Backyard barbecues are a great American pastime. They bring together family, friends, fellowship, and food! Wait, isn’t that what weddings do too?
Upon first consideration, a Memorial Day-like BBQ may not be what you have envisioned for your dream wedding. But you can bring a classy twist to this summertime standard for a blissfully beautiful affair. Stick to what makes these events so great and add a dose of wedding day magic to make it feel extra special. Continue reading to see how you can achieve a classy backyard barbecue wedding!
Food, food, and food
What is the first thing that comes to mind when someone says, “barbecue”? Yes, family and conversation and outdoor games all play a role, but food is immediately at the forefront of your thoughts. The classic cuisine is what makes these events so endearing, so stick with that menu! Make the meal a little more special by offering multiple meat options — think pulled pork, grilled chicken, cheesesteaks, briskets, ribs — pretty much anything you can smoke, grill, or flame broil. Offer plenty of sauces, maybe even set up a sauce bar!
Supplement the meat with some hearty grilled vegetables, such as corn on the cob, asparagus, peppers, and more. While the fire is going, throw on some whole potatoes — regular baked potatoes, sweet potatoes, or yams — or dice them.
And then come the side dishes. Backyard BBQ menus are all about the slaws, the salads, and the casseroles. Call upon your relatives to make bulk batches of their famous cole slaws, macaroni salads, and three-bean casseroles. Some salty snacks are another BBQ staple — serve them more elegantly by created a bar with endless varieties, such as a chip bar with flavors ranging from regular to sour cream & onion to Old Bay. Fresh fruits and vegetables are always refreshing and nourishing complements to the splurging that is going on with the other food.
…and drinks
Food is the first area that you should focus your attention when planning a classy backyard barbecue wedding, but drinks are also extremely important. Because what is a BBQ without a cooler full of way more beverages than the party will ever be able to consume! Elevate your game from aluminum cans to glass bottles of soda, carbonated beverages, teas, and water. Trade the bright red cooler for large wooden barrels, vintage wheel barrows, canoes, or water troughs. Also, you could place the typical BBQ refreshments in large glass pitchers for a more elegant look. Set out fun straws to really seal the backyard barbecue deal.
Click below to check out some straws that really speak backyard BBQ wedding!
Dessert
After such a delicious and hearty meal, it may be a while until your guests are ready for dessert. But then again, doesn’t everyone have a second stomach for sweets? You can opt for an eclectic, pot-luck style dessert bar. Or, you can stick to an old favorite, a classic that never goes out of style, a comfort food for all man kind… PIE!! Go crazy with the varieties of pecan, pumpkin, apple, cherry and shoofly pies. Your guests and your stomach will thank you.
Complete your pie bar with a neat backyard banner like the one below.
Signs
These days, no wedding (and probably no backyard BBQ for that matter) is complete with out the proper signage. Thankfully, the backyard BBQ style caters perfectly for chalkboard, wooden, and other homemade signs. Feature the menu on one such board. Explain all the lawn games on another. Write cute sayings such as, “I do BBQ,” “BBQ this way,” and “We can’t say i do without BBQ.”
Click below to buy and customize this BBQ wedding sign!
Flowers
Backyard barbecues usually take place in the summertime, or when the weather becomes comfortable enough to be outdoors. These seasons also find flowers in full-bloom. Let the in-season flowers dictate your arrangements, style, and theme. Stick to simple bouquets and centerpieces and stay away from exotic and elaborate florals. Hold the flowers in mason jars, vintage vases, old glass bottles, or baskets.
Tablecloths
While the red and white checkered variety is the epitome of backyard barbecue, any tablecloths you decorate you tables with will do. As long as you stray from basic neutrals, you can’t really go wrong. The more vintage, colorful, and eclectic the mix of tablecloths the better!
Click below to start your tablecloth collection!
Lawn games
Lawn games are fun for any occasion, but there is no affair more fitting for them than a backyard barbecue wedding. Pull out the corn hole, the horse shoes, the croquet, the badminton, the potato sack races… you name it!
‘Want a custom corn hole set, or giant jenga, or yard yahtzee? Look no further! Click the below to buy these yard games for your backyard barbecue bash!
Favors
And, as if your guests haven’t enjoyed your wedding enough, send them away with some BBQ-appropriate favors. Send them off with a jar of your family’s famous pickles. Or, maybe go with a homemade jelly, jam, or BBQ rub. For a different twist, give each of your guests a morning-after breakfast picnic, complete with croissant, muffin, cereal, banana, and any other breakfast favorites packed in a cute basket.
Click below to shop for mini picnic basket favor boxes.
Backyard barbecues carry with them many fond memories. Between the food, the family, the friends, and the fellowship, theses events can serve equally as well as a wedding style. Take the above suggestions into consideration in order to host a classy yet cozy backyard barbecue wedding!
