No Place Like Home

Having your wedding reception at home will save you some bucks? Think again! Unless you limit your guest list to a handful of close friends and families, at least part of your wedding must take place outdoors. Most homes do not have a big enough space to have rows of tables and chairs. Renting tents, tables/chairs, cutlery, lighting for the tents, portable toilets, and other miscellaneous but items can really add up.

Here are some questions taken from "Wedding Planning for Dummies" to help you get starting if you are considering having your wedding at home:
- Should a weather disaster strike and you're having the wedding outside, is the house big enough to use as a backup?
- What is the capacity of the bathroom(s) and, if applicable, septic system?
- Where will guests park?
- Are there any major home or landscape improvements needed to make the property suitable for a wedding? This can be a significant hidden cost.
- Assuming that you're lucky enough to have a beautiful day and you will be outdoors, what is the fly and/or mosquito population? Do you need to fog the property with pesticide?
- How up-to-date and powerful is the electricity? Plugging in a single 100-cup coffee urn can cause an entire house to go dark. Do you have a generator?
- Does your kitchen have sufficient space for a caterer?
- Who is available to receive deliveries of rentals, flowers, food, and so on?
- How much time for setup and take-down is required, and can you live in your house during it? Who is responsible for putting your house back in order? If you're, do you have time to work miracles before you leave for the honeymoon?

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