"BackyardWeddings" news and stories

A Backyard Wedding Courtesy of Style Me Pretty

An article in Tuesday's New York Times titled "With This Burger, I Thee Wed" chronicles an (economy-fueled) trend away from lavish, over-the-top weddings and towards the seating of guests comfortably in a backyard. Whether the yard belongs to a family member or is an old, rented-out estate, the fare being served at these weddings is reminiscent of a backyard barbecue: comfort food with simple flavors that aren't complicated or pretentious.

While I agree that the backyard reception is becoming trendy -- across class lines -- I think it started before the economy took a turn for the worse. Some of my favorite wedding blogs, such as Style Me Pretty, a go-to for many brides (especially DIY brides), have been stressing the importance of having a wedding that truly reflects the couple's personality.

A shiny, fancy affair may still be the Cinderella dream of many, but for others, it's a dream transformed into something lower-key. In the eyes of many, the more comfortable the wedding, the more fun is to be had.