5 Steps to Planning a Home Wedding with Professional Catering

At-home weddings are becoming an increasingly popular option for brides and grooms everywhere. The reception venue is often the biggest expense at a wedding, averaging $15,000, so the mere thought of striking this off the budget can be a big plus for hosting at home. There are other benefits as well: It’s more intimate and personal, and there’s the convenience of being a few steps from your bed when it’s all over.

 

Yet, hosting a wedding can be stressful and complicated. But take heart: El Pavo Bakery presents the following guide on how you can keep everything under control and create a beautiful wedding in your own home.

 

Line Up the Caterer

 

One of the first things to do when planning your home wedding is contacting a local professional catering service. Shop around and get your quotes (which of course will be determined by headcount and types of food, among other things). You’ll see that local and fresh is the way to go, and a unique menu is always welcome, like the one from El Pavo Bakery. Calling well ahead of time is important, of course, so choose your caterer and start the meal and beverage planning now.

 

Defining Spaces

 

Make sure you take the time to define the purpose of each space in your house. Which room is going to be the staging area? Where should your guests meet? Which rooms have people staying in them, and which rooms are off bounds for party guests? Get creative with your wedding signs to make these distinctions obvious yet friendly.

 

Many home wedding ceremonies take place outside, so be sure the lawn and landscaping are up to snuff for photography. This space is ideal for showcasing flowers and other greenery to color-coordinate with the ceremony. If you’re planning to sell in the near future, heightened curb appeal is a factor in boosting appraisal value, so keep this in mind as you spruce up your backyard for the wedding day.

 

Guest List

 

Your guest list will be primarily defined by the amount of space in your house. You have to be strict, or the reception will be cramped and uncomfortable for everyone. To help with this tricky balancing act, Brides.com suggests keeping your wedding guest list small.

 

Another benefit of a smaller wedding is the fact that catering expenses can be easier to maintain. Find a boutique catering company near you and let them make wedding day easier for you; they’ll even customize all the menus!

 

Decor

 

As with any wedding, choosing coherent decor is important. Don’t go for a theme that clashes completely with your existing home decor, but use a few key transformative touches to mold your space into your dream wedding venue.

 

You’ll want to ensure the house is spotless, and that includes sprucing up the furniture. No one wants to sit on a sofa covered in pet hair, nor do guests want to sit at the table on chairs with soiled seats and backs. Finding the best upholstery cleaners near you is a snap thanks to sites like Angi, which lists professionals with reviews and ratings and all their contact info. Experienced pros will know how to treat a range of materials, including delicate natural fibers, and they’ll come with all the right cleaning products, leaving you time to continue planning your big day.

 

Parking

 

Perhaps the biggest challenge for an at-home wedding is parking. How do you fit all your guests’ cars in a residential area? Here are a few possibilitiesfrom YourWeddingAtHome.com:

 

  • Offer a shuttle service for your guests
  • Offer a valet service for your guests
  • Ask a local church or school whether you can direct your guests to their parking lot
  • Ask your neighbors if they are willing to lend you some parking spots

 

Cleanup

 

Finally, there’s the least fun part of any party: the morning-after clean-up. Spare yourself the agony of clearing up a whole wedding with a hangover by hiring a cleaning crew to come and do the bulk of the work for you. The cost of a house cleaner in the U.S. ranges from $150 to $250 for a 2,000 square foot home., according to The Maids, but you should expect to be paying on the upper end for a big job like this. It’s worth it.

 

In many ways, you should tackle your home wedding planning like you would any other party. Even though the stakes may feel higher, the practicalities are more or less the same. Break down your to-do list into small, feasible chunks, give yourself ample time, and start planning. Your home wedding is sure to be wonderful.

 

When it comes to catering your next wedding or other event, El Pavo Bakery makes and delivers it fresh, from cakes, pan dulce, to Mexican food, using the highest quality ingredients and creating art with everything that we do. Contact us today!