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Say 'I Do' In Your Own Yard

Tribune photo by CLIFF McBRIDE

Wedding planner Valerie DiVecchio says couples who opt for them tend to be laid-back types who want something both casual and elegant

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By PENNY CARNATHAN

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 14, 2008

If your home is your castle, where better to hold a fairy tale wedding?

Your own backyard or the one you grew up in offers intimacy and just possibly a natural setting that beats the local country club. It's open to personal touches, much more than hotels and rental halls, and saves guests traveling from one venue to another for the ceremony and reception.

Don't do it to save money — you'll likely be disappointed. Be sure to have a Plan A and a Plan B; remember, the Sunshine State isn't always so sunny. And know the neighborhood and community rules that could shut you down mid-toast.

It all came together for Ingrid and David von Thaden of Odessa, who took every advantage of their lakeside property's charms when they married March 12, 2006.

''I wanted the city people to really feel they were in the country,'' Ingrid says. ''Our lighting spotlighted specimen plants like a staghorn fern and a lot of trees. We had one light shoot across the lake so you could see the bird preserve on the other side.

''Everything went off without a hitch. The only one nervous that day was the groom. He hadn't done this in a while.''

But home weddings aren't for everyone.

Couples who opt for them tend to be laid-back types who want something both casual and elegant, says Valerie DiVecchio, a wedding planner and owner of Divine Creations Event Planning Specialists in Tampa.

''There's not an age commonality or demographic. It's more of a personality, I think,'' she says.

Penny pinchers, be warned.

''Truth be told, you're renting tables, chairs, linens. You're not saving a huge amount,'' DiVecchio says. ''It needs to be, 'I want to do this because it means something to me,' rather than, 'It's going to be a big savings.'''

Don't be a George Banks, warns Janis Gillrie of Keystone, who has thrown backyard wedding receptions for four of her children.

''Remember that movie 'Father of the Bride'? He thinks he's going to save money by having it at the house,'' she says. She gets a big chuckle out of that one.

She has learned, though. She saved $500 on her daughter's reception last month by getting the groomsmen to light the big tent with Christmas strings she purchased at a post-holiday sale.

Jennifer Collier, who married John in 2004, saved on rental chairs by moving the ceremony's outdoor seating indoors for the dinner, while guests enjoyed a cocktail hour.

If there's a safer time, meteorogically speaking, to plan an outdoor wedding, it's January to April, DiVecchio says. Still, nothing's guaranteed.

Jennifer Garcia chose March 12, 2005, for her wedding after researching temperature and rain averages over several years. So she was prepared for unseasonable heat — not a cold front.

''We were scurrying around looking for heating lamps at the last minute,'' she says.

The worst bet, DiVecchio says, is hurricane season, June 1 to Nov. 30.

''If it is during hurricane season,'' she says, ''get wedding insurance. Wedding insurance is going to protect you from potentially losing all that money.''

Remember Hurricane Charley? As it spun toward the Tampa Bay area in 2004, people up and down the Gulf Coast evacuated — including caterers, florists, heck, even brides and grooms. The storm made landfall on a Friday.

''There were a lot of events planned that weekend,'' DiVecchio grimly recalls.

Wedding insurance may be available through your homeowners insurance carrier. She also directs clients to www.wedsafe.com.

Other disasters are wholly preventable.

Before you do anything else, make sure neighborhood deed restrictions even allow the gathering you're planning, DiVecchio advises. Then check your local government's noise ordinance.

''If you paid the deejay [for music] till 12 and the cops shut you down at 10:30, you've wasted money.''

And don't forget to make nice with the neighbors. Whether it's your castle, your parents' or crazy Aunt Simone's, someone's going to have to live there after the last fistful of rice is thrown.

''You need to inform the neighbors; let them know the date and time,'' DiVecchio says. ''Of course, the etiquette and nice thing to do is invite your neighbors. Drop off that invitation with a nice homemade batch of cookies or brownies. That will help, too.''

MORE TIPS FROM THE WEDDING PLANNER

* The average wedding in Florida has 125 to 150 guests. Sitting them all down for dinner requires a good amount of backyard — or room in the house. If that's a problem, consider mixing small cabaret tables and highboy chairs, and serve finger foods and beverages.

* When nature calls, bathrooms must answer. Port-a-potties provide extra seating, and they've come a long way. Some even have sinks, lighting, mirrors and air conditioning. But remember: All the extras cost extra.

* Where will everyone park? Work with nearby shopping centers or churches that will be closed during the wedding and reception. You might hire a valet or get a friend to provide ferry service.

Ingrid von Thaden hired local youngsters to direct traffic and rented two golf carts to carry guests up her dirt driveway.

* The buzz about your wedding shouldn't be mosquitoes. If they're a problem, hire a pest control company to treat the area about three days beforehand.

Planner Valerie DiVecchio recalls a backyard that abutted a conservation area. "As they were treating for mosquitoes, the company discovered a beehive underground and was able to take care of that. An underground nest of fire ants or bees could be a very big problem if someone steps in it."

* Food will always hold up better inside. Outside, plan seasonally.

''If you have your heart set on a raw bar, incorporating it in an ice sculpture will help,'' DiVecchio says. In cooler weather, an outdoor buffet is good for about two hours.

* Stay away from buttercream for wedding cakes when temperatures are high. Try to keep the cake inside, maybe positioned in a window where it can be seen. When it's time for cutting, roll it out.

Source: Valerie DiVecchio of Divine Creations Event Planning Specialists, 3309 Westshore Blvd., Tampa

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