Could Your Home Be a Dream Wedding Venue?
Enhancing your home's best features could create just the right setting to say 'I do'
I recently celebrated my own wedding; we had a fabulous day despite the rain. One of the most critical decisions in wedding planning is choosing the location, for it can define a great many things about the special day – what you wear, how many people you can invite, what time of the year to hold the ceremony, and more. As my partner and I went through this decision-making process, we settled on having our wedding in my family home because, with a little creativity, it could perfectly accommodate everything we wanted in our day. Many houses can be just as suitable for a wonderful wedding with a few tweaks – here are some ideas to get you thinking about your own home’s potential.
This layered stairwell is another fabulous option for announcing the bride. The central platform breaks up the descent and the indirect light is flattering for photos.
Tip: You could add tea lights down the sides of the stairs to create a magical ambience. Removing the baskets and lamp would make for better photos – as would hoisting the stairwell pendant out of view.
Tip: You could add tea lights down the sides of the stairs to create a magical ambience. Removing the baskets and lamp would make for better photos – as would hoisting the stairwell pendant out of view.
If your family home has a splendid garden, capitalise on it. This one has the bonus of a natural aisle running through a tranquil setting – a great wedding combination. Hedges of hydrangeas look terrific all summer and through into autumn, as well as providing flowers for interior arrangements. You could add some ribbon around the pergola to add to the sense of occasion.
Tip: The garden will need some work in the months beforehand to get it ready for the big day. Plan ahead and seek expert advice if you’re not sure how to make your garden look its best.
Browse more garden design ideas
Tip: The garden will need some work in the months beforehand to get it ready for the big day. Plan ahead and seek expert advice if you’re not sure how to make your garden look its best.
Browse more garden design ideas
The timber steps leading to the deck at this striking location provide the bride with a lovely sense of arrival. The majestic trees mean you don’t need to do much decorating, and the deck is just the place for a party afterwards. A deck doesn’t have to be as amazing as this one to work beautifully for a wedding. As long as your deck has room to move and enables indoor-outdoor flow for guests to mingle, most decks can be prettied up with plants (hired or otherwise), lights, and decorations.
Tip: If the architecture and vista are beautiful enough at your house, you shouldn’t need to add much in the way of decorations – let the place speak for itself.
Tip: If the architecture and vista are beautiful enough at your house, you shouldn’t need to add much in the way of decorations – let the place speak for itself.
If your house doesn’t have a suitable outdoor area, the bride can make just as lovely an entrance through a simple doorway. I walked through double doors with my father to face my beautiful family, who all stood up from their chairs to watch me walk towards my future husband. It was a special moment. You can highlight the doorway with a beautiful floral or botanical garland, or large planters on either side filled with flowers or lush plants.
The ceremony
The altar should be a focal point in the house where your guests gather around to witness your ceremony. Some homes have a natural altar – at my wedding it was in front of a fireplace. We placed two large floral arrangements on either side and a wreath above the fireplace to create a special backdrop.
There are several other ways you could dress up this area – adding a simple garland of flowers or a row of tea lights along the mantlepiece or lighting a group of pillar candles in the grate, for example. We also added a rug on the floor to create an area for us and the celebrant to stand on, creating even more of an altar.
The altar should be a focal point in the house where your guests gather around to witness your ceremony. Some homes have a natural altar – at my wedding it was in front of a fireplace. We placed two large floral arrangements on either side and a wreath above the fireplace to create a special backdrop.
There are several other ways you could dress up this area – adding a simple garland of flowers or a row of tea lights along the mantlepiece or lighting a group of pillar candles in the grate, for example. We also added a rug on the floor to create an area for us and the celebrant to stand on, creating even more of an altar.
Under a tree in the garden is another great altar option. Add lanterns in white or colours if the wedding is during the day, or if in the evening, consider battery-operated lights to make the tree look even more amazing. This is a great spot to mingle after the ceremony and toast the happy couple.
Tip: Make your guests comfortable with sections of chairs in front of the altar. You can hire chairs or benches for the day (or borrow an assortment of chairs from friends and families if you like the look of mismatched furniture).
Tip: Make your guests comfortable with sections of chairs in front of the altar. You can hire chairs or benches for the day (or borrow an assortment of chairs from friends and families if you like the look of mismatched furniture).
A covered verandah or pergola provides a wonderful framing platform for the ceremony. Consider hanging floral arrangements on the pergola to soften both the structure and the feel. If you are worried about stripey shadows on your faces in the photos, add translucent fabric awnings to filter the light.
Tip: One thing to consider – where will you sign the registry? Make sure you have a table handy where everyone can see the bridal party signing so they can feel part of this important stage of the ceremony.
Transforming your deck into an outdoor oasis
Tip: One thing to consider – where will you sign the registry? Make sure you have a table handy where everyone can see the bridal party signing so they can feel part of this important stage of the ceremony.
