How to Prepare Your Yard for Your Daughter’s Dream Wedding

Many couples are choosing to have their parents host a wedding in their backyard. This is a budget-friendly idea as the normal wedding venue rents for over $5,400 in the United States. If you have some time to prepare, then you may want to follow some easy landscaping tips to make sure that your backyard looks fabulous on her wedding day.

Get Green Grass

Fertilizing your grass in the early spring and fall helps to make sure that it is green on her special day. Never cut more than one-third of the grass at a time. If it is necessary to water your grass, then do it in the early morning when less water is going to evaporate. Water less often but with more water to encourage deep root growth. If there is time and your yard looks patchy, then you may want to seed it. Remember that in most cases, seeding requires you to keep the area moist for a month.

Install Walking Paths

Since women will likely be wearing high heels to the wedding, think about installing walking paths so that they do not sink into the ground. Choose the color and the shape of the stepping stones carefully. In most cases, you will want them to coordinate with the color scheme of your home. You may also want to consider where the bridal party will walk down the aisle and line it with stepping stones to help prevent any missteps during “Here Comes the Bride.” Additionally, consider the flow of guests on the big day and place paths where they will naturally walk.

Source: CountryLiving.com | 13 Dreamy DIY Garden Paths for Your Backyard

Plant Flowers

If your daughter has already decided on her wedding colors, then consider planting some flowers to match. Creating a focal point in your yard using a specimen plant or a large boulder helps to tie the whole backyard together. Then, find ways to incorporate that theme throughout each of your flowerbeds.

Plant Trees

If you start planning early enough, you might have time to plant a few select trees in the yard either for extra shade or more romantic lighting. Ask the nursery which trees will grow the fastest if you want to use them for the wedding. These can provide great shade for guests during weddings held in the warmer months. If you do not have time to let a shade tree grow, then you may want to consider evergreen trees as these can also look very romantic with twinkle lights strung in them. Regular watering at the drip line can encourage trees to grow faster. Do not forget to fertilize them as often as recommended for that species of tree.

Source: ZingIdaho.com | Tree Planting Tips

Think About Lighting

Chances are that you will also need to install additional lighting in your backyard. Using solar lights means that you do not have to use electricity for your lighting. You may also want to line each of your paths with smaller lights to make them safer to walk on.

Create an Archway Area

Decide where the couple should stand to exchange their wedding vows. You may want to install some type of archway there that they can stand under during the ceremony. If there is time, then you may want to grow flowering vines matching the couple’s wedding colors to cover the arch. Think about what the wedding guests are going to be seeing beyond the archway. This may be a great place to position a beautiful flower bed with larger flowers in the background.

Source: StylishWedd.com | 30 Best Floral Wedding Altars & Arches Decorating Ideas

Install a Dance Floor

If dancing is going to be part of the festivities, then think about where to position the dance floor in your backyard landscaping. You will also want to think about what type of flooring will look best. Some people choose to rent a portable dance floor for the evening while others choose to make it a permanent fixture in their backyard. Having a dance floor in your backyard means that you can use it for other activities, such as family reunions and fun get-togethers.

Keep Pests Away

Your guests are expecting to enjoy the wedding ceremony and nothing disrupts that enjoyment than unwanted pests. Mosquitoes and bees can end up ruining a precious moment. Don’t let that happen. At least a few times in the months leading up to the wedding, have a professional evaluate your pest problem and help control it so that when the big day happens, you and your guests can enjoy it without a problem.

Source: Preventive Pest Control | Pest Control Services

Prepare for Bad Weather

If it was possible to see the weather forecast several months in advance, planning an outdoor wedding would be much easier. Considering that this isn’t yet the case, choosing a wedding date can feel like a gamble. That’s why it’s important to have a plan in place just in case bad weather decides to blow in at the last minute. This doesn’t mean you have to spend extra money to reserve an indoor reception hall — solutions can be as simple as renting an event tent beforehand. That way you can quickly put up the protection you need without dampening the happy mood.

Source: Instent.com | Exciting New Trends For Event Tents

Build a Pergola or Pavilion

You will need to consider where you want guests to sit during the ceremony. If the wedding is going to be smaller, one great solution is to build a pergola or a pavilion. They’re practical because you can heat or cool the area if needed. More importantly, however, they’re very photogenic. It’s very easy to decorate this area with candles, potted plants and flowers to make it romantic on your daughter’s wedding day.

You will have a very busy time leading up to the wedding. Be thankful, however, that she is joining her heart with that of a terrific man and thinks enough of the way that she was raised to want to have her wedding at home.