Does the thought of a home wedding make your sentimental heart sing? Friend, SAME. The concept of taking a familiar place and turning it into a place of celebration- it makes your wedding a beautiful opportunity for gratitude. You get to take a familiar place and highlight its magic to create new memories.
Even if you're renting a place for a few days, the opportunity to bring your people together for a time in a beautiful, homey environment is truly special. You get to create a day that is uniquely you. I see why a private property wedding is so popular with the intimate wedding crowd!
As a Kansas City wedding planner, private properties are my absolute favorite places to plan weddings- but let me break it down for you, small wedding seeker... a private property wedding is complicated. Each one challenges me as a professional and an artist in all the best ways, and I want you to be prepared for this endeavor if that is where your heart is set. I have found time and time again it is well worth the effort if you keep a few key things in mind while you prepare.
But wait, who are you taking advice from? In case you landed here from a random Google search (or social media rabbit hole), I'm Keilah, wedding planner and creative director here at Bespoke Socials (a KCMO wedding planning company). You can learn more about my story (and values!) here, but the short version is: I'm a wedding planner who believes that when it comes to planning a wedding, you don't have to celebrate like everyone else. Everything you choose to have on your wedding day should be chosen with absolute intention, and we get to create something fresh with the unique perspective of your love story. Intimate and untraditional is kind of my thing!
I can help you break any tradition you want while maintaining all the majesty and beauty of a wedding celebration. You can learn more about working together here, or let's skip to the good part and save your date here. Bespoke Socials proudly serves love of all kinds. \
Now, let's jump into 5 things to consider when planning a private property wedding in Kansas City!
One: You Build From Scratch
First, when its your place- you make the rules. This is both exhilarating and overwhelming! When you plan a home wedding, there is no template to follow or rules telling you what time you have to head home. There's also no venue coordinator to answer questions, put out fires, or handle the boring details like insurance and zoning.
Venues provide a LOT of resources and conveniences. You don't realize exactly how many until you're providing them all yourself! Everything from bathrooms, to parking, to lighting, rain plans, and power- that's all on you when you plan a wedding at home. You also have to take care of any staff and service-related necessities. Who will clear garbage, set up tables and chairs, and direct guests if someone double parks and blocks the catering truck?
Being your own boss is a delicate balance of having fun with the freedom and being the go-to-person for everything that needs to get done. The magic is 100% worth it for the right couple- just make sure you're up for the responsibility.
Two: Extra Permissions
If you don't have the convenience of your own property or close loved one's property to host the festivities, don't fret! It's a lot of work, but you can look for rental properties that allow events. AirBnb, VRBO, and Flipkey are popular options to begin your search. Once you've found a few perfect spots, you'll want to message the owners and let them know of your plans.
It is essential that the property owners are on board! Not only can they shut your wedding down and kick you out without a refund if they catch you breaking their rules, but they are important allies in pulling this thing off without a hitch. The owners of the property ideally know their neighbors (and can give them a heads up for what to expect), can help you figure out garbage and parking, and other logistical details. Don't be surprised if it takes you several requests to get a "Yes"- running an event venue is a lot different than running a vacation rental, and they may not have signed up for that level of responsibility. There are also important tax, zoning, and home owners association regulations to take into consideration. If you get a few no's, don't take it personally, and don't give up hope that the right place is out there!
If you already have a place that's perfect for your nuptials- congrats! That's one of the hard parts (but you're not off the hook, yet). If you don't own the property, you'll want to have a thorough conversation with the owners of the property about what to expect and keep them updated as plans progress. Make a plan for cleaning, damage, and understand their rules to be as respectful as possible (and avoid wedding drama). Even if you own the place, you'll need to make sure neighbors aren't going to be pissed because of extra noise or lack of parking, and make sure anything you're staking into the ground isn't disrupting plumbing or electrical lines. If you're planning a particularly loud or rowdy event, don't forget to check in with the city. You don't want to find out that you're legally required to shut things down by 10 or 11 PM the hard way.
Three: Extra Vendor Needs
You'll also have a few extra considerations to take into consideration with your creative team. Here are just a few I've encountered:
Does your caterer have enough room to park their truck, use your kitchen for prep, and/or set up equipment?
Will your photographer and videographer have enough lighting?
Is there a place for the gorgeous vintage furniture to stay overnight where it won't get damaged by inclement weather or morning dew?
Does the band or DJ have a convenient place to plug in?
Will you need to hire a bartending service?
Are there microphones for you and/or your officiant?
Four: Extra Equipment
Some common things many weddings at private properties need to bring in:
Generators
Restroom trailers
Flooring
Tent
Lighting
Parking and traffic control signage
Tables, linens, and chairs
Flatware, drinkware, and serveware
Microphones and speakers
Five: You Need a Wedding Planner
Look, I'm biased, but this is a hill I'm willing to die on! Having a wedding at home is essentially building a wedding venue from scratch, and unless you've got extensive experience with outdoor events on private properties you don't want to do it alone.
Weddings at home require a certain amount of skill, artistry, and experience to pull it off well. An experienced wedding planner will help you take extra needs into consideration, assist your team with their unique challenges, and communicate with the right people in right timeline to make your wedding at home fun and stress-free.
If you're planning a wedding at home, and you still need thoughtful guidance to take you on this journey, consider me the expert. Connect directly with me here!
Kansas City Private Property Wedding
Phew! We've made it, nearly wed. This was a lot of info, and I hope that after reading it you're able to walk away with a newfound respect for what goes into pulling off a wedding at home (and you're still excited to go for it).
Although not easy, weddings on private properties will always be a favorite for me because I absolutely love the personalization and meaningfulness behind it all. I love how they challenge, I love how they give you a wedding unlike anyone else, I love how just plain cool they are. I'll bet you feel the same. I hope to see a lot more kick-ass Kansas City weddings at home now that I'm here. <3
Hope that helps, happy planning!