With current events putting a damper on large church affairs, more and more couples are turning to smaller backyard micro-weddings. That’s a brilliant way to get your dream day without breaking social distancing rules, and there are a few ways you can ensure your day goes smoothly for both you the couple and your vendors (especially your photographer!).

If you’re willing to do a little prep work, though, you can still pull off stunning shots. The tips below will help you create a photo-worthy backyard wedding for everything from pre-wedding poses to sweet spontaneous reception candids.  Take a look!

Plan Ahead

A backyard wedding can be a little more complicated than a regular one, because you and your family need to plan every single detail. You need to see if the place is big enough for all your guests, create a layout, and make sure everything is set up before committing to this.

You can ask for help in this direction from your rental or catering company because they know how much space you need for a number of people, and they will also make you a good offer for yours.

You’ll also want to take a good hard look around your yard for anything that could ruin your wedding shots, such as an unsightly shed or overgrown weeds. While you’re at it, identify a few gorgeous spots for your posed photos, too.

Prepare

The preparations need to start at least two months before the wedding, especially if you’re giving your yard a major overhaul. Remember those unsightly things we talked about above? Now is the time to beautify them a bit. A new coat of paint may do wonders for that shed, for example.

Once you have everything settled, invite your wedding photographer to have a look around. She can give you tips on which areas to focus on for more beautification. Just make sure you have the time to make changes if it comes to it.

Choose A Theme

Choosing a theme for your wedding isn’t vital, but it does help give your backyard wedding planning a little more direction. Go for something vintage, rustic or boho. Basically, something that really includes the nature around you. Use everything at your disposal and create unique and eye-catching decorations everyone will remember.

Keep in mind that every theme has a special set of flowers, so if you can adapt it to what’s in your garden, you’re set for success.

Set Up A Dance Floor

No wedding reception is complete without dancing and if you want to wear a pair of fancy shoes, you will need to have a dance floor set. It’s not fun to have your heels sinking in the ground, especially on your wedding day.

You can find a rental company to bring and set it up for you, but remember to check in with your wedding planner so you don’t break the table layout he set up.

Add Some Lights

What’s a backyard wedding without thousands of lights scattered around? They won’t do much during the daytime, but when the night comes, everyone will be completely delighted when you finally light everything up. It creates a beautiful and romantic atmosphere and the pictures will be delightful.

Personalize

It’s your wedding, so don’t forget to add cute games and pictures that represent you as a couple. You can set up a board with travel pictures of you too, or scatter them around the yard. Add a corner with personalized blankets for your guests and allow them to keep them! Think of the adorable candid shots you’ll get of your guests relaxing under the stars after dancing the night away.

Set Up Games

It’s a good idea to keep all your guests busy and entertained. Chances are, some of them even have kids, and would love the idea of having them happy throughout the day. After all, everyone is there for a good and fun time.

You can buy personalized games and install them around your yard. They will definitely make a difference and no one will get the chance to get bored. Again, games offer up great opportunities for fun candid shots to add to your wedding album.

After all, creating a photo-worthy backyard wedding is the ultimate plan. You need to have everything beautiful and in place, so you don’t have to stress on your wedding day that you can’t take pictures everywhere. As long as you plan in advance, everything can only go right, and you will truly experience the best day of your life.

Post written and provided by LoveYouWedding