to have their fill as the day goes on.

Desserts should follow the same lines as the main menu. Portable, simple, and sweet. Let the guests take care of themselves by having a cookie table, or doing cupcakes instead of a giant wedding cake. There will be no need for a cutting ceremony, and you’re more likely to get to eat your cake too. My husband didn’t get a slice at our wedding. He had to wait until our first anniversary. Other ideas to consider are cake pops, and homemade chocolates.

Desserts

 

Drinks

Weddings require a bevy of bevvies. A galvanized steel tub filled with ice and your favorite drinks is a great and inexpensive way to allow guests to refresh themselves. Alternatively drink dispensers with homemade lemonade, sweet tea, and other drinks definitely add to the backyard barbecue feel of your event. If you are as fortunate as we were, a family member may make wine for your wedding, which is a fantastic favor as guests are leaving, and will provide everyone with all of the alcoholic beverages you may need. Be sure to check on the local laws regarding alcohol and serving just in case.

 

Lights

If you are having a backyard barbecue wedding that will be going well into the evening hours, don’t forget to light the space. The last thing you want when working so hard to create a cozy atmosphere is for floodlights to ruin the mood. It can be as simple as stringing twinkle lights everywhere and filling the gaps with mason jar candles (another great wedding favor). For a more beachy feel use tiki torches. Going for retro or shabby-chic? Use the outdoor Eddison Bulbs.

 

Other Things to Consider

First of all, everyone has a talent. See if your friends and family can help you bring this special day to life before you go hiring and renting anything. One person you should hire though is a photographer. They will ensure you get the images that you want, and not just candid or blurry pictures. In fact, request that your guests unplug for the day. Have a special time or place designated for the guests to use phones and cameras, like a photo booth. This will ensure that no one gets in the photographer’s way, and no one is missing the big moments behind a screen instead of with you.

For the other tasks, seek out those with special talents in your life. Everyone knows someone with a skill, and these creative people can help bring costs down and involve everyone in your big moment. I was incredibly lucky to have a retired florist for a Grandmother-in-Law. Flowers are another large expense, but thanks to Granny and my Mother-in-Law, we had lovely bouquets that perfectly fit the theme of our wedding.

DIY-ing the décor, invitations, and pretty much anything you can, is a great way to save money. Instead of a traditional wedding shower, have a crafting party where you and your friends and family gather to work on wedding things. Just don’t forget to serve some drinks and nibbles. The best part about DIY-ing things for your Pinterest perfect backyard barbecue wedding is that when you’re done with the things you have made, you can post them online for other weddings. This will offset some of the cost that went into making them too.

Lights

 

The Takeaway

No matter what the overall theme of your wedding is, making the event a Pinterest perfect backyard barbecue wedding will create lasting memories for you and all of the special people in your life. Keep watching the Grills Blog for more tips and tricks to make the grilling way of life even better. You can also get inspiration from our Recipe Blog. Watch our Facebook and Pinterest pages for loads of great ideas, recipes, and contests too.

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