Cutting on catering costs for your wedding
Your wedding can still be spectacular, even with a few added cuts that you might take when you realise you went over your budget. TV shows like Don’t tell the bride and Four weddings make brides feel they only need the best, but then realise it’s not about the wedding at the end of the day, it’s about the union of two people who love each other.
When cutting cost on catering, be sure not to cut on quality. It’s your special day and it should be a memorable one for all. Leaving your guests with diarrhea, will not go down as the best wedding they’ve attended.
Family style serving
This serving style requires very little staff. The entire table gets their food in one setting, where they have to pass it around the table. A big pan of lasagne is less expensive than 10 plates of filet mignon for a table.
Got good cooks in the family?
Have a couple of your family members prepare a few of their signature dishes or give you their quick meat recipes to make as starters. This catering method works great for either a buffet or family style service.
A fancy, yet cheap display cake
The cake is one of the key décor pieces at any reception. The bigger the cake, the more astounding the guest’s responses will be. Any bride with a budget on her wedding day has to resist the temptation to have seven tiered cake. But weddings on a budget can still get that massive cake, even if it’s only a faux cake. Guests will be none the wiser and people don’t eat the wedding cake, anyway.
For the pricier option you can’t resist
Caterers estimate that around 40% less food is consumed by guests if they are handed their appetisers. Get staff to hand round pricier appetisers, like shrimp, scallops or other seafood items, rather than setting them out for guests to serve themselves.
Check for hidden fees
Instead of having champagne passed out by the serving staff, have the best man raise his glass is in his hand, and all the guests will follow suit. Remember, the more people you invite, the pricier it gets. Invite fewer people as a way to save money.
Your wedding day is about you and your partner, no amount of food or guests will impact the love you share for each other. Make the most of the day, and remember that a week after the wedding you shouldn’t be stressing about bills, you should be enjoying your honeymoon.