How To Throw The Ultimate Backyard BBQ Wedding Bash!

April 30, 2021 (0) Comments

If you’re planning on tying the knot soon and have decided to stay away from the beaten path and throw an unforgettable backyard BBQ party, then you’re in the right place!

Your wedding is going to be one of the most important days of your life, so it’s only right that you make sure it’s not only a wedding to remember but one that rings true to who you are as a person, as well as your partner. 

Traditional banquet-style wedding parties or more formal receptions aren’t going to be for everyone, and the easiest way to infuse the spirit of love into your special day is by choosing to celebrate it in a way that will be fun and ensure that you and your guests feel comfortable. 

If a backyard BBQ bash is calling your name, then we’re here to lend you a helping hand to make sure that your wedding party is one that is remembered forever.

Below, you’ll find a guide filled to the brim with everything you need to know.

From delicious recipes that are simply sure to go down a hit, all the way to planning advice, we’ve made sure to cover all bases so that you can pull your backyard BBQ wedding party off stress-free.

So, notebook and pen at the ready? Read on to start prepping for the big day! 

Where to Begin Planning Your Backyard BBQ Wedding Bash

First things first, you’re going to need to figure out how many guests you intend to have at your BBQ, because this will help you to gain an understanding of the quantities of food ingredients you’ll need to buy, as well as help plan out your facilities, and whether or not you have enough to accommodate everyone. 

After you’ve done this, it’ll then be time to reach out to your close friends and family (the more the merrier) and ask them if they would be willing to lend you a helping hand.

By doing so, you’ll be able to assign jobs and tasks to individuals or groups of people, in order to ensure that your wedding BBQ goes smoothly!

We also recommend that you make sure that you begin preparing and rounding up help for your wedding party at least 3 months before the big day, as this will mean you’ll have plenty of time to plan everything without feeling stressed or overwhelmed.

What’s on The Menu? 

So, given that you’ve now rounded up your group of helpers and are ready to begin actively planning your wedding BBQ bash, you’re going to need to sort out the most important part before anything else – and that’s the food!

To help you out, this guide is going to talk you through a base menu to help you get your planning off the ground, however, please feel free to add to this set menu as you see fit.

After all, it is your special day and you should make sure that everything is tailored to your personal preferences, as well as making sure to account for any special dietary requirements of your guests. 

The Ultimate Backyard BBQ Wedding Menu:

Meats:

• Chicken
• Pork

Sides:

• Deviled eggs
• Potato salad
• Coleslaw
• Bread and butter
• Corn on the cob

Refreshments:

• Iced tea
• Coffee
• Alcohol (optional)
• Soft drinks (optional)

Like we mentioned above, this is only a basic menu to help get you started, and to give you an idea of what your wedding BBQ menu will look like.

Though you’ll find the recipes for all of the foods we have mentioned above below, please feel free to switch up the menu as you see fit, keeping in mind that you’ll need to work any additional foods (such as vegan alternatives) into your planning process.

Let’s continue on! 

What You’ll Need to Accommodate Your Guests

Before we jump into this next section, we’d first like to quickly point out that the amount of equipment and furniture you’ll need to accommodate your guests will greatly depend on your personal circumstances, as well as the size of the location you’re going to be throwing your bash. 

Though this part of the planning process can seem costly and flat-out daunting, the good news is that it’s not too difficult to sort out if you’ve planned everything correctly and taken your time to make sure that you have enough supplies for everyone, and we’re here to help you along the way.

Plus, to keep your costs down, you could even ask friends and family if you can borrow some of the items you’ll find listed below, especially if you’re on a budget.

To help you figure out what you might need for your big day, here are some estimates of what you’ll need to pull the BBQ party off, and we’ve done this by taking into consideration our example menu, as well as three varying guest sizes.

As you scan through our table, we recommend making a few notes so that you can cross-check later with the number of guests you are going to be accommodating on your wedding day. Let’s take a look: 

25 guests	50 guests	75 guests
8-foot x 30-inch dining table	8	10	16
54 inch by 120-inch tablecloths – Side note: the design of the tablecloths is entirely up to you! You can choose to stick with standard white cloths or switch it up with tablecloths that are different colors, or feature different pattern designs.	8	10	16
Folding chairs	25	50	75
Dinner plates (paper or ceramic)	25	50	75
5 oz. bowls	25	50	75
Forks	25	50	75
Knives	25	50	75
Spoons	25	50	75
Drink glasses	25	50	75
Napkins	25	50	75
Coffee cups	25	50	75
Coffee saucers (optional – but we recommend including them as they add a rustic feel suitable for a wedding BBQ)	25	50	75
Salt and pepper shakers	4 sets	6 sets	10 sets
Glass sugar bowls	4	6	10
Glass creamers	4	6	10
3-gallon tea dispenser	1	1	1
25-cup coffee urn	2	0	0
50-cup coffee urn	0	2	0
90-cup coffee urn	0	0	2
Small glass plates	25	50	75
Cake knife and serving plate	1 set	1 set	1 set
Wedding cake	1	1	1
Cocktail napkins	65	125	200
Toasting glasses	1 set	1 set	1 set

Our Top Backyard Wedding BBQ Picks:

Seeing numbers beginning to be added to your plans is enough to make anyone’s head dizzy, but what’s the easiest way to stay cool, calm, and collected?

