Venues
Garden wedding at home: budget, marquee, toilets and weather
Getting married at home or a friend's property is economical and intimate. But there are details not to miss: marquee, electricity, toilets, weather.
Key takeaways
€3,500the typical venue hire at a classic level in our simulator: what a garden saves, before you pay for the tent, toilets and power.
- A backyard wedding saves the venue hire, but not everything a venue provides: tent, toilets, power, furniture and cleanup become your costs.
- Typical hidden costs: tent rental (€800-1,500 for 40 people), portable toilets (€200-500), electricity or a generator (€200-400), cleanup after (€300-700).
- Weather: always plan for a tent, even when the forecast is clear.
- Limits: around 50-70 guests at most in a typical garden, with enough toilets and somewhere for cars to go.
In this guide
A wedding in the garden is the most personal venue there is: your trees, your table, your family home. It is also the venue where nothing is provided. A wedding venue comes with toilets, power, a kitchen, parking and someone who locks up at the end; at home, every one of those becomes a line on your to-do list.
Step 1: Evaluate your garden
- Size: how many m²? 40 guests = 100-120 m² (for tent + tables + bar).
- Ground: is it flat? A slope makes tables wobble and tents harder to anchor. Check for buried pipes and cables before stakes go in.
- Bathrooms: how many at home? For 40 guests, 2-3 minimal, otherwise portable bathrooms.
- Electricity: outlet near tent? Generator needed?
- Parking: where will 40 cars go? Street? Neighbor's property?
- Access: can a delivery van, the tent company and the caterer reach the garden, and where do they unload?
Budgets to plan
| Item | Budget | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tent 40 people | €800-1,500 | Rental, includes tables + chairs |
| Portable bathrooms | €200-500 | If not 2-3 at home |
| Electricity / Generator | €200-400 | If needed |
| Catering | €2,000-4,000 | Brought to site |
| Photographer | €1,500-2,500 | Same rate as venue |
| Cleanup after | €300-700 | Or do it yourself |
| Misc (lighting, decor) | €500-1,000 | String lights, candles |
These ranges are indicative and vary with the region, the season and what each rental company includes. Ask every supplier for a delivered, installed and collected price: transport and setup are often billed on top.
Power, water and light: the details venues hide
A household socket was never designed to run a caterer's ovens, a sound system and fifty metres of string lights at the same time. Ask each supplier how much power they need, add it up, and show the total to an electrician or the tent company. If the house can't supply it, rent a generator and place it far from the tables: it is noisy.
- Water: the caterer needs a tap nearby for cooking and washing up.
- Light: paths, toilets, steps and the car park must be lit, not just the dance floor.
- Rubbish: plan bins, sorting and who takes everything away the next day.
- Insects: in summer, citronella candles and a clear spot for the dessert table away from the hedge.
Neighbours, noise and insurance
Your neighbours will hear the wedding whether they are invited or not. A note in their letterbox a few weeks ahead, with the date and the end time of the music, avoids most complaints; inviting them for a drink avoids the rest. Check local noise rules, and ask your insurer whether your home policy covers guests, rented equipment and any damage.
The day before and the day after
A garden wedding lasts three days, not one. The tent usually goes up one or two days before, the caterer and the hire company deliver the day before, and everything has to be dismantled and collected afterwards. Ask friends for help on the eve and the morning after rather than on the day itself, and agree the collection times in writing: a rental company that only comes back on Tuesday means a tent on your lawn for half a week.
Timeline for garden wedding
- 6 months beforeBook tent rental company, check their slot is free.
- 4 months beforeConfirm caterer (check they deliver to garden)
- 2 months beforeConfirm parking solution, check neighbor OK if you're using their property
- 1 month beforeFinal weather check, plan tent setup day
- The week beforeMow the lawn, prune what hangs low, test the lights and the power, and walk the route a guest will take from car to toilets in the dark.
Founder of Weddtap · author of our guides
We write from real weddings and public sources, listed at the bottom of every guide. No guide is sponsored and no link is an affiliate link.
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