Backyard Wedding
A backyard wedding is perfect for couples who love to be outdoors and want a uniquely sentimental feel for their big day. This particular couple wanted a super casual wedding. But more so, one that would not get cancelled last minute due to Covid restrictions. Normally it’s just the groom hates the fluffy elements of a wedding, but in this case, it was both of them. So I kept the formal portraits, for these two short and sweet. Don’t get me wrong, I love documentary style weddings and my shooting style is already pretty candid. But there are some staple photos of a wedding that include certain family combinations and bridal party shots. Without them, I feel my final delivery is missing something.
Ceremony
Whether your backyard is small or sprawling, you’ll want to pay particular attention to where you set up your ceremony. Large trees, like the ones used here, make for the perfect backdrop and provide shade from harsh sunlight. This couple decorated their trees with flowers and drapery to give their ceremony a truly elegant look.
Keep in mind that, if you’re getting married in the warm summer months, you’ll want to keep your guests’ chairs out of direct sunlight before the ceremony or, ideally, choose a shaded spot to set up chairs. But this family loved the summer weather. In fact, even though the home’s interior was decorated for a mini reception, most of the guests stayed outdoors to enjoy the afternoon breeze.
The civil ceremony was the only scheduled event at this wedding. Everything else had no timed itinerary. Originally the couple had booked a full day event, but with Covid restricting their guest count, they downgraded a lot. So this full day wedding became a simple elopement. Don’t get me wrong, I love big weddings. But Covid has definitely limited the industry to micro weddings, at least for now.