A backyard wedding in Vancouver: what you actually need

A backyard wedding sounds like the easy option. No venue fee, no minimum spend, a place that already means something to you. All of that is true, and it's why plenty of couples here choose it. What's also true is that a backyard has none of the things a venue quietly provides: power, shelter, washrooms, parking, a kitchen and a plan for rain. You'll be bringing all of it in.

Shelter

Even in August, plan for weather. A tent is the first thing to reserve, and the size matters more than the style. Rental companies usually work from something like ten to twelve square feet per seated guest, plus room for the dance floor, the bar and the caterer's tables. Ask them to come and look at the yard. They'll spot the slope, the low branches and the sprinkler heads you stopped seeing years ago. Sidewalls, heaters for anything after September, and a clear idea of where a hundred people stand if it pours.

Power and light

A band, a DJ, the caterer's warming ovens, the string lights and a coffee urn can trip a household circuit in the first hour. Ask every Pro what they draw, add it up, and talk to your rental company or an electrician about a generator or a proper distribution setup. Then think about light after dark: paths, steps, the route to the washrooms, and the end of the driveway where people will be waiting for their rides.

Washrooms

One household bathroom won't get through a wedding. Rental companies tend to suggest roughly one facility for every fifty guests over a full evening, more if there's a bar. Washroom trailers exist, they're nicer than you'd think, and they need a level spot and, usually, a water hookup. Reserve early; summer weekends go fast.

Kitchen and catering

Caterers who do backyard weddings bring their own prep tents, tables and often their own cooking gear. What they need from you is space, water, somewhere to park a van and a straight answer about power. Walk the yard with them. The good ones will tell you exactly where the bar should go, and they'll be right.

Neighbours, noise and the city

• Tell the neighbours early, and invite the closest ones over for a drink.
• Check your municipality's noise bylaw (Vancouver's sets evening cut-offs on amplified sound) and plan the dance floor around it.
• A bartender who does private events will know what permit, if any, your night needs. Ask.
• Parking: ask guests to carpool or rideshare, and warn the street.

The people who make it work

A backyard wedding is a venue you build from nothing, which is why this is where the money goes:

• A rental company that visits the site.
• A caterer with backyard experience.
• A day-of coordinator, even for a small wedding. Somebody has to be the person the tent crew calls at 7am.
• A bartender who brings the bar.
• A cleanup crew for the morning after.

That's the list. The rest is the part you wanted: a wedding at home.