However, to pull off a backyard wedding takes a little more time and planning on the couple’s part. They won’t have a dedicated staff on hand at their friends or family’s home to coordinate the wedding and manage the set-up and take down of the wedding ceremony area as well as managing the parking and flow of guests.

If you plan on hosting your wedding in a backyard, the planning and logistics is completely up to you; or anyone you can talk into helping. That’s why we at Southern California Wedding Photography have come up with a list of things, in no particular order of importance, which we think will help you in preparing and planning your backyard wedding.

Liability/Homeowners Insurance: Does the hosts homeowners insurance cover events like a wedding? Do they have liability insurance? If not, you may want to consider getting coverage for a single event through an insurance carrier. Check with your insurance broker first or you can search the Internet for wedding insurance. The last thing you want is to have a guest injure themselves and the wedding cost you more than you anticipated in medical bills and possibly legal fees.

City Permits: It’s important to check with the city to see if there are any special permits you may need. Your city may require a special permit if you plan on having a very large gathering. While in most cases, you will not need a permit; it’s up to the individual hosting the wedding to make certain there are no required permits or fees. It’s also a good idea to determine the noise curfew. Most cities have a 10pm noise curfew, which means the DJ needs to turn down the music.

Pathways and Exits: It’s important to know where guests can enter and exit from, especially in an emergency. Make certain that there are clear pathways in the backyard and that they are free form any obstructions, such as sprinklers, rocks, and tree stumps. It’s a good idea to have an emergency evacuation plan posted as well.

Notify Neighbors: If you’re backyard wedding will be taking place in a neighborhood close to other residences, then it’s a good idea to inform the surrounding neighborhood of your event. You can pass out a flier, go door to door, or even send a letter. It’s common courtesy to inform the neighbors so that they can prepare for the evening as well as deal with the parking and traffic issues that may arise on your wedding day.

Parking Availability: Check for parking. Will your guest have easy access to the home from where they park? Is parking available along the street where the wedding will be taking place? If you plan on having a large gathering of guests, then you may want to consider hiring or appointing parking attendants and/or contacting a local business or church nearby where guests can park their cars and be shuttled over to the venue. The last thing you want is disorganized parking and a traffic situation, which can cause delays and headaches for area residents.

Adequate Restroom Facility: If you plan on having any size crowed where food and beverages are going to be served, then you want to make certain that the host home has enough restrooms to accommodate your guests. If there are not enough restrooms to comfortably accommodate your guests, then you may want to invest a little in to portable toilets. Again, make sure that there is room to set them up and that they are in a location that will not disturb your guests as they attend your ceremony and reception

Electrical Consideration: Chances are that you will have a DJ for your wedding as well as the need for a microphone for the ceremony. You will need electrical outlets to connect to the equipment. Check with the home to make sure that there is enough outlets and map out their locations. You may want to consider extra extension cords and outlet strips as well or even a generator if you plan on drawing a lot of electricity. But remember, if you are using electrical cords in the backyard, make sure they are hidden or taped down with gaffers tape to keep guests from tripping on them.

Adequate Seating Space: Backyards can be cramped spaces. Will you have guests seated? If so, then you will need to consider renting folding chairs for the event. In some cases, the ceremony may be quick and short and your guests can stand for the duration. But be considerate to the elderly who will need to sit.

Catering and Eating Area: Often times a backyard wedding reception is hosted indoors or at least the buffet and serving occur indoors. However, there are times where the couple may opt to have their food outdoors. In this case, you will need to determine a serving spot as well as a dining area for guests. One possible solution would be to use the chairs for the wedding ceremony for the reception as well. It’s a common practice to turn the ceremony area in a backyard into a dining area by just adding the tables since the chairs are already present.

Wedding Cake Location: It’s best to keep the cake indoors until you are ready to cut the cake. Some couples that have outdoor weddings prefer to go indoors to cut their wedding cake. However, if you are hosting a large wedding, then designate a spot outdoors for the cake, so that your guests can participate and watch the two of you cut a slice.

Pets: If your host has pets, make sure that they are placed in a safe location; away form your guests. Pets, can both be a hazard as well as an annoyance. If your host does not have a designated area to safely house their pets during your wedding ceremony and reception, you may want to suggest a kennel for the day. The last thing you want is to have a guest bitten or non-stop barking during your wedding ceremony.

Swimming Pool: If there is a pool and it’s not part of the ceremony or reception party, then make sure that it is closed off and not easily accessible. Kids tend to wonder off and, well, inebriated, guests can easily find themselves in the swimming pool as well. If you do plan on using the pool as part of your reception party, then consider hiring a professional lifeguard to keep watch of the guests swimming.

