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Beginner August 2022 Alberta

Backyard wedding tips

Sara, on December 29, 2020 at 22:49 Posted in Wedding reception 0 1

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Hello all! My fiancé are locked into a couple venues for ceremony and reception but we are thinking of selling our deposits and doing a backyard wedding to save some money while also cutting down our guest list. This wouldn’t take place until July/August of 2022. We have a pretty large pie lot yard with the side of it backing onto a walking trail with a chain link fence. I am considering building some fake hedging to create some privacy against the fence and renting a 20x20 clear top tent with some strung up lights. Does anyone have any tips for what kind of steps I need to take for having a backyard wedding in a residential area? Such as city permits for noise, insurance, parking permits, anything like that? We would of course be contacting a lot of our surrounding neighbors and ideally be starting to shutdown the festivities close to 11pm-12am.

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Latest activity by Hank, on December 30, 2020 at 00:29

Featured September 2021 Ontario
Hank · On December 30, 2020 at 00:29
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Can't speak to local bylaws and regulations since I'm not from where you are but here a few things from the event planning side you'll need to consider:
1) Power - this could be a generator or running a gazillion power cords from inside the house (which could be messy, a tripping hazard, and won't look nice). You'll need it for any type of sound setup if you choose to have one, like microphone/PA system for the ceremony/speeches and music playback. If you're hiring a DJ, he'll need dedicated power because their equipment will likely blow one of your fuses. You'll also need power for your string lights to light up.
2) Port-a-potties - this depends on how many people you have. If you're thinking of cutting your guests down to under 20, it may be doable but any more, it can become burdensome to have a lineup outside your only guest bathroom.
3) Parking - does local bylaws allow everyone to park on your property at once? Are they allowed to park on the street during certain hours? Will there be proper street lighting to ensure they are getting to their cars safely?
4) Event Liability Insurance - It's your own backyard so you likely won't require a Special Occasion Permit for alcohol (double check that cuz it may be different in Alberta) but are you having a caterer who will also serve drinks? If you're planning a free for all where your guests can grab anything they want with no servers and they get super drunk, you'd be on the hook for anything they do until they legally sober up. This includes property damage, accidents they cause while on the road, etc. For this reason, I strongly recommend getting event liability insurance.
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