Reception
Wedding at home
Use your own caterer & bar services
Usually have to rent a tent, chairs, tables, restroom trailer, dance floor etc which is BIG $$$$
More personal
Wedding at a hotel
Will often make you use their own catering & bar services, which can add up very quickly
Might charge minimal or no fee for the room, since you're using their catering/ bar services
Chairs, tables, silverware, restrooms, etc already included in price!
Wedding at a reception site
(Outdoor site, banquet hall, clubhouse)
May or may not include tables, chairs, silverware, restrooms
Might have to rent a tent if it's out in the open
Usually can bring in your own caterer & bar service
Often a beautiful, unique and personal setting |
Catering
Style
Over 125 guests = buffet may serve in your favor
Less than 100 people = plated might actually be more affordable
Appetizers
Affordable favorites:
Meatballs on toothpicks, quesadilla wedges, cheese & cracker trays, chips & salsa, veggies & dip, pigs in a blanket, fruit tray, jalapeno poppers, mini quiches, mini roll-ups (meat, cheese)
Entrees
Genre of food makes a difference. Try these:
Barbeque style (pulled pork, jerk chicken w/ cucumber onion salad, marinated veggies, and tomato basil pasta salad)
Italian Style (pasta with meat sauce, lasagna, and chicken parm with salad)
Southern (baked ham, fried chicken, potato salad, green beans)
Hors d'oeuvres (variety of appetizers and tapas or "small plates")
|
Wedding Style
Size
Cut that guest list!
Time of Day
Go Earlier:
Brunch (mimosas, bloody marys, fruit juice, omelets, croissants, breakfast meats, breakfast potatoes, rolls)
Lunch (1 type of signature drink, sodas, juice, lunch meats, cheeses, rolls, soup, green salad, pasta salad)
Theme
Think outside the box!
Dessert style wedding (variety of cookies, cupcakes, cake and fruit with a few signature cocktails and coffee)
Picnic style wedding (go to a public park and provide chic bagged lunches with gourmet sandwiches, potato/pasta salad, fancy chips, brownies with spiked iced tea)
Unique venues such as nature societies, art galleries, parks, golf courses, public beaches, etc. can be very affordable
Season
Late fall and winter weddings save big $$.
Day of the Week
Consider having your wedding another day besides Saturday.
|
Bar
DIY (do it yourself)
Ask reliable acquaintances you wouldn't have invited to bartend (family friends, office buddies, neighbors-don't forget to offer small $ compensation)
Bring your own alcohol if venue allows
Signature Drinks
Instead of variety of liquors, just make 1 or 2 "signature drinks."
Some good ones:
Sangria (fruit, red/ white wine, brandy, club soda)
Bay breeze (vodka, cranberry, pineapple)
Margarita (rum, sour mix, lime)
Firefly (vodka, sweet tea)
Beer
Nix bottles. Serve a few types of beer from kegs into fancy plastic cups
Wine:
1 type of red, 1 type of white- that's all you need!
Limited Menu:
Go beer and wine only-
nix the liquor
|
Stationery
Save the Dates
Should be able to stay under $2 per person on these.
Postcards- save on envelopes and postage
Email Save the Dates- several elegant formats out there, a great way to save trees and $
Small Magnets- search online for bulk personalized options
Invitations
Should be able to stay under $4 per person on invites- including response cards, reception cards and envelopes.
Research pricing before trying to print your own- there are plenty of reasonable options out there. The cost of ink and frustration might not be worth the burden.
Programs
Should be able to stay under $2 per program. Consider printing these yourself in a format that fits standard paper size.
Place cards/ table numbers/ menu cards
Allow people to seat themselves and avoid the hassle of place cards and table numbers.
Unless people need to choose their meal selection on the spot, you don't need menu cards |
Attire
Gown
Look online- avoid middleman, save $
Buy your dress off the rack
Search for your dress off season- summer/ early fall, as wedding season is wrapping up
Try negotiating with the vendor
Wear/ modify your mother's dress
Check the classified ads
Check the consignment shops
Consider renting
Keep it simple- avoid intricate beading and lace
Accessories
Think about what you want vs. what you're "supposed to" want
Do you need gloves, tiara, veil, intricate jewelry? Sometimes less is more.
Menswear
Rent a tux
Go more casual (nice khaki slacks with a dark jacket and a nice tie)
|
Flowers & Decor
Bouquets
DIY:
Making your own bouquet is fun, personal and saves $
Get flowers in season and sturdy enough to live 2-3 days in a cooler with water
Use florist tape and ribbon to look professional
Use lots of greenery- saves $ and looks natural
Affordable Centerpieces
Vase w/ water, floating candles and sea glass with rose petals around it
Vase w/ water, long grasses and sea shells
Large pillar candle in a hurricane vase with ribbon on a circle mirror w/ rose petals sprinkled around it
Ceremony Decor
2 floral arrangements at the front of the church is plenty.
Take your ceremony arrangements back to the reception site to use as appetizer table centerpieces
3 elegant, long stemmed flowers in vase with long grasses- replicate on each side of the officiant threshold
Use nice potted plants that have flowering bulbs but are mostly green
On VIP pews, use large ribbons instead of flowers
Don't use a runner
|
Gifts & Favors
Wedding Party
Bridesmaids (> $15/ girl):
Arrange a day out and treat the girls to a movie & popcorn
Give each maid a framed pic of the group of you
Small jewelry box
Painted martini/ wine glass
Groomsmen (> $15/guy):
Golf balls
Money clip
Key Chain
Coffee/beer mug (themed: i.e. Sports team, etc)
Each Other
A personal letter sharing your feelings of is always a great start
IOU for a nice, romantic dinner at home
Frame your wedding invitation
Parents
Framed pic, letter or poem (heartfelt is best w/ the rents!)
Flower Girl (>$25)
Diary with a key
"Flower Girl" tee shirt
Affordable Favors
Personalized matchbooks, candies, mini candle/tins, tea bags, mini notepads, corks or cork coasters, seedling packets
Donate to a charity in lieu of favors (with small card for guests to let them know)
|
Ditch the Extras
Consider leaving these out:
Runner, unity candle
Bride's purse, gloves, etc.
Coordinator (this site will help you find the affordable vendors!)
Professional makeup, hair & nails
(only if you're comfortable doing your own or trust a friend/ family member)
Favors (most people don't take them)
Corsages/boutonnieres
Menu/ seating/ table cards
Bubbles, rice
Disposable cameras (people often forget to use them and most will only be half full)
Consider exchanging:
Champagne for sparkling wine
Cake for a variety of cookies, pies, cupcakes, brownies
Cake topper for a few fresh flowers
Veil for a silk flower in your hair
Band for a DJ
Separate locations for combining ceremony and reception sites
Wedding guest book for a simple journal
Mailed save-the-dates for email save-the-dates
Diamond wedding band for solid gold
French manicure for opaque polish
|
