Wedding Receptions on a Budget – Easy and Elegant Ideas
Whether your funds are limited or you just think it’s crazy to spend a fortune on your wedding, you don’t have to give up on a memorable wedding reception just because you’re on a tight budget. With careful planning and a little creativity, you can throw a party that everyone will have fun at and will remember fondly for years to come. Breaking them down by categories, here are some proven tips for great wedding receptions on a budget.
Location is key
Your reception venue or location is often the biggest expense, so your best bet is to look everywhere for a free or very cheap venue. Aside from someone’s home, you might consider a local park, beach, clubroom, church or temple hall, museum, library, farm, or even a nearby botanical garden. Many of these places can be rented very cheaply, and some may only require a permit or written permission.
Hotels and restaurants are traditional wedding venues, but you can often get good deals if you have your reception at a non-traditional time. If you don’t mind having your wedding in the middle of the week, you can bargain a lot from a catering hall that would otherwise be empty at the time.
Consider non-traditional food options
Food is usually the biggest part of the wedding budget, so you’ll need to get very creative here. Consider some of these non-traditional reception ideas for ways to save big on catering:
- Probability. Host your wedding reception the old-fashioned way and ask everyone to bring their favorite reception. This takes a bit of coordination so you don’t have 50 pans of brownies and no main dishes. It also works better with smaller receptions, due to the need for coordination.
- Late breakfast. If you have your wedding in the morning, you can turn it into a brunch. Serve bagels, wraps, omelettes, French toast, fruit, and other brunch treats. Have some classical background music and you have created an extremely elegant affair.
- Dessert. Serving dessert alone can be a bit tricky, but it works well with a shorter reception. After all, isn’t dessert everyone’s favorite part of the meal? Just make sure it’s clear on the invitation that you’re only serving dessert. Otherwise, people may appear hungry and eager to go find some “real food.”
- BBQ or other casual meal. You can always go in the most informal way and have a barbecue or a picnic. If you decide to celebrate your wedding on the beach, this is an especially suitable option. This is also another good place to bring the idea of potluck. People are used to bringing dishes to a casual party, even if it is a wedding.
Wedding decoration alternatives
There are many different ways to create beautiful wedding decorations on a budget that are still extremely stylish and luxurious. For floral ideas, find out which flowers are local and in season for your time of year. You can use fewer large flowers or use inexpensive colorful flower clusters to create a rustic and elegant look. If you take the time to find colorful vases and bottles at yard sales or vintage stores, you can use them to add character and creativity to your centerpieces.
You can also completely forgo flowers and use other “living” beings. Large vegetation, such as branches, palm fronds, or plants, can have a big impact. Fruit and vegetable bowls are modern, sophisticated still-life works of art on your tables, while succulents are also becoming a popular choice. Another trendy option is to use large feathers as part of your centerpieces.