Portable bathrooms

I don't think port-a-potties are inherently worse than any other toilet if it's clean. Give me a spic-and-span biffy over a frat house bathroom on a Saturday night anytime. People need to relax. Unless your guests are disgusting and can't aim, a problem you could have in a regular shared bathroom anyway, portable bathrooms should be fine. Just make sure there is a place to wash hands and not just some sanitizer.

If you go for the porta potty instead of the trailer get the handicapped one and make sure there is some form of light. It's bad enough when you have to wipe the toilet seat but it's worse if you can't even see that it needs to be wiped.

Have you thought about just having the wedding somewhere else? If you have to pay for a tent in case of rain, bathroom trailers, etc., you may find that a back yard wedding doesn't actually save you anything.

If there was only port a potties I'd go if I had to but, my thing is no one can wash their hands all night then? I know some have the sanitizer in them but for me that just doesn't substitute warm water and soap.

If it were me, I would find the money for the trailer. If I am wearing heels and a cocktail dress I really don't want to use a port-a-potty even if it is really clean. Do you plan on using the port-a-potty in your wedding dress? I don't think you should expect your guests to use it if you aren't.

For the hand washing, they also offer (at least rental companies I've seen) hand washing stations. Not sure on cost.

Why can't your parents just suck it up and let people use their bathrooms? That's what they're for. Close off all other doors in the house, put a cute sign on the bathroom door. Portapotties are disgusting and are not wedding appropriate when people are getting dressed up.

The only viable options (to me anyway): get the trailer or let people use the restroom in the house.

Please do not ask your guests to dress up and then use a standard porta potty. They are gross. I barely want to use them at music festivals when I'm basically as dressed down as possible; I would not use one if I were dressed up for a wedding. The trailers are nice though and I think those would be fine.

Restroom trailers are something that we splurged on. My fiance originally suggested porta potties and I just couldn't even entertain the thought. We are having an outdoor, tented garden wedding--and there are no restrooms around.

Here are some pictures of the inside of the trailers we will be renting. They are air conditioned, and play music. For an extra $150, the company is lending us the generator to go with the restrooms. I really think it's the best option for us. The total cost was $1440.

ETA to include price.

Ew. nope. Will you have to use it in your wedding dress?

Get the trailer no matter what it costs. Bag the favors, the after-party, the expensive shoes, the second entree but get the trailer. We work in three rustic (but not cheap rustic) venues that all use the trailers, and in at least one of them, you wouldn't even know unless you REALLY looked.

But a construction porta potty? No way.

(PS: using bathrooms inside the house is problematic too, for a lot of people....I'll spare you the exploding toilet stories. Use your imagination....)

I'm going to go with the common opinion here and say yea, you need to get the trailer or find a way to let people use the bathroom in the house. I camp, hike, all that stuff. I've used some REALLY questionable bathrooms. But if I'm getting dressed up to come to your wedding, I want a nice bathroom.

Echoing what 2nd bride said, have you explored any other options in your area? Like a cheap banquet hall? I totally understand that you're on a tight budget but as I'm sure you're realizing, backyard weddings are not always as budget-friendly as they appear to be once you factor in all these little things you need (like bathrooms). You have a little time, it might be worth exploring some other options, or splurging on the trailer.

If it was me, I would cut flowers to have functioning toilets. And I love flowers. Port a potties are revolting and I cannot use them. I would rather go in the woods and that's saying a lot. I made my sister hike a mile to flush toilets with me at 2 am when we were at summer camp, my husband stands outside and talks to me at music festivals to get me through it. I would probably leave your wedding to find a bathroom or get super drunk to stomach my disgust.

I didn't know trailers were a thing. But definitely find a way to rent those. I would have a major problem in a nice dress and heels using a regular portable one. PP brought up a good point about washing your hands. Even though I carry sanitizer everywhere, you can only use that so much before you need to actually wash them. I feel this falls into the category of properly hosting your guests.

Ew, this is disgusting. There is no way I would stay at a wedding where I had to use a port-a-potty.

I really want to know if OP will be using the port-a-potty in her wedding dress. I had a problem just being in a stall

Krista's parents' house may be on a septic system which would explain why they don't want everyone using their bathroom.

Krista, with the expense of bringing in tent and everything in it, plus potty trailers, you may be able to find a venue for less money. Even if you had just the ceremony in your parents' backyard (for sentimental reasons?), use a real venue for the reception and back-up location for ceremony in case of rain.

I personally don't care about going in a porta potty or even out in the woods. I always squat in public restrooms so it's no different to me. I'm also a master at blocking smells from living with 3 boys lol. HOWEVER I would be pretty annoyed if I was forced to use a porta potty in wedding attire. Unless your wedding is so casual your guests will be coming in jeans and a button-up, get the trailer. Your guests will thank you.

@Emmy I'm guessing its like when a bride has a special stash of top shelf liquor just for her and her friends...except this time its a special indoor toilet.

You're getting your venue for free but you can't find $500 for the trailers?