The Key to Hosting a Private Property Wedding

I was fortunate last fall to photograph not just one gorgeous private property wedding, but THREE near my hometown of Lebanon, Missouri. They were distinctly different events, although two of the weddings were at the same family home.

When I’m talking to my future brides, we talk a lot about the venues – and you all know I love sharing about all the wonderful venues that I am honored to work at. Sometimes future brides are considering an alternative to a traditional wedding venue by hosting a wedding on private property. It doesn’t always logistically work out, so I thought it would be helpful to interview my three brides about their weddings and find out if they had any tips or tricks to share with other brides that were considering hosting a private property wedding. 

Paige

Paige had looked at venues in several different states including Missouri, Arkansas, and Arizona. She was actually leaving her fiance’s grandparents’ house after an afternoon of playing cards and when she walked out the door she thought “We could have a wedding here.” 

They were able to pull off a gorgeous day surrounded by 140 guests  thanks to the huge investment of time and energy by her network of family and friends. Paige chose not to use a wedding planner, but it helped that she had some family members who had a very detail-oriented personality type and were enthusiastic about helping. 

Reflecting back, Paige would not have done anything differently as she truly had the freedom to do everything she wanted to do in terms of her wedding day. She would suggest starting early and giving yourself plenty of time to plan. Because you are not using a wedding venue, you truly do have to think of and acquire every little thing. Tents, chairs, tables, lights, electrical hook-up where it is needed are all things that have to be taken care of before the big day. 

Harlea

This same gorgeous family home was also the perfect place for Harlea’s more intimate wedding ceremony. She chose to have private vows and ceremony on the balcony and then to enjoy a more public reception later on the property.

Harlea originally had plans for a wedding in Scotland, but ultimately decided that they’d love to be closer to home and enjoy their day with more of their loved ones. She liked the idea of having a private property wedding and being able to have the freedom and flexibility of doing what they want and not being locked into using certain vendors.

There was no planner, but it was another case of friends and family willing to be all hands on deck to bring the final vision to life.  Speaking of the final vision, Harlea says it is really important to be willing to be a bit flexible on that vision. As you do have to figure out all the things when you have a wedding outside of a traditional wedding venue. Being willing to be flexible is part of the process of having a truly unique wedding day somewhere that is meaningful to you. 

Jenna

There wasn’t any doubt that Jenna would get married on her family’s property. She grew up there and still considers it to be one of the most beautiful spots around. She also has had several family members get married there previously. Jenna’s family owns Riverfront Campground, so it is unique that it is already set up as a business which was helpful in terms of parking and having plenty of room for her event. 

Jenna did hire a wedding planner, Hired Hostess, to pull off her big day. Due to a short engagement period, Jenna knew she needed assistance making everything happen. She does have rave reviews for how great the experience was working with the planner, but also wants to emphasize that her family was integral in making sure everything about the wedding day went smoothly. There was months of mowing, cleaning, ground work, as well as mental, emotional, and financial support to get everyone to the wedding day.

The property already functions as a campground so there were accommodations for visiting families to stay overnight, and golf carts to bring people from the parking lots down to the ceremony site. They still utilized the services of Branson Party Rentals which functioned as a one-stop shop for things like tents, lights, posh portapotties, heaters, and other must-haves for turning your home into an event space.

Jenna has absolutely no regrets about everything that went into her having a unique and beautiful day in one of her favorite spots in the world. Having her wedding at home made it easy for their family and friends to gather and celebrate in a familiar and comfortable place. 

Pros of having a private property wedding

• You will have a unique and special day that won’t look like anyone elses
• You aren’t limited to vendors, rules, and restrictions
• You can get married in a place that is very meaningful to you
• Your friends and family will likely already be very comfortable there

Cons to having a private property wedding 

• You do have to take care of every little detail! (Chairs, tables, tents, lights, and etc)
• Parking, lighting, and electrical can be difficult to work with, depending on the property
• If you don’t hire a planner, someone in your family needs to have the personality of a planner
• You need to be willing to be flexible about your vision. 

The Key to Hosting a Wedding on Private Property

All three brides agreed that they could not have celebrated their gorgeous wedding days if it weren’t for the months of support they received from family and friends. Before choosing a date or setting a budget, the number one thing you should consider is your support network. Family and friends that aren’t only capable and willing, but enthusiastic about bringing your wedding day vision to life! 

If you have that support in place, you can have the unique wedding of your dreams in a location that truly means something to you. You’ll be comfortable in your surroundings while bringing joy to your family and friends. As you can see, all that will come through in your wedding photos. 

Are you looking for a Missouri wedding photographer? I’d love the chance to talk to you about your vision for your wedding. Whether on private property like Paige, Harlea, and Jenna or at a traditional wedding venue. I love talking about your special day and how we can work together to create a wedding gallery that you’ll be showing your kids and grandkids.

Bailey Morris of Morris Imagery is a wedding photographer from Lebanon, Missouri. She loves telling stories through authentic imagery and catching those unexpected in-between moments that turn into favorite photos. You can connect with Bailey here.