How To Save Money on Reception Food

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Last Updated on September 11, 2022

Learn How To Save Money on Reception Food

Is the big day almost here? Are you still struggling to stretch your budget? Weddings are not easy to organize, and they are not cheap. Cutting down on costs is often necessary to make sure you don’t exceed your available budget. There are several expenses you might want to reduce. One of the ways to save more money is to cut down on the most significant ones, food among them.

No matter how many guests you have, you need to spend a considerable amount on food, especially in a fancy location. Here are a few tips to help you save money on reception food without making quality or taste compromises.

How to Save Money on Reception Food: The Cake

The bride’s dress and the cake are sacred wedding symbols. You probably want to make the best choices for these wedding expenses. Yet, if you want to adopt a practical approach, you’ll reconsider your preferences.

You don’t need the most expensive or glamorous dress you can afford or the biggest cake. The cake is, in the end, a symbol. It’s more about the special moment of cutting the first piece. That’s when the magic happens.

Afterward, eating it comes second. Some guests already have their bellies full from everything they ate before. They may barely touch the cake. All these lead to one logical conclusion. You can cut down on wedding food costs by getting a smaller cake. This doesn’t mean it will be anything less than perfect. It will be just enough to make sure all guests have some, and you won’t waste money.

How to Save Money on Reception Food: The Menus

Menus cost money. Small expenses like these add up and empty your account. Try to be more frugal about menus, invitations, decorations, and anything in between. When it comes to menus, you don’t need many. Guests can share them.

Save money with a simpler menu

What is clear about a wedding menu is that a larger number of courses might mean paying more. Ordering more food types increases the food expenditure. To limit your spending, you can try to only have one starter, one main course, and one type of dessert at the end.

Also, avoid having two or three options for the main course. To be fair and play safe, you can have one vegetarian and one meat-based dish. To avoid inconveniences, ask your guests to tell you if they have any allergies. You can ask for this info when they confirm their presence. This way, you can prepare special menus only for those with special food allergies.

Opt for a Non-Traditional Approach to Food

Are you wondering how to save money on catering? Keep your menu casual. It can be a great way to save money on wedding reception food. Serving a sit-down dinner can be expensive. The average catering cost per person is $75. Plus, some guests might not eat the entire meal, so you end up wasting food and money. Opt for a buffet instead. This is an excellent alternative for multiple reasons:

• It typically costs less than sit-down meals.
• Guests help themselves to what they want.
• You don’t need as many waiters.
• You can take home what is left from each type of meal.

Simplify the Cocktail Choice or Drop Cocktails Altogether

Besides the traditional wine or champagne, there are all sorts of other alcohol options. The problem is the price. Drinks may cost more than food at restaurants. If you want a fancy wedding, you probably want to offer guests cocktails, but these are some of the most expensive alcoholic drinks.

They combine several types of ingredients, which is why they cost more. Yet, there are a few ways to cut costs here too. For example, you can choose simpler cocktails with fewer ingredients. Avoid those that include several types of beverages. Here are some options.

Cocktail	Alternative
Cosmopolitan	Cuba Libre
Negroni	Sangria
Manhattan	Mojito
Long Island Iced Tea	Gin and Tonic

Another way to save money on reception drinks is by offering more types of quality wine instead of expensive beverages. You can also include a few details about them on the menu.

This way, it won’t seem cheap because it doesn’t include cocktails. Also, you can offer a long beer list. For example, you can include some special craft beer, not just mainstream brands. Beer can cost less than spirits. Even if you buy several types of each, you can still cut costs.

Another excellent way to save money on wedding drinks is to buy them separately. If you order everything from the restaurant, expect a possibly hefty bill. Negotiate with the wedding venue’s management. You might be able to buy at least some alcohol from a local store and pay the restaurant for the rest.

For example, you could ask to buy the beer from the venue, but bring your own wine. Another alternative is to cut costs on non-alcoholic beverages. These might not be your guests’ favorites, but they can be a helpful substitute. Beware of spending a lot of money on non-alcoholic drinks. See if you can at least get these from the store if the restaurant agrees.

Saving Money for Food by Cutting Down on Other Wedding Expenses

When you want to cut down on wedding costs, you can resort to all sorts of strategies. For example, if you want a more lavish menu, you can cut down on other wedding expenses. Here are just a few options.

Spend less on wedding flowers

Wedding flowers are a must. You can choose from various options. You can spend thousands of dollars on floral wedding decorations or only a few hundred dollars. The average prices vary from $500 to $3,500. There are multiple ways to save money on flowers. Most of them will also help you be more eco-friendly, which is another advantage. Here is a short list of suggestions:

1. Use in-season flowers that cost less.
2. Source your flowers from local florists.
3. Use more greenery in your floral arrangements.
4. Be creative with the arrangements. Include other items such as candles.
5. Don’t use natural flower arrangements, but artificial or dried ones.

