You’ve turned your backyard into a beautiful place to get married. But when a guest spills their drink during the reception and your new mother-in-law slips and falls, she decides you are responsible. Will your homeowners insurance cover it, or are you left with the bill?
When one mishap could blow your budget, wedding event insurance helps save your big day from costly drama. Here’s how backyard wedding insurance works (and how to tell when you need it).
Do Backyard Weddings Need Event Insurance?
The short answer: In most cases, yes. You’ll likely need event insurance for your backyard wedding if you:
✔️ Invite a large number of guests
✔️ Serve alcohol
✔️ Rent equipment or decorations
✔️ Need a Certificate of Insurance (COI) for permits
Get a free quote with Insurance Canopy to protect your big day from the unexpected.
What Wedding Event Insurance Is (and What It Isn’t)
Wedding event insurance is liability insurance for unexpected accidents at your wedding, like if a guest gets hurt or you damage someone else’s property. It’s a short-term policy that protects you from paying out of pocket when things go wrong.
Liability insurance for weddings typically covers:
- Guest injuries, like slips and falls
- Property damage to rented equipment
- Third-party personal injuries, like libel or slander
- Legal and medical costs tied to those incidents
What it doesn’t cover:
- Wedding cancellation/postponement (usually added on as a separate policy)
- Wedding clothes, rings, or gifts (you’ll need personal property coverage)
- High-risk activities (fireworks, swimming pools, bounce houses, etc.)
- Overnight celebrations
Backyard weddings are usually low-cost and low-risk, but low-key doesn’t always mean risk-free. The right coverage keeps minor accidents from becoming major expenses.
Does Homeowners Insurance Cover a Backyard Wedding?
Many couples planning a backyard wedding assume their homeowners insurance will cover the event. In most cases, it doesn’t. Homeowners policies are designed for everyday living, not hosting a large, planned event like a wedding.
Homeowners insurance often falls short for backyard weddings because of:
- Contract requirements: If city permits, a property owner, or a Homeowners Association (HOA) require a COI with special wording or additional insured status, homeowners insurance usually can’t accommodate those requests
- Higher liability risks: Hosting dozens of guests increases the chances of injuries or property damage, which may fall outside standard coverage
- Alcohol exposure: Serving alcohol raises the risk of accidents or injuries that you could be held responsible for
- Limited liability coverage: Homeowners policies often have liability limits that are too low for wedding-related claims
- Premium increases: Adding special event coverage to a homeowners policy can raise your premium, while short-term wedding insurance is usually more affordable
Without the right coverage, any claim you make from your event could be denied. When you’re having a wedding at your home, you need event host insurance to fill in the gaps your homeowners policy might not cover.
When Backyard Wedding Insurance is Worth It
Backyard weddings are more affordable than traditional venues, but they can still cost thousands of dollars. Event liability insurance protects your investment, often for a price that’s less than the deposit on a wedding cake.
You probably need wedding event insurance if:
- You’re inviting a large number of guests
- You’re renting equipment like tents, tables, chairs, or sound systems
- You plan to serve alcohol, even if it’s free
- You need coverage for setup or teardown the day before or after the wedding
- Your celebration spans multiple locations, like an off-site rehearsal dinner and a backyard ceremony
- Your city or township needs a copy of your COI to approve special event permits
- Your landlord, HOA, or property owner asks to be listed as an additional insured
You might not need event insurance for a small wedding with immediate family only, no rentals, no alcohol, and no other contract requirements. In this case, it’s still a good idea to check with your homeowners insurance to see whether your policy offers any coverage.
