Backyard Wedding Perks | Daphne Alabama Backyard Wedding | The Donalds
THE DETAILS
Details are one of my favorite things to take portraits of!! Starting off a wedding day by capturing the details gives me a chance to get in my creative flow and set the mood for the entire wedding. Forrest and Amanda had a beautiful backyard wedding on Amanda’s family land. They decorated everything themselves and they did an AMAZING job!! Their attention to detail was so spot on and gave me so much joy as I began photographing their wedding and documenting their special day!! I loved their addition of antique oil lamps. Each one used was unique and beautiful, as well as, their addition to having a cross featured at their ceremony location. Their christianity was highlighted by keeping the cross and God right beside them the whole time they were becoming one. It is said that a strand of three cords is not easily broken.
THE CEREMONY
I don’t often highlight the ceremony on my blog. I love wedding ceremonies, but the photos usually aren’t epic which is why I don’t share many of them. Well, Forrest and Amanda’s wedding ceremony was different! They got married in a stunning location on some family land that provided a beautiful backdrop for their ceremony. Getting married in an open space allowed for me to be able to walk all around and get exciting shots of the two becoming one. (something to think about future KMP brides!!) During the ceremony, I always like to sneak a picture of the Bride’s parents and the Groom’s parents because this is a big moment for them too!! Their little baby is getting married and it is just as exciting for them as for the couple! Amanda and Forrest decided to share a first communion together during their ceremony which was super sweet! It showed that they wanted to keep God first in their marriage and that He is an important part of their lives together. All together, Forrest and Amanda’s wedding shared a very small intimate ceremony which matched their love and personalities perfectly!
THE NEWLYWED PORTRAITS
Newlywed portraits are so much fun to take! The Bride and Groom have so much love in their eyes for one another that it is indescribable!! I love that I get to capture their love through my camera lens. This adorable couple decided to wait to see each other for their first look when Amanda was walking down the aisle. Which means we got to capture their portraits immediately after they were officially married. When my couples do a first look prior to the ceremony, I love to snag the couple away for few “just married” portraits because they are so sweet. Forrest and Amanda’s backyard wedding was the PERFECT setting for gorgeous portraits. They had so much land and opportunities for a good photo op and I was thrilled!! Also, we need to give a huge shoutout to Amanda’s sister for helping me with that gorgeous veil toss portrait!!
WHAT ARE THE PERKS
of a backyard wedding?
There are many, many perks to having a backyard wedding. Below are the ones that I think are HUGE in the decision making process:
NO VENUE COST.
A HUGE cost of a wedding is the venue you decide to get married at. All venues charge different rates, but one thing is certain…they are making plenty of money off of you!! They charge for pretty much anything you could think of like the amount of hours you’re there, decorating fees, cleaning fees, damage fees, etc. The list can literally go on. If you choose to get married in your backyard (or a friend’s yard) then all those fees can be erased from your mind and that money can be allocated to a more important area of your wedding day (like gorgeous flowers).
CONTROL.
You have control over the space. You can decide everything about decorating the space without worrying about ruining a venue’s furniture or any weird rules they have. You can decide when to start the wedding decorating process. Some venues have rules about when you can arrive on site and when you can decorate, but at home it is all up to you! Also, when you have a backyard wedding you get to decide when your party ends!!
FREEDOM TO PICK YOUR DATE.
When you pick your date using a venue, you are limited to when they have availability. At home, you can pick whatever day you want! You can get married on a weekday to help keep your wedding small or invite ALL your friends and family for a weekend extravaganza!!
CUSTOMIZABLE.
A wedding in your own space helps you be able to create a space that is centered around you and your fiancé. You can customize all the decorations and what you want the mood of your wedding to be like. You can choose to have everyone get super dressed up or stay casual. Whatever you feel will be best for you is easy to do!
MORE MONEY.
When you have a backyard wedding you can spend your wedding budget on other areas. You can go big with your florals and have an AMAZING caterer!! The amount of money you save on the venue fees can be spread to many, many other areas of your budget.
Dear Forrest and Amanda,
Thank you so much for letting me be a part of your special day! It truly means so much to me every time a bride and groom trust me to capture their wedding day! It was so great getting to know you, Amanda, during this entire wedding process and getting to catch up with you, Forrest. You two are both super sweet and kind and your wedding was no different. Your wedding was absolutely perfect in every way and I know you two will share a beautiful life together.
XOXO,
Kristen Marcus Photography