All these tips can help you spend less on flowers. There is another aspect to consider – the bridal bouquet. This alone can cost somewhere around $160, but some brides have already started to look for alternatives. Some opt for other symbolic items instead of carrying a bouquet. Others completely eliminate it. The money you save only on this can go into more pastries or drinks.

Reduce your entertainment costs

Entertainment is essential for a successful wedding. Everyone expects good music and great fun at a wedding. These two things go hand in hand. You can’t have one without the other. Yet, this doesn’t mean you need to wreck your budget for the sake of a band. If you can’t afford to spend thousands of dollars on a popular band, look for alternatives. Some alternative options you might want to consider include:

1. Getting a DJ instead of a band.
2. Hiring a local, less known band.
3. Asking a talented friend to provide entertainment at a lower fee.
4. Be the DJ yourself – make and use a playlist instead of paying a band.

Reduce your venue expenses

Together with food and entertainment, the most significant wedding expense is usually booking a venue. There are different ways to reduce that expense. First, look for a few options. Also, don’t limit yourself to local choices. You can make a list of locations and then go through them with your spouse.

Analyze each location’s pros and cons. The process might take a bit longer, but it can help you make the most affordable and practical decision. Some of the positive and negative features you might find in different locations include

Wedding venue – positive aspects	Wedding venue – negative aspects
Proximity to your home	Higher than the average price
Affordable rates	Limited booking dates available
A larger space for all your guests	Limited seats and space inside the venue
A place with a garden or patio	Locations with unappealing backgrounds for photos
Proximity to the city center or different attractions	Locations that are hard to access

After the list of pros and cons is ready, take each location individually and analyze it. Think of the criteria that are more important to you and your future spouse. For example, you might both want something that’s close to the center of the city. When you’re done analyzing all the locations based on your priorities, select three to five of them. These are the venues to start calling. As you contact them, ask the following:

• Their available booking dates
• The venue’s capacity and amenities
• The possibility of getting discounts

After you write down all the answers, you’ll probably have one to three options on your mind. Discuss them in detail with your partner. Make a choice that suits both your pocket and your tastes.

If being frugal is your goal, you can reduce venue expenses by

• Organizing the ceremony and reception in the same place.
• Choose a cheaper day (Monday through Thursday).
• Book a farmhouse, library or other cheap wedding venue.

Wedding venues usually cost between $6,000 and $11,000. If you want to seriously cut wedding costs, choose an alternative location. These can be more affordable solutions that enable you to save money on wedding food. Restaurants are can also be a good option for your finances. Besides, you can buy food from the restaurant you rent, which makes planning easier.

You could organize the event at state-owned properties, local clubs, farms, art galleries, or private residences. You could even plan a non-conventional wedding outdoors. If you live near a park, forest, field, vineyard, or beach, you might be able to party outside. Of course, all these require careful planning. The seats, tables, toilets, and more all need to be covered.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How can I quickly save money for my wedding?

To save money fast for anything, you need to reduce your spending. This will help put money aside. It can also help you fix your credit faster. To save money more easily, use a budgeting strategy such as the 50-30-20 method or the digital envelopes system.

How can I save money on reception food by budgeting?

First, you have to determine how much you can spend on food. You can do this after choosing a venue and catering company. You will also need to know the number of guests. Then, once you know the amount, start saving.

You can use the half-payment method for this. The strategy directs you to save 50% of each paycheck for a given expenditure. Usually, people use it for utility bills, but you can adapt it to wedding-related expenses as well. Summing up, to budget for your wedding or any other expenses, take these three steps:

1. Calculate your expenses.
2. Establish a maximum budget.
3. Divide your budget according to your expenses.

How can I cut wedding expenses without making compromises?

Are you wondering why you can’t save money? The reason might be bad timing. Do you usually procrastinate on things? This habit usually leads to increased costs, whether you plan a trip or wedding last minute.

To reduce your wedding costs, you should start planning ahead. If you do this, you will be able to find multiple options. You’ll have multiple options for the venue, food, entertainment, etc. As a result, you’ll also get the best rates, and you might be able to get discounts too.

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Brock KerninBrock is a software engineer by day and personal finance blogger at night. He is a fitness junkie and enjoys grilling and smoking meat. Married with two children. (2020, December 16). Beer vs liquor: An alcohol price per ounce comparison. Clever Dude Personal Finance & Money. Retrieved August 1, 2022, from https://www.cleverdude.com/content/beer-vs-liquor-an-alcohol-price-per-ounce-comparison/

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