If you’ve always dreamed of a home wedding, nothing is more exciting than planning the most important party of your life in a place that is near and dear to you. There are many considerations that come into play when you’ve decided that this is your venue. Some involve cost, some involve logistics, some involve weather. I’ll cover a lot of facets in the next few weeks, a little at a time!

After you’ve set a date and made a tentative list, the next question is usually, where are we going to put all these people? If you have a huge house, a barn, a nifty garage or a greenhouse, you may just be set, but most home weddings involve tenting of some sort, whether it is for the cocktail hour, dinner, or as a staging area for simply cooking and cleanup. It is wise to call your tent company soon in the process for two important reasons. First, they can advise you on a realistic head count based on your space. Second, tenting, lighting, tables and chairs will be a significant part of your budget, and it’s good to get at least an idea at the very beginning. Both of those pieces of information may change your format, your guest list or season.