Photo Opportunities: Scout the backyard you will be having your wedding ceremony at. Check for any obstacles that may interfere with your wedding day photos. It’s also a good idea to have your professional wedding photograph do a walk-through with you so they can get an idea on how they will photograph the wedding on your wedding day. If your photographer cannot be present for a walk-through or rehearsal, then take digital images of the backyard so they can get an idea of where they would like to photograph. The more pictures you take, the better the chances your photographer will have in creating a shot plan for your day.

Some brides may argue that being seen for the first time as they walk down the aisle by their future husband is more important than the photos themselves. Our response, you can get the same reaction by your man even before you walk down the aisle. Have your photographer either blindfold the groom or have him facing away from you. As you walk toward him, he will slowly turn around and the photographer can capture those first moments of his expression. You can even add some romantic music to the entire process, making it more romantic and special; perhaps a special song that you would not have added to your wedding processional.

You would think that someone would step up to the plate and move the cake indoors, or even to the shade. Unfortunately, this never occurred. As the day progressed and the wedding ceremony drew to a close, guests gathered in the reception area while the bride and groom took their wedding photos. It was then when a bridesmaid began to notice the cake leaning heavily, something like the leaning tower of Pisa. Before she could react, the top layer of the cake had fallen off and plopped right onto the gravel directly below the table it was resting upon.

Needless to say, what happened next was anything but orthodox. In an attempt to keep the bride from seeing the mishap and causing a commotion, a few of the well meaning bridesmaids picked up the fallen top layer, dusted it off, carefully removed any gravel and gently placed it back on top of the wedding cake as a few other bridesmaids stood in front of the “crime scene” to keep guests and the bride from discovering the fallen cake.

In the end, the reception was saved and the bride was unsuspecting of the fallen cake. Although a few guests had witnessed the event of the cake “dust off”, the unsuspecting guests went about celebrating and enjoying a slice of the wedding cake.

If you are hiring a professional photographer for your evening wedding, then we recommend that you ask your photographer specifically to view wedding images they captured at night or in low light situations.  This will give you a more realistic idea of what your photographer is capable of doing, absent of the SoCal sun!

Consult with your engagement photographer; Decide on the location or locations where the photography will take place. Your photographer will make color and clothing style recommendations. You may also want to make sure the location you will be shooting at has restrooms or a spot to change into your clothing. If not, you may need to change in your car or bring a portable changing bag.

The grounds at Alta Dena Town and Country Club are reminiscent of a well manicured English Garden. With its wall lined hedges and rose garden, the grounds provide for ample photographic opportunities for both the wedding couple to large groups to include wedding parties as well as family formals. Outdoor weddings provide the wedding photographer plenty of room to move freely, capturing both guests as well as the intimate details of the wedding ceremony.

Balconies on the premises offer the Southern California wedding photographer opportunities to capture aerial images of the outdoor wedding ceremony, providing the wedding couple with some unique wedding photography.

To compliment the country clubs outdoor photographic opportunities, couples holding their reception indoors at the venue can expect, not only an elegant setting, but ample natural light provided by large glass panel windows. Professional photographers can take advantage of the natural light offered, capturing more natural looking images.

There’s definitely no shortage of photographic spots at Alta Dena Town and Country Club. Both photographers and brides would be pleased with the surroundings as well as the interiors natural lighting.

The “Photographers Checklist For Brides” is a run down of items the bride will need for her wedding photographer or wedding day photographs; items such as final payment to the photographer as well as any props she may want to bring along for her wedding day photo session.

Most brides on their wedding day are overwhelmed with the events of the day, so adding the wedding photo necessities and requirements to their list can just be enough to push a bride over the “edge” on her wedding day. This list was written after interviewing several professional wedding photographers and compiling their input.

While we do understand some of the information in the list below would be covered in a typical wedding photo contract, we still felt it was important enough to add to the list, just in case your photographer did not include in their contract.

Photographers Check List For Brides

Final Payment: Depending on your contract and arrangement with your photographer, you may want to make sure that you have your final payment either paid or with you on your wedding day. Every photographer has a different policy, so make sure that you know your photographers payment policy. Some photographers won’t even show up to the wedding if final payment isn’t paid by or on the wedding date.

Props: Your photographer may have this covered, but often times, wedding photographers capture the moment and are inspired by the day’s events and the chemistry of the couple and guests; Using props may not be something the photographer will have in their bag of photographic equipment.

Some suggested props could be sunglasses, cigars, flasks, or umbrellas. If you’re going to use them in a photograph, make certain that your entire wedding party has the props. Place them on a list of things to bring and give the list to your wedding party so they know what to bring to the wedding or reception venue.

Time line of events: Even if you are working with a wedding coordinator, it’s a good idea to keep your wedding photographer informed about what types of events will be taking place and in what order. This doesn’t mean that the plan wont change, but providing your photographer with a list of events of the day can help them plan their shooting and timing.

