How Much Does a Backyard Wedding Cost?
Buffet table set outdoors with desserts, flowers and rustic decorations.
The Cost Breakdown Calculator
I’m going to be super annoying here and say - it costs however much you want it to cost! I’m going to give you the actual numbers and sample budgets for a few different price levels. You can have a great backyard wedding with any size budget - it just depends on your style. Here’s some ideas and sample budgets for a wedding at $10,000, $7,000 and $2,000.
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The first number to look at is how much it’ll cost for your “must-have” items. I’m not talking about the dress or the flowers. Unfortunately, it’s not free to get married. The must-have items are those things you need to make your marriage legal.
Here’s the must-have items:
Marriage license
Officiant to perform the ceremony
Venue for the ceremony
Depending on where you’re getting married, the fee for your marriage license will cost between $10 and $100. To be legally married, you need to have a ceremony performed. You can choose to do it at city hall by a judge. You can be married at your place of worship. Or you can hire a wedding officiant and hold the ceremony in your backyard, right before the reception. Depending on your state laws, one more option is to have a friend ordained in order to perform the ceremony.
Is It Cheaper to Have a Backyard Wedding?
A backyard wedding can be a lot cheaper, but it depends on how you set up your budget. If you rent a lot of equipment and hire expensive vendors, you could end up spending even more than you would at a traditional venue. But if you want to save money, it’s a lot easier to do it by planning a backyard wedding:
Your Backyard Has No Venue Rental Fees
The biggest savings will be on your venue rental. Most traditional venues charge a thousand dollars and up for the room rental. Your backyard - free!
Your Backyard Has No Preferred Vendors
Most traditional hotels and banquet halls have a list of a few preferred vendors who are allowed to work at that venue. That means you have to hire all your vendors - your caterer, baker, photographer and DJ - off their list. You won’t be able to shop around for better prices.
As well, most venues limit the amount of DIY you can do for your wedding. By having your wedding at home, you can use any vendor, skip any extras and save a ton of money by doing some of the things yourself.
You’ll still need to keep an eye on your budget. If you need to rent a tent, it can get expensive. And if you’re serving a meal to a lot of guests, you’ll probably need to rent tables and chairs. So your backyard wedding won’t be free. But if you’re careful with your budget you can have a great wedding for a lot less than at a traditional venue.
Do You Need a Permit for a Backyard Wedding?
This answer depends on what county or municipality you live in or plan to have your backyard wedding in. Because every county and municipality has different requirements, you will want to directly speak with your county officials.
Once you decide on your wedding plans, pay a visit or call your local county officials and ask if you need any permits or have any restrictions on hosting a wedding at the designated location. It’s important to do this ahead of time. If you happen to need permits, it isn’t always a speedy process.
The three main restrictions across most regions is fire hazards, parking, and noise. If your wedding is taking place in a county that's laid back about backyard wedding rules, you should then consider your neighbors.
Many couples that plan on hosting backyard weddings check in with their neighbors prior to their wedding day. Let them know when the wedding will be taking place, what time it will take place, and ask them if they have any requests or concerns ahead of time. This not only demonstrates thoughtfulness, but it can also help prevent neighbors from calling the police about noise disturbances or parking issues.
Most neighbors won’t mind as long as you are respectful of them. Have a designated person on your wedding day to check the surroundings before the ceremony starts. Make sure no guests are blocking your neighbors driveways, throwing litter into the street or a neighbors yard, or disturbing them or damaging their property.
The day after the wedding, go to nearby yards and sidewalks and check for litter or alcohol bottles and pick them up if they are present. Part of being respectful to your neighbors is ensuring the neighborhood is exactly as it was before the ceremony.
Sample Budgets for a Backyard Wedding
For the sample budgets, the prices include 75 guests and catered food. If you want to DIY your wedding reception food, that’s a great way to bring your costs down. But not everyone has the ability, so for the following budgets, all the food is handled by professionals.
If You Have $10,000
Bride and groom dancing under string lights at their backyard wedding.
With this budget you can have all the trimmings: a ceremony at home plus a buffet dinner with traditional seating, china and tablecloths. Complete your reception with an open bar, DJ and dancing.
