The reception typically takes about half of a wedding budget. When you pay for a reception, a large percentage of the price is the menu – cut that, and you will cut your total cost by a lot. Check out these simple but effective ways to cut your catering costs.
Begin by looking over your caterer’s offerings by price, not category. A giant display of crab legs and lobster tails at the reception is great, but is also completely optional. Also skip things like shrimp, which guests tend to eat in massive quantities. For those who really want to offer shrimp, the best advice is to choose the ones that guests have to peel themselves, because they will not eat as many! And do not offer a seafood option for the main course; traditional chicken or beef can be great if they are prepared well. If you think about it, the seafood at weddings is often not that well prepared anyway.
Lately it seems like wedding hosts have felt obligated to have a huge menu of entrees for dinner. It is no big deal to leave it out if it’s too costly. Your wedding reception is a private party, not a restaurant. Back when your parents got married, guests were content with whatever entree their hosts offered, and it is perfectly fine to have just one entree now. This will result in a lot less wasted food, as the caterer will know exactly how much to order. Couples who would like to have several dinner selections can have guests choose their dinner on the response card so the caterer knows how much food to order.
Or think about planning an international menu instead of standard wedding fare to trim costs. Sometimes a restaurant will do catering for less than a catering company. Consider Indian or Spanish menus. It always makes a wedding extra meaningful to feature cultural details like special cuisine. How wonderful to save money and make your wedding more unique at the same time. Local dishes are always a big hit, like shrimp and grits for a Southern reception. Guests really enjoy comfort food that they know and love.
By considering the type of reception you will have, you can also spend less on the food. An easy way to cut costs dramatically is to host a brunch instead of a dinner. The overall style of the wedding will be a bit more low key, from your gown and bridal jewelry to the decorations to the menu. A brunch celebration will not last as long, nor will guests eat as much. Not only will your food and drink bill be less, but you will also save on the venue rental and servers for the shorter reception. A cocktail style reception is a fabulous idea if you really want a nighttime reception. It is also a great excuse to wear a very chic wedding dress with fabulous bridal jewelry!
By the time you save a little here and a little there, you will have a lot of extra money left at the end of the day. Is there anyone who would not love saving thousands on their wedding celebration? That will leave more money for your dream honeymoon to Tahiti!
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