By checking out some of our top picks, of course! Now that you’ve gained an insight into what you’ll need to pull off your backyard wedding BBQ bash (as well as how much supplies you’ll need), the important thing to do here is not panic.

If you’re planning on making a few purchases to ensure you have enough supplies to accommodate everyone at your BBQ, we’ve taken the liberty to cut through the vast sea of options out there, and hand-select some of the best products that you might need for the day.

Taking into consideration the fact that you’re likely going to be personalizing the things that you want to include on your wedding day, we’ve made sure to only select the main items that 

you’ll want to make sure you have.

Read on to discover some of our expertly picked favorites that are not only guaranteed to make sure your day runs smoothly but that you’ll also get the best value for your money, too. 

Furniture Recommendations: 

Best Folding Chair:

Flash Furniture HERCULES Folding Chair

If you short on chairs, we recommend checking out the Flash Furniture HERCULES Folding Chairs, which come in a pack of 4 and feature a contoured seatback to ensure that your guests are comfortable throughout the festivities. 

Best 8 Foot x 30 Inch Table

COSCO Deluxe White Folding Table

On the search for the best value table that blends affordability with quality? Look no further than the Deluxe White Folding Table from COSTCO.

Featuring a lightweight design that can be folded after use, this durable table can be decorated with a tablecloth to spruce it up, and will also make for a great garden table in the summer, too. 

Utensil Recommendations:

Best Small Coffee Urn

NESCO Professional Coffee Urn 25 Cups

If you’re throwing a smaller event and only need an urn that can accommodate 25 people, then we recommend checking out the NESCO Professional Coffee Urn.

It’s been made of stainless steel, features a continuous pouring feature for convenience, and even has cool-touch handles for safety. 

Best Medium Coffee Urn

Gastrorag Premium 50 Cup Coffee Urn 

If you need a 50 cup coffee urn for a larger wedding BBQ, then the Gastrorag Premium Coffee Urn needs to be on your radar.

Not only does it feature a warming mode that will keep the coffee at optimal temperature for hours, but this urn features a viewing window to ensure that you know when it’s time to refill! 

Best Large Coffee Urn

Gastrorag Premium 100 Cup Coffee Urn

If you’re going all out and hosting a backyard BBQ upwards of 75 guests, then we recommend giving the Gastrorag Premium 100 Cup Coffee Urn a consideration.

It will hold more than enough to accommodate all of your guests and then some, so you won’t have to worry about refilling. 

Best Tea Dispenser 

Creativeware 3-Gallon Unbreakable Beverage Dispenser

For the iced tea, you’re going to need a dispenser, and the Creativeware 3-gallon Unbreakable Beverage Dispenser is one of the best on the market.

It comes with the promise of being totally unbreakable, and even features a compartmentalized base that can be filled with ice to keep the tea nice and cold for your guests. 

Extra Accessories Recommendations:

Best Rustic Table Cloth:

Glory Season Linen Rustic Table Cloth

Like we mentioned above, when it comes to selecting a tablecloth, you can choose to stick with white or try out something a little different – which is why we’ve selected the Glory Season Linen Rustic Table Cloth.

Its rustic, beige appearance is perfect for a BBQ, while the pretty lace hem adds a touch of elegance that’s just perfect for your wedding day.

Best Salt and Pepper Shakers:

Srenta Mini Salt & Pepper Shakers Set

We’re guessing you don’t have a bunch of salt and pepper shakers laying around, so we recommend checking out the Srenta Mini Salt & Pepper Shakers, which will be enough to make sure that your guests can season their meals without breaking the bank! 

Preparing The Food For Your Wedding BBQ Bash:

Now, for the fun bit! While marking out steps for how you’re going to go about preparing all of the food, we recommend considering splitting your helpers into groups dedicated to preparing each recipe below, as this will make everyone’s workload fair and a lot easier.