Real Examples of Backyard Wedding Liability Claims
These real-life examples show what could happen without wedding liability insurance and how having coverage helps:
| Scenario | Without Event Insurance | With Event Insurance |
|---|---|---|
|
A guest trips on uneven ground and sprains an ankle |
You may have to pay medical bills and legal costs if they sue |
Medical expense coverage helps pay for their medical bills, even if you weren’t at fault |
|
A rented outdoor dance floor gets scratched |
The rental company holds you responsible for repair costs |
Damage to rented property coverage pays for repairs to the rented equipment |
|
A guest has an allergic reaction to an unlabeled hors d’oeuvre |
You could be sued for medical treatment costs |
General liability insurance helps cover medical bills and legal defense |
|
A guest drinks too much at the open bar and causes an accident |
You may be held responsible for overserving |
Host liquor liability helps pay for vehicle damage and medical costs |
|
A neighbor’s property is damaged by guest parking overflow |
You pay for repairs to their yard and any legal defense if they decide to sue |
General liability insurance covers property damage and legal costs |
Do You Need Insurance to Serve Alcohol at a Backyard Wedding?
Yes, you need liquor liability insurance to serve alcohol at a backyard wedding. If an intoxicated guest leaves your reception and causes an accident, you could be held responsible for damages.
Here’s how to tell what kind of coverage you need:
- If alcohol is free: You need host liquor liability for claims related to alcohol when it’s served and not sold, like at an open bar
- If alcohol is sold: You need retail liquor liability when you charge for alcohol, whether for cash, drink tickets, or donations
Learn more about what’s covered in our guide to liquor liability insurance.
Pro tip: When hiring vendors who serve alcohol, like bartenders and caterers, make sure they have their own wedding liquor liability insurance.
Who To List On A Backyard Wedding Insurance Policy
When getting insurance for a backyard wedding, it’s easy to get confused over who buys the policy. There are two parties who absolutely must be listed as insured on your policy:
- The wedding host: This is usually the couple or a parent, even if they don’t own the property. The host purchases the policy and should be listed as the policyholder.
- The property owner: The person who owns the property where the wedding takes place can be added as an additional insured, which protects them from liability claims related to the event.
Wedding event insurance is designed to cover the event host, not the property owner, vendors, or wedding planner.
How to Buy Wedding Event Insurance (& What You’ll Need)
From the bridal shower to the reception, you can buy backyard wedding insurance in minutes with Insurance Canopy. You’ll need the following information to get your free, online quote:
- Number of attendees
- Dates of your event(s)
- List of planned activities
- The amount of coverage you need
- Whether there will be alcohol
- Contact information of additional insureds
- Whether you need special wording, like an endorsement
Insurance Canopy makes it easy to get wedding event insurance up to three months in advance, so you can plan with confidence. When the big “I do” moment finally arrives, you’ll know everything you worked so hard on is protected.
FAQs About Insurance For Backyard Weddings
Do I Need Insurance To Have A Wedding In My Backyard?
Yes, you likely need insurance for a backyard wedding if you want protection from guest injuries, property damage, or alcohol-related incidents.
Homeowners insurance typically does not cover special events like weddings. Instead, couples usually need wedding liability insurance, which helps cover third-party injuries and damage to rented or borrowed property. If you plan to serve alcohol, you may also need liquor liability insurance.
Insurance may also be required if your city or township, HOA, landlord, or the property owner asks for proof of coverage or requests to be listed as an additional insured.
What Permits Are Needed For A Backyard Wedding?
Many cities and townships require a special event permit for residential or backyard weddings, depending on your local laws, guest count, and planned activities.
You might need permits for:
- Large guest counts due to residential zoning limits
- Loud music or extended hours because of noise ordinances or curfews
- Tents or temporary structures that need to follow building or fire codes
- Alcohol service if drinks are sold without a licensed bartender, like at a cash bar
- Street parking, traffic control, or public road use
- Portable restrooms to meet health or residential codes regarding their placement
Check with your local city hall, zoning office, or township early to confirm which permits are required and how soon you need to apply.
What Does “Additional Insured” Mean For A Backyard Wedding & Who Should Be Listed?
An additional insured is a person or organization added to your wedding insurance policy so they’re protected if an accident or claim occurs during your event.
For a backyard wedding, additional insureds often include:
- The property owner, even if they’re a family member
- A homeowner’s association (HOA)
- A city or township, if required by permit rules
Additional insureds can usually be added when you purchase your policy or afterward, as long as they’re listed before the wedding date.
