Backyard weddings are becoming more and more popular as time goes on, especially in and around my lovely town of Springfield Illinois! This couldn’t make me happier as I absolutely ADORE backyard weddings. The vibes are so fun, so personal, and it’s so much better budget wise for the majority of couples. So if you’re looking into a backyard wedding in the Springfield area and aren’t sure exactly which vendors you’ll need to make the day possible, you’re in luck. In this article we’re covering just that so you can start planning your dream backyard wedding!

Why A Backyard Wedding Near Springfield IL?

Before we get into the vendors you need for your backyard wedding in Springfield, let’s take a look at what makes these weddings so great! As you start to plan your wedding day it can be tempting to go for the more traditional and standard wedding venues for your day. There are SO many reasons that a backyard wedding in or around Springfield Illinois is an option you should seriously consider though! For starters a backyard wedding is incredibly budget friendly. Whether you’re not looking to spend too much on your wedding or you want to spend your money on other aspects of your wedding day, a backyard wedding lets you do just that. In addition, a backyard wedding day creates a much more intimate and personal experience for your day which can really add to the overall emotion of the day!

Vendors You Need for Your Backyard Wedding

Now that you have a picture in your head of the appeal of a backyard wedding in Springfield and how it allows you to be more flexible with your vendor budget, let’s go over all the vendors you’ll need for your day! Keep in mind that every wedding day is different so some vendors will rank higher with some couples than others, but this will give you a good idea into what most backyard weddings typically look like and include.

Photographer

I may be a little biased here, but in my opinion a photographer is one of the most important wedding vendors for you to hire for your backyard wedding day in Springfield Illinois. A photographer helps ensure your day runs smoothly, is there if you need help with anything leading up to your wedding and on the day itself, and of course captures all of the best moments from your day for you to look back on. If you’re looking for a photographer for your wedding day head over to my contact page to send me an inquiry so we can reserve your date today!

Rentals for Tents

Having a backyard wedding in Springfield, and honestly anywhere in the Midwest means that the weather can change at the drop of a hat. This makes having a tent almost a guaranteed necessity as if there’s a change in the weather you’re going to want to have somewhere for you and your guests to head to instead of ending the wedding then and there or waiting for the weather to pass. Not only that though, but having your backyard reception under the tent allows you to decorate the tent with string lights, flowers, or anything else you can think of!

Seating

Depending on the size of your backyard wedding, you’re likely not going to have enough chairs on hand for your guests to be seated during your ceremony as well as during your reception dinner. Luckily there are a TON of options when it comes to vendors to rent seating from for your backyard wedding day in Springfield. Whether you want to keep things simple with folding or plastic chairs, or get a little fancier with some sturdier wooden chairs, the choice is up to you! 

Bathrooms 

While it does depend on the guest count and how many restrooms are in the house, most backyard weddings in Springfield will often hire a restroom rental as a vendor for their day. This helps keep your house clean and can help keep the wedding completely separate from the house entirely. Luckily there are SO many more options for portable restrooms aside from the blue porta potties, like these restroom trailers which offer a much cleaner and more pleasant experience for everyone!

Dance Floor

Most backyards tragically do not have a patio space large enough to be used as a dancefloor. Renting a dance floor for your backyard wedding reception in Springfield gives your guests a place to party as well as protects the lawn of the backyard you’re having your wedding at. When renting the dancefloor for your wedding day you’ll want to keep in mind the guest count you plan to have, the size of the yard space you have to work with, and the size of your tent rental. Ideally you’ll want your dance floor to be able to fit comfortably underneath your tent while still leaving enough space for some seating in case of any inclement weather.

Catering

Backyard weddings offer you a ton of freedom of choice when it comes to the food that you and your guests will enjoy. You can go the more traditional wedding vendor route of catering from one of the many incredible restaurants in the Springfield area. You can also go the route of having your favorite food truck show up to your wedding and cater directly to your guests. Lastly depending on your guest amount, kitchen size, and if your family and friends are willing to cook you can have them prepare the meal themselves! This is an incredibly fun and personal option and can lead to some incredible memories from your day. In truth each vendor option has its appeal, and with the more flexible budget a backyard wedding in Springfield provides you can choose the one that best fits your taste and vision for the day!

Beverages

Along with catering, the beverages you decide on for your wedding also give you a ton of choice for your wedding day festivities. If you want a more professional service you can hire a vendor like Just The Basics Mobile Bar or similar company to cater your backyard wedding in Springfield. On the other hand you can purchase and provide the drinks yourselves and have one of your friends or family members act as the bartender. Both options are a TON of fun and it really comes down to preference!

Entertainment

Probably the category with the largest variety of options of vendors for your backyard wedding in Springfield is your entertainment for the evening! You’ll want to take into consideration the size of your reception space as well as the vibe you are planning to have for your reception? Have a large space and really looking to get the party started after dinner time? Opt for a DJ or live band that can really work with the crowd. DJ’s and live bands are masters of manipulating the dance floor, they know when to play songs that will get EVERYONE on the dance floor, and when to play a slow tune to let people catch their breath.

On the flip side, if you have a smaller space or are looking to keep things a bit more lowkey you can hire or have someone perform an acoustic set, or rent some speakers and put on your own bomb playlist for the festivities!

Important Things to Note

Outside of the vendors that you’ll need for your backyard wedding in Springfield Illinois, there are a few things you’ll want to take note of prior to your wedding day.

Check in With Your Neighbors and Quiet Hours

I always recommend my couples talk with their neighbors when planning their backyard wedding. Planning your backyard wedding in Springfield is already stressful enough as it is between finding vendors, planning your timeline, deciding on your attire, and everything else that goes into a wedding day. That’s why it’s so important you and your neighbors are on the same page and no one is caught off guard. The other important thing to note is that quiet hours in Springfield are from 11pm to 7am. Make sure your wedding celebrations, or at least the louder portions of it, are over by the time 11pm comes around!

Travel and Stay

Springfield is home to a ton of options in terms of hotels, Airbnb’s, and Vrbo’s for your out of town guests to stay at the day of your wedding. It’s always a good idea to send them a couple recommendations if you know of any. You’ll also want to give them some options for nearby parking for the day of the wedding depending on your location’s unique situation. If street parking usually isn’t available at or near the house consider finding a public parking lot nearby for your guests to park at and having a friend or family member chauffeur guests to and from your wedding!

Use Your Money How You Want

I’ve mentioned it a few times throughout this blog, but it’s worth repeating. THE best part of having a backyard wedding in Springfield Illinois is that it lets you focus your money on the vendors and experience you want! Venues take up a HUGE portion of a typical wedding day budget. Not having to worry about that lets you spend those funds elsewhere on the things that really matter to you on your wedding day.

By now you should have a pretty clear picture in your head of the necessary vendors you’ll need to make your backyard wedding in Springfield the day you envision in your head. If that’s the case and you’re ready to start booking your vendors I recommend you start with your photographer (me!) Send me an inquiry through my contact page so we can start planning out your day together!