Backyard wedding checklist: the short version
Book the tent and check permits 9 to 12 months out. Reserve tables, chairs, a dance floor and lighting by six months. Settle power, restrooms and sidewalls by three months. Confirm the final count and floor plan a month out, then mark the yard and walk it with the rental company the week of.
12 to 6 months out: book the wedding tent and rentals
12 months out: wedding tent, guest count and permits
Set a realistic guest count first, because it sets the tent size and almost every other order. A seated dinner needs roughly 11 square feet per guest; a full wedding with a dance floor, buffet and bar needs about 20. Our tent size calculator turns your count into a standard size.
Then measure the yard. You need a flat, open area larger than the tent itself, with a few feet on every side for stakes, and no low spot that collects water after a storm. Note anything underground: septic tanks, irrigation lines, buried dog fences. Tent stakes go deep, and buried utility lines get marked through 811 before anyone drives one, so ask who makes that call.
Book the tent next. Peak-season Saturdays, June through early October, book first. Our wedding tent rental page compares frame, pole, sailcloth and clear-top styles.
Last, call your town or city. Tents over a certain size may need a permit or inspection, so ask the local building or fire department what applies and how long approval takes.
6 months out: tables, chairs, dance floor and lighting
Order the tables and chairs once the tent is booked, ideally from the same company so one truck handles it all. Plan seating with these standard counts: a 60-inch round seats 8, a 72-inch round seats 10, and an 8-foot banquet table seats 8 to 10. White folding chairs are the usual default; ask about chiavari or cross-back chairs if you want a dressier look.
A dance floor matters more on grass than people expect, since heels sink and lawns are rarely level. A 15x15 or 16x16 floor suits about 100 guests. Add tent lighting now, too: string lights over the tables and some light at the entrance and path. Linens go on the same order.
3 months, 1 month and the week of the backyard wedding
3 months out: tent sidewalls, power and restrooms
This is your rain plan. Sidewalls clip onto the tent frame and can stay rolled up until the weather turns, so rent them for at least the windward sides even if the forecast looks fine. Ask how quickly they can be dropped during the reception.
Sort out power next. Caterers' warmers, the DJ, a bar fridge and tent lighting can trip household circuits fast. Ask your caterer and DJ what they draw, and plan for a generator if your outlets won't cover it. Keep cords taped down or run them under the dance floor edge.
Plan restrooms, too. One house bathroom won't cover a wedding-size crowd, and the septic system may not appreciate the attempt. Many couples rent a restroom trailer or portable units from a sanitation company. Book those separately, and place them near a path you'll light.
1 month out: final guest count and table layout
Confirm your count and lock the floor plan: where the tables, dance floor, bar, buffet and DJ sit inside the tent. Send it to the rental company and the caterer so everyone works from the same drawing.
Talk to your neighbors now, not the week of. Tell them the date, when the music ends and where guests will park. An invitation helps. Line up parking on a neighbor's lawn or a nearby lot if your driveway won't hold everyone.
Week of the wedding: setup day and yard checks
Mow two or three days before the tent goes up, and mark sprinkler heads and anything buried. Be home on setup day, which is usually a day or two before the wedding, to confirm where the tent goes. Check the final forecast and decide on sidewalls.
Backyard wedding rentals in the Capital Region
Backyard wedding rentals come down to a few core pieces: the tent, sidewalls, tables, chairs, linens, a dance floor and lighting. Most Capital Region tent companies carry all of them, and getting them from one company keeps delivery, setup and pickup on a single schedule.
Local yards vary a lot. A larger lot in Loudonville or Niskayuna may have room for a 40x60, while a city yard in Albany's Pine Hills may only take a 20x40 and send the bar to the driveway. A sloped lawn on Saratoga Lake can limit where a big tent fits. A site visit settles it.
Tell us your date, town and guest count on our free tent rental quote page, and we'll match you with a local tent company. If you're near Albany, our tent rental in Albany, NY page covers the city and nearby towns.