Home is where the heart is and what better familiar place than your own home as host to a beautiful day such as a wedding! There’s a great deal of versatility when it comes to hosting your wedding at home. While most aspects depend on the size of your home, everything is flexible here. And the best part, your wedding can be as formal or informal as you want it without feeling slightly under or over dressed in a reception hall.

What you do have to look out for is the planning process. With the ceremony, you would need to rent chairs and you would probably work with a florist when it comes to decor. Since most of the reception items will have to be rented (unless you also own a rental company!), you must plan this ahead of time because, in a way, you are your own caterer! [And cooking for your own wedding reception? That’s another article all together!] Plan on renting chairs, tables, glasses, utensils, dishes, and the like.

When you first start to plan your at home wedding, consider the various locations within your home. Where will your food be set up? Where will you cut the cake? The easiest flow for your wedding at home is to have it both indoors and outdoors, especially if you will be having your wedding ceremony in early- to mid-afternoon. Or if you and your groom are really lovers of the outdoors, you can rent a tent like above so you can keep the festivities going on outside all day and night. [Some rental companies also offer clear tent covers so you can watch the stars!]

Other questions to ask yourself are:

• Will you have to hire people to serve the food?
• Will there be a band and dancing?
• Do you have enough room for parking?

Even though there are alot of things to consider, having your wedding at home is a big money-saving idea. This is especially great for newlyweds who have just bought a new home together before the wedding, of course, well enough before so they can be accustomed to it. Or if there is an “ancestral” home so to speak, this can really bring out family traditions. Consider this option and plan ahead!

For those crafty ones among us, here’s an awesome how-to for a DIY (do-it-yourself) bridal brunch on DIYNetwork’s Creative Juice! This is a perfect complement for the rustic, country or vineyard style wedding. It also works well with the eco-conscious weddings that are popular since it lends a truly back-to-nature feel.

This episode has a beautiful charger used as a place setting, menu ideas, brunch favors and even floral arrangement tips, all on top of an incredibly easy-to-make, no-sew tablecloth. So even if you’re not a particularly crafty bride, check it out for some inspiration and who knows, maybe you’ll become the crafty type after you check out this bridal brunch idea!

There are innumerous types of flowers to choose from and with today’s ability to transport flowers from all over the world, flowers that are out of season can be within your wedding bouquet with little difficulty. However, that can turn out to be a substantial cost in your wedding budget.

Read “Time Your Wedding Flowers”