Home Wedding: The Price and Rewards of Intimacy (Part 2)

The Big Three
There are many things to consider with a home wedding, many contingencies which may need to be planned for, but here are three of the most common pitfalls particular to a home wedding that you should avoid:

Parking—Your neighborhood isn't a metropolitan area. Overflow parking can result in ordinance violations. Check to see what ordinances might apply. Talk to your neighbors and let them know what's going on. You might be able to sweet talk one or two into letting you use their driveway. Better yet, find a nearby public parking lot and shuttle guests to your home.

Restrooms—This is often a problem because it's so easily overlooked. You think you have a bathroom or two in the house so it won't be an issue. Too often, though, it turns into one. Consider renting a portable restroom or two. This will keep people from having to wait and will cut down or eliminate guests from wreaking havoc as they trudge through your house looking for the bathroom. If you decide the house bathrooms will suffice, have a plumber come in and double-check the pipes and toilets.

Weather—If you decide to have the wedding outside, make sure you have a contingency plan for inclement weather. This plan should also include an indoor option for the worst-case scenario. A flimsy tent will not cut it in the face of a thunderstorm.

Other Hazards to Avoid
Pets—All but the smallest, most well-behaved animals are just begging for disaster. Don't let your wedding become a scene from a Hollywood slapstick comedy. It sounds drastic, but find a dog-sitter if you have to.

China—As solemn as a wedding ceremony is, a wedding reception at your home is not the best time to break out any valuable China. Just plan on losing a plate or a glass or two, but do plan on having more than enough plates, glasses and cutlery.

Next-Day Cleanup—Don't just plan for the wedding, plan for after the wedding. Take it easy on yourself and have a professional cleaning service come in and take care of the mess.

Bugs—More than just heat, if your wedding date is anywhere near summer, the formal attire will cause people to sweat and bugs to swarm. Spray insecticide before the wedding and/or have a ton of bug spray on hand.

Another Home Wedding Idea: Storage Space
On your wedding day, the last thing you want is to be stressed out because something isn't taken care of or something went wrong. You'll want to have some of the big things dealt with a day or two early—tent, chair, and dance floor rentals are just a few of the items you'll want to have checked off your list long before the day actually arrives. These items will require adequate storage space. Clean out your garage, build a backyard shed, or rent nearby storage space for a day or two. The last thing you want is to spend a bunch of money on something that turns out to not be there when you need it.