Back Yard Wedding Setup

Due to the audio delay you would get the experience would not be very pleasant with your voice appearing to be delayed (it would also be very odd for anybody near enough to hear you directly).

Do yourself a favour and hire a proper PA system.

Sorry when I said PA I was mistaken we will just be using it for music

Hi andrew.rodriguez,

Welcome to the Sonos community

So every Sonos product has a Boost in it. All you need to do (if you can) is wire one of your speakers to your router. A Boost/Bridge (or another speaker) would help extend the SonosNet as well. SonosNet kinda leapfrogs from unit to unit.

SonosNet

I would suggest do several trial runs and see how it all works.

Also I have heard on here that when you fill the back yard up with people they can cause interference as well.

Thanks for the advice , if I get a play 5 could I create my own lil closed sonos network with the aux in
I'm worried two play ones won't be loud enough

I'm worried two play ones won't be loud enough

There are a number of factors here, including how loud you want it to be, how big an area, how many people will be there (people absorb sound) and how noisy/chatty they are. If you just want background music, then Sonos kit may be OK, but if it's a big party with people chatting away, then you usually need some serious amplification simply to be heard. Personally, I'd hire in proper PA kit...

I recommend you buy (guessing, I don't know how big your yard is) 2-3 Sonos connect amps and run wire outside to outdoor speakers. - Kris 🙂

A wedding is a once in a lifetime event... do it right. I have play 1s and play 5s 2nd gen. I would not use them for a wedding. You can rent a proper PA that can get as loud as you need should the crowd change. I love my Sonos, and would have no problem using it for a house party, but for a big event like a wedding, unless it was a smallish event. Otherwise, rent a PA.

I have 6 outdoor speakers in my yard and they will definitely handle a wedding or party no problem.The money you will pay towards renting can go towards your backyard set up that you can own. Something to think about. - Kris 🙂

Thanks everyone, it's going to be a relatively small space , crowd under 75 people. I'm considering the PA but like he idea of putting it towards something I can reuse/ own

Hi Andrew,

so... if you are just looking to have music throughout the yard... I may be in the minority here and suggest that you potentially are going down an excellent path. I do own a PA system for other uses... but two, or maybe even 4, large speakers blasting audio inevitably makes for a crowd of people avoiding being near the speakers since it is too loud... or, it is too quite in remote areas.

With proper dispersion of Sonos devices you can have comfortable volume audio in sync throughout the space. Beautiful.

Having said that, there are a few challenges... you need power at every location you are placing a speaker. You don't want tripping hazards... so plan accordingly. Sonos do not make an outdoor speaker... so you are pretty much betting on no rain... or will be inside a tent??

Outdoor audio isn't really the same as indoor. A speaker that is plenty loud filling an indoor space (with walls for the sound to bounce off and be contained in the space) may not be very significant outdoors where the sound will definitely disperse more. Particularly when people are talking over the audio at a social event... (I trust you are not trying to "Rock the house"... if so, consider the PA... or a large number of play 5s 🙂 )

Having no details of the space, I'd perhaps suggest that you figure out what you can make great use of *after* the wedding and purchase accordingly. Can you use a pair of play 5's in your living room after? if so, get them and use them to fill and more substantial space... Have a use for another couple sets of Play 1's? Use them to disperse sound in smaller areas... no need to waste the money purchase what you can't use after... and Play 1's are exceptionally flexible. But Play 5s are a much more substantial speaker and I suspect better for filling any more significant space outdoors.

Thank you, the total area is approx 30x60 and it will be under cover. I really like the idea of having play ones placed throughout with maybe a play 5 by the dancing area. we definitely don't plan on bringing down the house ( don't want to piss off the neighborhood ). I'll have to work power out but the speakers should be able to use sonos net to link up correct ?, and if I get a play 5 with aux in I can use that as my music source right?
Btw you all have been great thanks

Yes, you can use the Play 5 aux as a source.... but... just a thought... depending on what you want to listen to, a digital subscription isn't that much (certainly when compared to the rest of your gear spend for a month of service)... you could get a subscription, connect it to your Sonos account and build your playlist for the event and just let it go for the day without the headache of having to manage a source...

If you want a "dancing area" you may really want to consider a pair of play 5's... but much depends on the size of the space and number of people you want dancing, etc....

Yes, the speakers can use SonosNet, but only if you have a Sonos product wired via ethernet to your router... Depending on how far away your router is, and if you want any audio indoors.... you may want to consider a "Boost" for this, as a means to get decent signal to your devices... you likely want to set this up in advance and not try to set it up the day before and find you don't get a decent signal through the yard, etc 🙂 IMHO you will likely benefit post-wedding from having the boost and enabling the use of SonosNet throughout the house and taking the load off your router for the number of devices you will then have in the home after the event. So it isn't wasted money at all.

Ok great thank you I was going to use a music subscription, I didn't think of the boost but will definitely look into that. Is it possible to create a "closed" sonos net with out the router just thinking thru all the different setups

Andrew, can you tell me if you ended up using Sonos for your wedding reception and how it worked out? Thanks!

Let me know me know too, Andrew. I am in the same situation. small wedding for under 75 people, backyard, similar area (covered). For us personally, could afford a large hall and wedding no sweat, but are enthralled of the idea of something different and keeping out investment. Thanks in advance

It worked out great for us , we had a play 5 for the the dance floor , a play 1 in the table area for people and a play 1 by the food and cake. Once the food was done we moved that play 1 to the bar. Everyone really liked it especially having the play 1s volume lower so it was back round music. Just becareful of people highjacking the play list !! and do a test run days before to work out the bugs