4 Ways To Save Money On Your Wedding Reception Catering Costs
Posted on: 7 July 2015
Catering is often the largest expense in a wedding by far, so if you're looking to plan a wedding that's budget-friendly, you might be wondering what steps you can take to reduce your catering costs while still ensuring that your guests have a wonderful time. Fortunately, cutting back on catering costs is a lot easier than you may think. All it takes is a little planning and creativity.
Trim Your Guest List
The hands-down most effective way to cut down on catering costs is to trim down your guest list. After all, most catering companies charge on a per-person basis, so the fewer people you invite, the more you save. Consider sitting down with your partner and coming up with a set of guidelines for inviting people. For example, if you haven't spoken to a person in the past year and they're not immediate family, they won't be invited. This allows you to save money while making sure the guests at your wedding are the most important people in your lives.
Opt for a Buffet
Another way to possibly cut down on your wedding costs is to offer a buffet to guests, rather than a plated dinner. In most cases, costs associated with staffing enough people to serve a plated dinner and preparing each guest's plate properly are much higher than those related to setting up a buffet. Plus, with a buffet, your guests get to enjoy choosing as much or as little of the food as they want.
Share Your Budget
These days, a lot of catering companies are more than happy to work with the budget you have, so don't hesitate to give the caterers a ballpark range of your budget when you meet with them. By letting them know your max budget, there's a good chance that they will be able to come up with a meal and beverage plan for your reception that suits it perfectly.
Ask About BYOB
Finally, if you'll be serving alcohol at your wedding, inquire with your venue or catering company as to whether or not they allow you to bring your own alcohol. Not all caterers will allow this, but some may. If so, you can save a lot of money by purchasing your own assortment of alcohol and mixers for your guests to enjoy. Keep in mind, however, that you'll still need to hire a bartender, either through your catering company or elsewhere. Contact a company like Giuseppe's for more information.
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