Affordable Utah Weddings

A great way to save money on your wedding is to find a cheap location for the reception.  Here in Utah a great option for a cheap reception location is a backyard.  I’ve began researching to find some great ideas for backyard weddings and have come across so many great ideas that I’ve actually organized them by themes!  I’m really excited to write about each ‘look’ every day this week (yep, I found enough info to fill a whole week!  I hope you get some great ideas from this!)

Today I’m going to focus on a natural theme.  Elegant and traditional and yet not over done.  No big white tent or draped tulle in this category! (never fear you tent lovers, those items will be featured later this week).  This backyard wedding theme simply enhances the beauty that is already found in your backyard.

I realize that the top picture on this post is probably out of a ‘Affordable’ Utah wedding price range- but the ideas were so beautiful I just had to include it!  I love the look of this wedding- I almost feel like I walked into a fairy wonderland.  Let’s break the look down a bit and talk about some more affordable ways to create the same atmosphere.

First let’s talk about the overall look and feel of the reception.  The above photos are great examples of different ways to create a simple, yet beautifully natural look.    The colors schemes are filled with natural colors (browns and greens) and accented with muted warm colors (think deep reds, oranges, rosy pinks, etc).  The colors are really doing most of the work in setting this scene!

The main decoration in these photos is the false ceiling created by fabric or lanterns.  How can you create that look on a budget?  Well, first of all- remember that you don’t have to cover the entire yard!  Even if you just cover one area of the reception (over the guest tables, above the food table, above the receiving line) the entire yard will look so much better!  Focus on the area that you want your guests to enjoy being in the most.

The ceiling on the left is created simply by draping tulle and hanging white paper lanterns.  That’s something that you could definitely do yourself for a whole lot less than hiring a decorator or renting a reception location!  Tulle is pretty much the cheapest thing you and buy at a fabric store (plus you can almost always get a40% off  coupon from Joann’s that will work for the entire bult of tulle!  Just sign up for Joann Fabric coupons to be emailed to you!)  Cheap white paper lantern can be found at stores like Ikea and Oriental Trading Company.  For unique lighting such as the small strings of lanterns on in the photo on the right check out the garden section of Target or Walmart.  They are coming out with the most creative, beautiful garden lights-  I just love them all!  Or for super cheap decor, buy tea lights and hang them in glass canning jars!

After you get a general looking going in your backyard you’re free to fill in the gaps with beautiful details.  Here are a few that I found and love.  Above are two garden backdrops from Target.  The large dark wood backdrop is going for $130 and the bamboo backdrop is $99.  The great part about these is they are made to be put in a garden.  After the wedding you can actually keep them out in your yard and they would look beautiful!  So instead of spending $80 renting a backdrop for a night, spend $20 more dollars and get one that you can keep and use for years to come!  Sticking with the ‘spending money on things you’ll actually enjoy keeping after the wedding’ theme- check out this beautiful idea for centerpieces! (pictures below)  This small basket is filled with plants that can be reused after the big day to create a beautiful garden.  Keep them for yourself or give them as thank you gifts to all those who helped you make your perfect wedding day!

The natural backyard wedding theme can be brought into just about any aspect of your wedding.  Give lavender sachets as your wedding favor, ask a friend to fill your backyard with the sounds of the acoustic guitar,  place your guest book on a patio table filled with wildflowers.  Stick to nature and your reception is sure to be beautiful!