Barbecue Chicken Recipe:

What You’ll Need:

25 Guests	50 Guests	75 Guests
Honey	1 cup	1.5 cups	6 cups
Soy sauce	.5 cup	.75 cup	1 cup
Garlic cloves (chopped fine)	6	9	12
Salt	1 tbsp.	1.5 tbsp.	2 tbsp.
Pepper	2 tsp.	3 tsp.	4 tsp.
Chicken breast (halves)	25	50	75

Recipe:

• Take the chicken breasts out of their packaging and set them aside.
• Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl.
• Place the chicken breasts in pans, and then pour the sauce inside.
• Slow-cook for 45 minutes, basting the chicken breasts regularly.
• Bake for 1.5 hours at 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

Pork Recipe:

What You’ll Need: 

25 Guests	50 Guests	75 Guests
Pork and beans (Small cans)	4	8	12
Light brown sugar	1 lb.	2 lbs.	3 lbs.
Medium onion, diced	1	2	3
Green pepper, diced	1	2	3

Recipe:

• Pour the cans into a large mixing bowl.
• Add the additional prepared ingredients.
• Mix together thoroughly, then pour into a baking dish.
• Cover with foil and bake at 325 degrees for 40 minutes.

Bread Rolls Recipe:

What You’ll Need:

	25 Guests	50 Guests	75 Guests
Your choice of bread dough	1.5 packages	3 packages	4.5 packages
Butter (4 oz. sticks)	3 sticks	6 sticks	9 sticks
Butter dish	2	3	5
Bread and Butter Pickles (16 oz. jars)	2	4	6

Recipe:

• Check the instructions on the back of the dough packaging.
• Bake in the oven (time depending on the type of dough you are using – the packaging will tell you).
• Wrap in cling film or foil ready for the party.

Potato Salad Recipe:

https://www.istockphoto.com/search/2/image?phrase=potato%20salad

What You’ll Need:

25 Guests	50 Guests	75 Guests
Medium potatoes	8 lbs.	16 lbs.	24 lbs.
Mayonnaise	4.5 cups	9 cups	13.5 cups
Sour cream	1.5 cups	3 cups	4.5 cups
Mustard	1.5 cups	3 cups	4.5 cups
Chopped celery	3 cups	6 cups	9 cups
Chopped green onion	1.5 cups	3 cups	4.5 cups
Celery seeds	3 tbsp.	6 tbsp.	9 tbsp.
Salt	2 tsp.	4 tsp.	6 tsp.

Recipe:

• Be sure to prepare the potato salad the day before, so it does not spoil.
• Peel the potatoes and dice or slice them.
• Boil them until firm.
• Drain and allow them to cool.
• Mix the salt, mustard, mayonnaise, sour cream, and celery seed into a large bowl.
• Add the green onions and celery.
• Add the potatoes.
• Place in a bowl, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

Deviled Eggs Recipe:

What You’ll Need:

25 Guests	50 Guests	75 Guests
Fresh eggs	2 dozen	3 dozen	4 dozen
Coleslaw	1 cup	1.5 cups	2 cups
Paprika flakes/seasoning	1-2 jars	2-3 jars	3-5 jars

Recipe: 

• Boil all of the eggs.
• Let the eggs cool after you have boiled them.
• Remove the shells, cutting them in half (the long way).
• Take the yolks out using a spoon, and place them in a bowl.
• Mix the coleslaw into the yolk, and then spoon the mixture into the eggs.
• Season with paprika.
• Cover and refrigerate until the big day.

Green Beans Recipe:

What You’ll Need:

	25 Guests	50 Guests	75 Guests
Green beans (15 oz. can)	6	12	18
Sugar	1 cup	2 cups	3 cups
Vegetable oil	3 tbsp.	6 tbsp.	9 tbsp.
Raw bacon strips, diced	2	4	6
Salt	2 tsp.	4 tsp.	2 tbsp.
Pepper	1 tsp.	2 tsp.	3 tsp.

Recipe:

• Mix into a large pot.
• Simmer for around two hours,
• Cover with cling film and refrigerate until the day.

Setting Up and Decorating:

Besides rounding up teams to help prepare your wedding food, we also suggest creating a team of 2-3 people that will be able to help set everything up on the day, decorate the tables, as well as help you clean up after it’s all over.

Wrapping Up

So, there you have it, you’ve made it to the finish line. Thanks for sticking with us throughout this guide, we hope that you enjoyed reading it just as much as we enjoyed writing it.

We hope that we’ve been able to help you figure out how you can make your BBQ bash a reality, as well as showing you how to properly prepare for it so that you don’t get stressed.

While you’re here, why not give this page a bookmark?

That way, you can always refer back to this guide if you ever need to during the run-up. Thank you for reading, all that’s left to do now is start preparing for the big day!