Holding your wedding in your garden is a wonderful idea if it is done right. It can be much cheaper than hiring a venue and you will definitely have more control. There are lots of considerations when planning one so let's dive in to some of the factors that come in play.

Depending on the size of your garden setting, will determine how many guests will be able to attend. If you only have a small space to work with it is no good inviting 100 guests and cramming everyone in like sardines! Consider where they will all be seated, and have plenty of room for mingling and dancing. Also to make sure there is enough space for parking cars for the guests to arrive and leave with ease or a system is in place at least. These are some of the nightmares that can occur because it can so easily be overlooked, so be sure to remember the logistics. 

If you want your garden to look the part on the day then it is not just going to magical look beautiful in one day! You will not have Charlie Dimmock from Garden Rescue to sweep in and take care of it! So with that in mind, start prepping months ahead of time. Choosing flowers that with be in full blooms by the time the wedding arrives, and trimming trees and bushes at the right time of year so they look lush. If it I too much for you, get a gardener to help you on the run up to the wedding to make sure everything is kept on top of. 

Whilst planning a wedding in your garden can see like a task you can manage on your own, don't be fooled. It is a lot of hard work and you should not refuse help bringing it together. The more hands on deck the better to lighten the load. It will be more enjoyable with others and less stress with trying to 'do it all' when you don't have to.

You may be thinking 'ohh how hard can it be getting a buffet ready for 40-50 guests' This could be a disaster waiting to happen, speak to anyone who has done it and they will tell you it can be very stressful to plan and deliver. Hiring a professional caterer is the best way to eliminate this kind of stress, they will also be able to provide you will a better price as they are used to dealing with volume. The other great thing is they will also have there own cleaning up crew, because washing dishes at the end of the wedding is the last thing you'll want to be doing!

It is a good idea to ask any suppliers like the caterer, the photographer, the marquee company to pay your garden a visit before the day. This is so they know what they are dealing with, they can take measurements, know where everything is, figure out how they will set up, and start considering the perfect spots for photos to be taken. 

Always consider a plan b! Until a few days before the wedding you won't know what the weather is going to do, if it is pouring buckets you may have to move inside, so consider preparing a space indoors for the 'just in case' scenario. On the flip side you don't want your guests getting burnt to crisp by the sun so make sure seating outside has shade to protect guests.

It it wise and polite to let your local community know what will be happening on your chosen date, especially your closet neighbours. They may even offer to allow there drive way to be used for parking which is a real win for you. You may even decide to invite some of them to join in. As long as you finish the noise at reasonable time, they can't complain too much!

Depending on how many guests you have attending will determine whether you need extra toilets bringing in to cater for them. You can hire luxury loos these days  to make it a nicer experience and you won't have to worry about everyone going backwards and forwards to use your bathroom.