Transforming your deck into an outdoor oasis
A deck with an uncluttered view is a great wedding day combination, both for the photographs and the uplifting experience. Even without the view, an elevated deck can become the perfect altar – the ceremony can be staged on the deck while the guests are on the grass looking up to the bride and groom. Consider adding a decorative arch or large-scale botanical arrangements on the deck, and arrange chairs in rows on the grass in front of the deck to make the altar the focal point.
Do you have a striking piece of art that you love? Or a cluster-art wall that you have collected over time? Consider creating your wedding altar in front of this – it will create a unique backdrop. You could use the art to influence the colour and theme of the wedding and the art will look great in your wedding photographs.
The reception
All the ceremony spaces we’ve looked at so far are ideal for post-ceremony drinks. This is a great time to toast the newly wedded couple and to congratulate them on their nuptials. This also quickly breaks the ice after the ceremony and gets everyone mingling.
This small courtyard is a workable location for an intimate wedding despite its size constraints. Its enclosed walls embrace the bridal party and bring the guests closer together. The ceremony can then immediately pivot to post-service drinks on the buffet provided by the barbecue bench. You may choose to kick off the speeches at this time, or have the MC or host welcome everyone and convey any details they need to know about for the reception, whether it’s also at home or you’re holding it elsewhere.
All the ceremony spaces we’ve looked at so far are ideal for post-ceremony drinks. This is a great time to toast the newly wedded couple and to congratulate them on their nuptials. This also quickly breaks the ice after the ceremony and gets everyone mingling.
This small courtyard is a workable location for an intimate wedding despite its size constraints. Its enclosed walls embrace the bridal party and bring the guests closer together. The ceremony can then immediately pivot to post-service drinks on the buffet provided by the barbecue bench. You may choose to kick off the speeches at this time, or have the MC or host welcome everyone and convey any details they need to know about for the reception, whether it’s also at home or you’re holding it elsewhere.
An open-plan kitchen, dining and living space can easily be adapted to accommodate a wedding reception. The existing furniture can be removed, and a long table and chairs can be hired to put in its place for a sit-down dinner. You can watch the catering and service team working in the kitchen, much like a restaurant.
If you are keen on this idea, make sure you get guest numbers right. My architect dad and I created a floor plan of our reception area so we knew how many tables we needed and to make sure that it worked in the space we had in mind.
Zoning in an open-plan space
If you are keen on this idea, make sure you get guest numbers right. My architect dad and I created a floor plan of our reception area so we knew how many tables we needed and to make sure that it worked in the space we had in mind.
Zoning in an open-plan space
The double-height space inside this home has a similar feel to that of a church, a modern one that celebrates nature. From a practical standpoint, this sense of space and light is useful if you were to have an indoor wedding and reception. Remove the furniture and you would double the space for standing and finger-food catering.
The dramatic bar would make a great buffet for drinks or dessert and the cake, but you may need to check out a place for a working kitchen for heating, plating and clean up (a laundry with outside access to a catering truck, perhaps).
The dramatic bar would make a great buffet for drinks or dessert and the cake, but you may need to check out a place for a working kitchen for heating, plating and clean up (a laundry with outside access to a catering truck, perhaps).
A well-maintained pool can provide a nice backdrop for an outdoor wedding party, particularly during the warmer months. Hang festoon lights or lanterns over the deck and pool, and allocate a friend or family member to get an outdoor fire going if temperatures drop in the evening. Do be sure the fireplace or fire pit is out of the way so it doesn’t present a safety hazard for guests. Flowing gowns and alcohol don’t marry well with open flames.
The checklist
If you are considering your house as a wedding venue, be sure you’ve asked yourself the following questions:
YOUR SAY
Did you get married at home? Share your secrets of success in the Comments below.
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Browse more beautiful homes for inspiration
If you are considering your house as a wedding venue, be sure you’ve asked yourself the following questions:
- Are you being realistic about how many guests you can comfortably entertain in the space?
- Have you checked out the lighting around the time of day you plan to marry? (What is the sun doing at this time? Have you let your photographer know?)
- Have you planned how each stage of the day will unfold?
- How will you deal with inclement weather?
- Have you let your neighbours know you’re having a wedding?
- Will the wedding be a true reflection of the bride and groom?
YOUR SAY
Did you get married at home? Share your secrets of success in the Comments below.
MORE
Browse more beautiful homes for inspiration
One of the important considerations in a home wedding is how the bride will make her grand entrance. A stairwell is one option. This one offers a graceful curve, bringing the bride slowly into view for the awaiting guests.
Tip: Memories will fade but photos last a lifetime so make sure the backdrop to the bride’s arrival will make for great photography. This stairwell features a plain, textured backdrop that’s ideal, but removing the artwork would be necessary to avoid visual clutter.