There’s something especially meaningful about celebrating at childhood home.
For this wedding, the setting wasn’t simply a beautiful backdrop, it was part of the couple’s story. The reception took place at the bride’s childhood home, creating an incredibly personal connection between the celebration and the place where so many memories were – and continue to be – made.
But transforming a private backyard into a fully realized wedding venue came with its own unique set of considerations. Working alongside planner Sarah Brehant Events, our team designed and installed a 66′ × 66′ Sperry Sailcloth Tent, creating an elegant reception environment directly over the property’s existing swimming pool.
The result was a one-of-a-kind wedding experience that brought together thoughtful planning, custom engineering, and the timeless atmosphere of a Sperry Sailcloth Tent—all at home.
Designing Around the Property
Every private-estate wedding begins with understanding the property.
Before installation, our team takes the time to carefully evaluate the site, including the existing landscape, terrain, access points, dimensions, guest flow, and logistical considerations. For a wedding at home, these details are especially important because the property wasn’t originally designed to function as an event venue.
For this celebration, one of the defining features of the property was the backyard pool.
Rather than working around the pool or allowing it to limit the reception footprint, the event design incorporated it into the overall plan. A custom temporary floor system was constructed over the pool, creating a stable foundation for the reception tent and allowing the entire space to be transformed for the wedding.
And yes—the pool is right underneath the floor.
The Importance of Planning a Tented Wedding at Home
While a wedding at home can offer incredible flexibility and sentimental value, it also requires thoughtful planning.
Unlike a traditional wedding venue, a private residence may not have the infrastructure typically associated with large events. This means elements such as:
- Site access and installation logistics
- Tent placement and sizing
- Temporary flooring
- Power distribution
- Restrooms
- Catering and kitchen access
- Guest parking and transportation
- Weather protection
- Lighting
- Heating and cooling
- Permitting and site requirements
That’s why our team works closely with planners and designers from the beginning. Understanding the property, event vision, guest experience, and design plan allows us to identify logistical considerations early and help create a cohesive plan for the entire event.
A Personalized Approach to Every Property
No two private-estate weddings are exactly alike.
Our team evaluates each property individually to determine how the tent can best work with the existing landscape and event design. Sometimes that means building over a pool. Other times, it might mean navigating a challenging driveway, working around mature landscaping, creating a custom entrance, or incorporating multiple structures and outdoor spaces.
The goal is always the same: to make the event feel like it was designed specifically for the property and the people celebrating there.
Building a Reception Tent Over a Pool
Creating a tented reception over an existing pool requires careful planning and coordination.
Our team worked through the property’s unique conditions to determine the best approach for creating a temporary event floor and installing the 66′ × 66′ Sperry Sailcloth Tent above it. The goal wasn’t simply to cover the space—it was to create a seamless reception environment that felt intentional from every angle.
This is where experience matters.
From evaluating the site and understanding access and installation logistics to coordinating the tent placement and flooring, each component has to work together. The finished space should feel effortless to the guests, even when the planning and production behind it are anything but.
A Pretty Unforgettable Way to Come Home
For this celebration, the finished reception space was more than a beautiful place to gather. It became part of the family’s history.
Planning a Wedding at Home?
Planning a wedding at a private residence, family property, or private estate? The Greenwich Tent Company can help you understand what’s possible.
From Sperry Sailcloth Tents and clearspan structures to custom flooring, site planning, climate control, lighting, and event infrastructure, our team works alongside planners, designers, and clients to create thoughtfully designed temporary event spaces throughout Connecticut, the Hamptons, New York, and New England.
Vendor Team
Planning: Sarah Brehant Events
Photo: Colleen Lennehan
Lighting: ShinDig Lighting
Florals: Traveling Flower Ladies
Catering: On The Marc Catering
Linens: Stradley Davidson
Rentals: Elevate Green Events and Party Rentals