Contact Numbers: If you’re working with a wedding coordinator, provide their name and phone number to your photographer.  In addition, you may also want to provide your maid of honors and best mans phone number to your photographer, especially if you’re not working with a coordinator. This gives the photographer other key individuals they can contact in case you are not available or the photographer cannot get hold of you.

Wedding/Reception location address and contact info: While this information may be covered on the wedding photography contract, it’s a good idea to provide your photographer with this information just in case they need to get directions or as an extra contact should they not be able to reach the wedding coordinator, you or member of the wedding party.

Post wedding address: If you’re going to be moving to a new address after you are married, provide your wedding photographer with the new residence so that they can deliver the final product(s) to you. This also includes any email changes due to your last name change.

Photo List: Depending on your photographer and their style of business and photography, provide them with a list of important family members to photograph. You will see plenty of photo shot lists on the Internet. Most photographers shy away from shooting from a list. But if you want specific shots of family members, especially during the formals, then you should provide your photographer with that information.

House Rules: This mainly applies to churches, but some wedding facilities do have their own house rules for photographers. Check with your facility, if they do have a list of requirements for photographers, make sure to get your photographer the list so that they are aware of what they can and can’t do at the wedding/reception site. The last thing you want is for the photographer to break these rules.

Maps and Directions: If you are having a backyard wedding or plan on taking photos at a local park, provide your photographer with a map and directions to the location(s). Although your photographer should have knowledge of the wedding and reception venues, you may want to provide them with a printed map to those locations as well.

Meals: Your photographer(s) are professionals. They are at your wedding because you hired them to capture your special day. Make sure they are fed. Coordinate with the reception staff/wedding coordinator to make certain that the wedding photographer has a meal. If there are two photographers or an assistant, make sure you have that information and pass it along to the reception facility. You don’t want to starve your wedding photographer, especially if they are there to make you look good.

Copy of signed contract: Don’t forget to bring a copy of your signed contract. This will serve as a reminder of what time the photographer is contracted from and to. Often times a couple will book a photographer for a specific length of time and may forget that the photographer is set to leave at a certain time. The contract will help both parties understand the terms of the business transaction for the day so there’s no issues at the wedding.

Engagement photo: If you had an engagement photo session with your photographer, then you may want to bring either the print to be signed or the photo guest book. Often times, the photographer will bring the engagement photos with them, but just incase they ship it to you; make sure you bring it to the wedding.

Any Signed Releases: While for the most part, the wedding contract can double as a model release, some photographers may require an additional model release so they can use the photos for self-promotion or photo competitions. You may have already signed this and provided it to your photographer. However, if not, then make sure you bring the original copy with you, signed.

Your wedding day and it’s planning is hectic already, the last thing you need to do is be bogged down with wedding photo details. A little planning on your part is sure to make your experience with your wedding photographer a pleasant one. The list above is just a guideline, but we at Southern California Wedding Photography certainly hop that it will prove to be a valuable asset to you and your photographer.

Both captivating and quaint, Etiwanda Gardens in Rancho Cucamonga, California offers several nice spots on its premises, both outdoors as well as indoors, to capture your wedding photography.  In addition, they allow couples who are getting married at the center to have their engagement photography taken at the facility with the couples’ wedding/engagement photographer.

Originally built as a Buddhist center, Etiwanda Gardens offers the option of being married in either their elegant glass panel chapel or outdoors, in a garden style wedding.

The glass chapel offers wedding photographers and brides plenty of natural light and open space. While the chapel windows face both toward the east and west, experienced photographers are able to manage the direct sunlight a wedding would receive in either the morning or late afternoon. If a chapel style wedding does not fit the couples wedding plans, Etiwanda Gardens offer outdoor, garden style weddings, allowing more flexibility for their photographer as well as the wedding couple.

The outside wedding ceremony allows for greater movement by the photographer, allowing them to gain closer access to the couple as well as the officiant, capturing both the emotions as well as detailed shots; something that can be quite a challenge in the chapel. In addition, the garden setting offers a more picturesque setting, with it’s green lawn, lamp posts, and trees.

Etiwanda Gardens also offers one of Southern California’s most quaint photographic spots for a wedding venue; their signature landmark, the Koi pond. Wedding photographers would be hard pressed not to find ample photographic opportunities in the garden which surrounds the Koi pond. From it’s wooden, arched bridge, to it’s boulder lined water fall, the garden is rich with photographic opportunity and having the right photographer can be the difference between good wedding photographs and great ones!

In addition to the chapel, gardens, and koi pond, the center offers other spots for your special day photos. From its pathways, to hedged lined lawn and award winning architecture, both brides and photographers would be pleased with the center and it’s photogenic backdrops.

To view image samples of Etiwanda Gardens, visit their gallery.