A Rustic Backyard Concept

Finding the perfect reception venue is probably the second most difficult thing marrying couples deal with, next to where to hold the ceremony. Some couples, particularly those who belong to other religions, have the privilege to hold their reception exactly where they hold their ceremony. But for Catholics who are not allowed to exchange vows outside the church, it’s a whole different story.

There are countless hotels and restaurants in Tagaytay that are highly sought and recommended by wedding magazines, wedding websites, and well-reputed wedding planners. But though it’s ideal that we book our reception in one of those fairytale-worthy places, they’re not even in our options.

We’re thinking of a relaxed backyard luncheon, where people would just be talking the whole afternoon over good food and lemonades instead of dancing the night away. We also had to consider the fact that not everyone will have their own transportation, so we had to make sure that everyone can get home safe and sound after the wedding.

Initially, our plan was to hold the reception in the fiance’s Tagaytay backyard. This option will not only help us achieve a relaxed ambiance for the reception, but will also save us a huge portion of our budget. We simply can’t imagine spending Php 70-90k on venues that will be rented out for 5 hours, especially since it will take most of us at least 5 months to earn that amount of money. Maybe for other couples, the price is just right. For us, definitely wrong.

Here are some photos of the backyard:

SKID MARKS: the pickup got stuck in the mud. LOL

It still looks like it needs a little manicuring but once it undergoes a makeover, it can comfortably room about 120-150 guests. We’re still considering the possibility of holding our reception to a different venue, but for now, it’s the backyard that we’re really eyeing on.