Planning A Simple Wedding Reception
In most cases, food is the most costly portion of a wedding, but the good news is that your menu choices offer you the greatest flexibility for trimming the budget. Not every wedding reception requires a full set down dinner and a n open bar which might break your pockets, So this evening I am going to give you a few tips on how to keep reception costs to a minimum.
Number one, after you have set your budget and finalized your guest list, you want to decide on the time of day for your reception. It has been my experience working in the wedding business that most couples have late wedding ceremonies; mainly around four o'clock in the afternoon which means that the reception will probably start around six o'clock, right at the start of the dinner hour when you should serve your guests heavy hors d' oeuvres or a full dinner, but these types of foods are the most expensive. Consider having an early ceremony say early to mid-morning or early on in the afternoon where you can have a brunch or lunch type menu; serving foods life fresh fruit and cheeses, croissants, quiches, cold cut and rolls, salads, vegetables and dip. You could even have a hot station that makes fresh omelets and waffles. This type of menu is much lighter on your pockets.
Number two; be conservative when it comes to serving alcohol. Liquor is an expense that can send your reception cost through the roof. Adding a full open bar can tack on an additional eighteen dollars per person to your food bill. So instead just have a champagne toast which is only about $1.75 per person, but if you want an open bar, limit the choices to just beer and wine. That is about $11.00 per person, or just cut out the expense to you all together and have a cash bar where the quest pay for there own alcoholic beverages. They may call you cheap but at least you can eat the next week.
Number three, consider the off seasons. The time of year is also an important factor that influences cost. Peak season...
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