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I know that many of you will marry in a house of worship, which is a great option to pursue. But some of you will opt to get hitched right in the backyard. The wedding ceremony is the most important part of the day, even if it takes the least amount of time, and should be treated as such. So you should pick your at-home ceremony location with care.
If you wish for all of your guests to be seated during your wedding ceremony, you need to select a spot where the ground will be very close to level, so that guests aren’t falling out of chairs placed on a slope. If you plan on having a short but sweet ceremony, your guests can be asked to stand on ground that’s less than perfectly level, but you will probably still want to identify a good spot for placing a limited number of chairs for the VIPs (parents, grandparents, siblings, readers, antsy flower girls and ring bearers, etc.) and older family members.
Also, if you need a table for any items like a unity candle, kiddush cup, or sand ceremony items, that table will also need to be on somewhat level ground.
Since you are not in a house of worship, you will want to create some kind of focal point to define the ceremony site. Ideas include:
- a floral arch
- a beautiful chuppah or canopy
- an existing gazebo
- vintage tables and bookcases filled with family heirlooms and photos
- an area rug for the marrying couple to stand on
- a raised platform
- a big tree with hanging poms, lanterns or floral garland
For more information on your backyard wedding ceremony, please see page 15 in The Elegant At-Home Wedding!
Gorgeous photos courtesy of Katie Stoops Photography.
