One of the largest expenses on your wedding day may be the food, but luckily it is also one of the most manageable. Although you may want to feed your guests with a lavish spread of gourmet foods, your pocketbook may not agree. There are a number of ways to compromise on your reception food without skimping on taste!
One of the easiest ways to cut food costs at your reception is to offer a light lunch menu instead of a full-blown buffet or sit-down dinner. Present elegant finger sandwiches or a classic Waldorf salad. Depending on the timing of your reception (if it starts in the mid-afternoon or later in the evening), a simple fondue bar, fruit and vegetable buffet, or delicious dessert bar will be enough to satisfy your guests and will be easier on your pocketbook.
Another simple cost reduction is to reduce the amount of wait staff at your reception. This can be done by serving your food buffet-style or asking friends and relatives to help out in the kitchen. Instead of a traditional wedding cake you may opt to serve gourmet wedding cookies and have them double as guest favors. With some wedding cakes costing more than $10 per slice, a cupcake tower is a trendy and less expensive dessert option. If you have the time you can even make the cupcakes yourself, have friends help you decorate them and present them on a pretty tower. Cupcakes can usually be purchased from a bakery at a lower cost per serving than wedding cake, and if you enjoy variety you can make (or order) a number of flavors for your guests to choose from.
Should you choose to include liquor at your reception, consider a cash bar instead of offering free drinks. This will also translate into considerable savings to you and it will minimize the number of over-indulgent guests. By using some creativity and planning well in advance, you should be able to provide your guests with elegant reception food and not break the bank!