Wedding Ceremony:
License & Officiant $300
Wedding Rings $300
Subtotal = $600
Rentals:
Ceremony chairs $225
Dining tables & chairs $360
Buffet tables $20
Tablecloths & napkins $200
Dance floor $250
Lighting $150
Bar $75
Subtotal = $1280
Food & Drinks:
Catering, including dishes ($35 x 77 people) $2695
Bar package ($18 x 77 people) = $1386
Wedding Cake $350
Subtotal = $4431
Everything Else:
Photographer $1600
DJ & equipment $450
Centrepieces $150
Favours $75
Invitations $120
Wedding Clothes $1000
Bouquet & Boutonnière $275
Subtotal = $3670
Grand Total = $9,981
If You Have $7,000
Breakfast croissant with strawberries.
You can have a gorgeous wedding that’s slightly non-traditional: host a Sunday brunch! You’ll save a lot of money on your menu. You can actually spend less and get a more luxurious buffet with breakfast food. Plus you’ll save loads on alcohol. You can still offer sparkling wine & mimosas but you don’t need a full, open bar. Even though it’s daytime, people always love dancing and you’ll enjoy a full wedding day experience.
Wedding Ceremony:
License & Officiant $300
Wedding Rings $300
Subtotal = $600
Rentals:
Ceremony chairs $225
Dining tables & chairs $360
Buffet tables $20
Tablecloths & napkins $200
Dance floor $250
Speaker & microphone $200
Subtotal = $1255
Food & Drinks:
Catering, including dishes & beverages ($24 x 77 people) $1848
Sparkling wine ($12 x 25 bottles) $300
Wedding Cake $250
Subtotal = $2398
Everything Else:
Photographer $1400
Centrepieces $75
Favours $50
Invitations $100
Wedding Clothes $900
Bouquet & Boutonnière $225
Subtotal = $2750
Grand Total = $7,003
If You Have $2,000
White wedding cake decorated with pink and white roses.
Go for a sweet and charming wedding: have a cake & punch reception!
The biggest difference here is not having a sit down meal. It’ll still be festive and fun with delicious cake and punch. You can even add sparkling wine for a romantic toast.
Notice that there’s no room in the budget for a photographer. Instead, see if a friend can do your portraits and create a hashtag to encourage sharing - you’ll still end up with tons of great pictures.
Wedding Ceremony:
License & Officiant $300
Wedding Rings $200
Subtotal = $500
Rentals:
Chairs $231
Cocktail tables $100
Cake Table $10
Tablecloths & napkins $120
Subtotal = $461
Food & Drinks:
Sparkling wine for toasting ($12 x 10 bottles) $120
Non alcoholic punch $40
Wedding Cake $225
Disposable dishes & cups $75
Subtotal = $460
Everything Else:
Decorations $50
Invitations $50
Wedding Clothes $500
Bouquet & Boutonnière $50
Subtotal = $650
Grand Total = $2,071
Plan a City Hall Wedding Ceremony
The cost of a city hall wedding is all over the place - it depends on where you’re getting married. If you’re in New York, it’ll cost $60. In Toronto the price tag is $290. If you’re thinking of having your ceremony at city hall, google the price for your city.
Plan a Ceremony at Your Place of Worship
If you want to have a traditional wedding ceremony at your place of worship, they’ll often require a donation plus the cost of marriage counseling or classes. As an average, the donation is $350 and the cost of the courses $150, but depending on your location it could be more or less. You’ll also be offered rehearsals, organists or violinists at extra cost.
Bride and groom at their outdoor wedding Pin.
Have a Friend Perform Your Wedding Ceremony
It you’re having a friend perform the ceremony, they can be ordained by the Universal Life Church. If they need a certificate of their ordination, it can be printed and shipped for $20. Some states will also require your friend to register as an officiant. The registration will cost $15 to $25, depending on where your wedding is held.
Prices and laws around marriage are different in every state. Make sure you check the requirements in your state when you’re deciding on your ceremony plan. Since we need a number for our sample budgets, we’ll set aside $300 for the license and officiant. If you’re getting married at your place of worship, be sure to add that extra cost into your own budget.
