Guests camping in our yard at our wedding?

My fiance and I are having a casual wedding in our backyard. We are expecting about 150 guests so its not exactly small. We are having it catered and will have a DJ and photographer, etc.

Our backyard is over an acre and our neighbor (who is invited) offered his backyard, which is also over an acre, if we need extra room.

So the problem is that my fiance thinks we should let our guests camp in our neighbor's yard if they would like to (most of our friends are outdoors-y). Although I like that we are having a casual ceremony and reception I think this idea is going too far. It's our wedding night for goodness sake!

I also don't want campers and tents in the background of our photos.

Over the weekend I saw several of the people who will be invited (and who would have camped) and they gave me a hard time about nixing this idea.

What do you think? Am I being a bridezilla?

Also...I have already set a room block at 2 nearby hotels and arranged for shuttle service between the hotels and our house, so it's not like the guests don't have anywhere to go.

NO, you are NOT being a bridezilla!!!! Having a post-wedding camp-out for your guests is going much too far- it's your wedding, not Woodstock!! You are entitled to a bit of privacy on your wedding night. If your hard-core nature enthusiast friends want to camp, give them a map of a nearby campsite where they can stay.

I don't think you are being a bridezilla. With the hotel and shuttle you are being very accommodating.

Besides, your neighbor offering to let you use his back yard for the over flow wedding party is not exactly the same thing as offering to have tents and campers spend the night in his back yard. Not to mention the logistics of where all these people will be showering and using the bathroom at.

If people are so keen on camping, give them a list of available campsites near your house in addition to the hotels.

I agree with you. Although is sound fun, it poses other problems: bathroom facilities, unsightly tents on the ceremony grounds, offended neighbors etc.

May I suggest and alternative: Find your nearest camping spot and suggested to your guests. They will have all teh facilities necesary for camping withour the eyesore.

No, you are not being bridezilla, I would be mortified as well.

Good luck

i think it would be a nice idea because your guests would not have to pay for accomadations. Maybe you could do some kind of partition. so that you don't see the camp site. I think if that is your fiance's style you might as well embrace it. People don't like to pay for hotels i know i would not want to.
and no i don't think your being a bridezilla let the one that want to camp, camp. Just put up some kind of partition. or make the camp ground far enough away from the party. :)

You are not being a bridezilla! Guests can go elsewhere if they want to camp out.You have done great with the hotel and shuttle idea.Let them find a camp ground near by,but not next door.They can go camping some other time.This is YOUR wedding for pete's sake.I agree with you,that is going to far.

Not at all. I see both your points but you are right about the photos. And you shouldnt have to entertain or worry about your guests that night and you will ahve tons of people in and out of the house using the bathroom.

Maybe find a local camp ground and hotels for them!

No camping in the neighbors yard at all

Very tacky to even consider camping in your yard

That's a great idea..if you're a "Redneck" You're not a Bridezilla! You're a bride with some class. Have your guests stay in rooms. Best Wishes :-)

Hes Funny ,lmao ,, and no your not a bridezilla,, smile and congrats

I don't know why everyone throws such a big issue about things like this. It could be so much fun. We have several guests staying at our home, with only one spare room and an RV. We decided that anyone who wants to can camp out around the fire pit. I wouldn't tell them to camp out on the neighbor's yard, though - too many liability issues, especially if someone got hurt or something.

In fact, my husband and I were running the tractor the other day when it hit us - why don't we camp out, too? "It's your wedding!" you say? Yeah - and probably your last chance to see a lot of these folks for a while. I'm spending as much time with my out-of-town friends and family as I can. Because who knows if (or when) I will see them again.

I don't think it's exactly Bridezilla to tell them no, but I dothink it's pretty freakin' selfish. There's no reason you can't take pictures before anyone puts up tents. Or make sure there is a "no tent" zone for pictures. As far as showers and stuff, my friends don't exactly expect a lot of accomadations when we camp over at each others' places. It's not like 150 people are going to take showers.

Of course, everyone reading this is so uppity, they're going to thumbs-down me. I don't care. I'll be spending time with my friends and family while you're shuttling yours away.

I can see both sides of the issue here. It's definitely a unique idea.

I don't see you as being a bridezilla on this one. I can understand the casual wedding and trying to accommodate guests that are outdoorsy, but I agree camping out on the yard for a wedding is a bit much with that many people attending. You also have to consider other "creature comforts" of your guests, such as restroom/shower facilities, electricity for campers, etc. If you're spending your wedding night at your home, it is an imposition on your privacy.

What I don't understand is your fiancee bringing this idea up to people when you have already decided on reserving a block of rooms and arranging shuttle service.

Do you or your fiancee think the people who would camp out might have financial issues with staying at a hotel? If so, then this would be a great option for them. It could work if you set a designated space for people to set up their campers where they will not be in the photographs.

Regardless of what you choose, it will take more coordination to have people camping than to stick with your original plan of the block of rooms.

Hope that helps. Good luck.