Is It More Affordable to Host an At-Home Wedding? Pros Reveal the Surprising Truth

Your home is filled with special memories, from cozy movie nights to holiday dinner parties and more, so why not add to the highlight reel with a home wedding? Planning a wedding at home isn't as simple as tossing a few chairs in your yard. There are some unique steps you'll need to take if you want to celebrate at home. I spoke with a few talented wedding planners to get their expert advice on the ins and outs of planning a wedding in your home. Understanding the full scope, including pros and cons, before diving into planning a wedding at home is crucial. Below, Ashley Smith of Ashley Smith Events, Tracey Benor of Benor & Beik, and Kelsey Connely of Downey Street Events weigh in with everything you need to know about home weddings, including how much they cost.

How to plan a wedding at home: Is it cheaper? | Cost | Pros | Cons | Ideas | Alternatives

Is a Wedding at Home Cheaper?

"While you might save on venue fees, an at-home wedding is not necessarily cheaper," warns Tracey Benor. The perceived cost associated with home and backyard weddings is a major reason people initially consider them. However, in much the same way that DIY wedding details aren't necessarily cheaper, it is often more expensive to have a wedding ceremony or reception at home. Why? "While it can be affordable, hosting an at-home wedding often means providing every single item," explains Ashley Smith. And those costs add up quickly.

Cost of a Home Wedding

You could plan a home wedding for $10,000 or you could plan one for $100,000—it's incredibly hard to nail down an average wedding cost when it comes to weddings at home. However, regardless of your wedding budget, there are certain unique cost incurrences couples need to know about before going down the home route. You may be surprised to learn that there are expenses at a home wedding that wouldn't be present at a traditional venue.

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As Kelsey Connely explains, you are "essentially creating and building a venue for a weekend (that has to be fully equipped with power, lighting, a catering kitchen, restrooms, etc.) versus paying a fee to use one that already includes many of those items. While these may not initially seem like large costs, they definitely add up."

Service Amenities

So what exactly do you need to bring in for a home wedding? Smith explains that the tasks you'll likely need to undertake include "building a kitchen for catering, creating vendor service areas, arranging parking or valet, and adding restrooms. Many venues or hotels already have these amenities, making a venue often more financially sensible." The pro goes on to say that "couples might need to rent dumpsters and plan for waste removal, bring in potable water, consider Wi-Fi needs, and more." And how are you going to ensure that all these pieces of equipment that you've brought in have power? "At-home weddings with catering, music, and lighting often also require renting a generator, which can cost several thousand dollars," says Benor.

Home Preparation

"You're opening your home or property to friends, family, and vendors, which requires extensive preparation to make your residence wedding-ready," says Benor. "This includes perfectly timed grass cutting, cleaning, and accommodating many people working around your personal space, which can be overwhelming." Additionally, Benor notes that couples may need to consider working with the city on permits or even "road improvements to enable larger vehicles on the property."

Greater Per-Person Cost

Will 100 of your closest friends fit in your home? They certainly wouldn't fit in mine. One of the most substantial sacrifices you'll likely have to make is trimming the guest list to fit in the smaller space.

While some costs, like centerpieces, will go down with fewer tables to decorate, there are some fixed costs (like a generator or catering kitchen rental, for example) that you'll incur whether you have 10 folks or 100 attending. Because of this, it's important to recognize that while you may be able to spend less money overall on your wedding at home, you will likely spend more per person than you otherwise would. This isn't necessarily a deal breaker for couples, but it is something worth considering.

Connely emphasizes that the best way to understand all the costs you'll face is to partner with a full-service wedding planner experienced with private estates. "It's super important to hire a planner who is familiar with working at private properties and estates who can put together a realistic budget for you upfront, as it's imperative to understand all of the costs before committing to a home wedding."

Pros of a Home Wedding

While it may be a bit more work to create a wedding at home, there's a reason that these kinds of weddings are so appealing. As cheesy as it sounds, home is where the heart is. So it's no surprise that you want to make memories in this meaningful spot. Connely remarks that "home weddings are so special and beautiful. If you have the budget to dedicate to hosting a wedding at your home, do it."

Not only will a wedding ceremony or reception at home be memorable, but you also have more flexibility when it comes to timing. You don't need to worry about your date getting booked up or not having enough time to load into the venue when the venue is your own home.

Cons of a Home Wedding

The cost and effort of a wedding at home are the major cons to consider. "Hosting a wedding at home requires you to bring in and set up everything that a venue typically includes in its price and convenience," says Benor. In addition to the costs you'll experience from all the supplies you'll need to bring in, your home may also experience wear and tear that couples often underestimate, according to Smith. "Common issues include damage from guests and vendors (e.g., water lines damaged by tent stakes, gardens ruined by guests, gates damaged by trucks that don't fit the access point), the tremendous amount of trash and debris generated, and problems with cheaper vendors (e.g., a cracked pool due to subpar tenting). These can lead to astronomical repair and replacement costs."

Home Wedding Ideas

So, how do you actually pull off a wedding ceremony or reception at home? If you understand the cost and are ready and eager to take on a home wedding, there are some creative ideas you can consider to make the event as memorable as possible.

Enhance Your Home's Aesthetic

If you're stuck on what kind of aesthetic to have for a wedding at home, simply look at the decor around your house. You decorated your home to match your vibe, so let that also inform the wedding to ensure the day feels special and personalized. If you want, you could even use some of your home's decorations as wedding decor. Maybe you have some bookshelf tchotchkes that get incorporated into your centerpiece designs. Or a vintage tray that normally sits on your coffee table could get repurposed to hold ceremony programs. The joy of home weddings is that you can truly make even detail and decoration a reflection of you and your personal style.

Excuse to Invest in Landscaping and Home Upgrades

That landscaping you've been itching to get but haven't been ready to pay for? That chandelier upgrade you've been delaying? The wedding is the perfect excuse to level up your home so it's beautiful both for the wedding and for your newlywed life.

Food Trucks

Food trucks are a popular wedding food trend and could be a fun addition to a home wedding. Just keep in mind that a food truck may not eliminate the need for some other catering-related expenses. "Using food trucks can be fun, but you will still need rentals and additional staff,' Benor warns.

Home Wedding Alternatives

If you're enticed by the idea of a home wedding, but concerned about the execution, listen up. Here are some festive alternative ideas that'll still give you a home wedding feel if you know your own space isn't quite ready to make its debut as a venue.

Estate or Home Venue Rental

If you like the idea of a home wedding, but just don't want the event to happen at your own home, consider booking a rental home wedding venue or a private estate wedding venue. You'll get the benefits of a cozy atmosphere without having to worry about some of the logistics.

Small Wedding

Minimonies, elopements, and even private vow exchanges are increasing in popularity. Maybe you like the idea of an intimate small wedding at home, but you also have a lot of friends and family eager to celebrate with you. Consider hosting a small wedding ceremony at home with a larger sequel reception at a venue later on.

After-Party

Even if you decide to host your wedding reception elsewhere, the options for an after-party at home are endless. You could make a cozy lounge space in the yard or on your deck for a movie night, light up a fire pit for s'mores, or even turn your basement into a funky disco.

Host Prewedding Events at Home

Since homes are more conducive to small events, consider hosting a wedding shower or rehearsal dinner at home in lieu of the main event.

Engagement Photos at Home

Don't wait until the end of the engagement journey to utilize your home—you could use it as a location for engagement photos early on in the wedding planning process. Plus, once you print your engagement photos you can turn them into meaningful home decor.