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Budgeting for reception food and music
By Nily Glaser © Copyrights 2005 – 2021 Nily Glaser Gan Publishing
Food at your reception
How can we budget for reception food and music is one of the most frequent questions we are asked. That is because the reception is the most expensive part of your wedding. However, you can plan it within your budget and have a memorable event.
You must be very particular when choosing your wedding reception site. It must be appropriate and fit in with your reception plan. It does not have to be a traditional hall. How about having your wedding in a historical home, a park, a museum, fair grounds, public gardens, on the beach, etc…
You also need to know if the venue supplies you with all your furniture and dining needs. If not, you must calculate rental fees.
When choosing a wedding site, choose slow period and either a Friday evening, Sunday afternoon. When caterers are not busy, you’ll be able to negotiate with them for the best deals.
To cater or not?
But you may not need a caterer. If you invite some good cooks to your wedding, you may ask them to prepare their favorite recipes for your reception. Also, if you invite some good bakers ask if they could prepare sweets and desserts or maybe even your wedding cake. You’ll save money and they will feel honored for being asked. In fact they’ll probably be delighted to serve too.
If you have your reception catered, you must consider the number of guests, the time of day and how the food will be served. Will it be refreshments only, dessert only, light snack, a sit-down, a buffet? Will you serve alcohol? Will bar tenders serve alcohol? Will it be an open bar? Who will pay for the drinks you or your guests?
How to save on wedding food?
There is an enormous difference in price between a light brunch, a catered five course sit-down meal and everything in between.
Following are some suggestions you may check out to fit your budget.
Provide a brunch or an early lunch. Serve fruit and vegetables, salads, eggs, cheeses, pastries, coffee, tea and cold drinks buffet style.
Have a late lunch and you’ll only need to add some meats and poultry. At your option, you may still serve it buffet style, or as a sit-down meal.
For a dinner reception, you may serve a buffet style or a sit-down dinner. A catered dinner is by far your most expensive choice.
About asking for favor
Don’t be afraid to ask for favors. Most of the time, you will find that people will feel honored to be asked to contribute their talents and connections to your special day.
When I got married, my brother ‘s best friend who is a DJ was more than happy to provide his services as a wedding gift to me and my husband.
You can also borrow a friend or family member’s accessories. Something as simple as a head piece, a veil or jewelry can be very costly when purchased new. You will have plenty of “Something New” but you need “something borrowed”. So, find someone who has an accessory just stored away in her closet and who will be more than happy to lend it to you as your “something borrowed”.
Bar
Instead of having an open bar with hard liquor, serve only champagne, wine and beer.
Music
Budgeting for wedding music can spread from the high hundreds of dollars to almost free. What you need to decide when it comes to music, is what fits in with your personalities. Would you choose to have instrumental music at your wedding reception? how about a band, a disc jockey, or a soloist.
Check out the local colleges and universities and find out if they have a music department. If so, inquire if there are students in the music program who will be able to perform at your wedding.
What Meredith from Phoenix, AZ wrote:
We thank Meredith from Phoenix, AZ who sent us the following information about how she is saving money on wedding music while helping the local high school band in their fund raising efforts.
She writes:
” I am getting married and paying for it myself. So, I have had to cut costs like you wouldn’t imagine! One thing that was very important to me and my fiancé is music. We both were in band and choir in high school and love music to this day. Unfortunately, having a string quartet was entirely too expensive and forget the live band or even a DJ at our reception, so I had an idea.
I was in jazz band in high school and we were very good, winning all kinds of awards and stuff. High school bands are always looking for fund raisers and so we approached my old high school jazz band about playing at our reception. We worked out a great deal for paying them but it was significantly lower than getting a professional band. AND, the school usually has uniforms already – just request that as part of the package. Thank you for you web site it has been very helpful. Meredith from Phoenix, AZ :)”
Ask guests to share their talents
But, don’t overlook your guests. If you invited singers, let them sing. Have them sing a solo or sing as a group during the ceremony And / or at the reception.
Additionally, you may know someone even a teenager who would be willing to “be in charge” of recorded music. There are quite a few Music channels on the Internet. If you can have the music loud enough for dancing, you can have musical entertanment for free.
Misc.
Ask friends to serve as your drivers and save. Instead of a limo, rent a luxury car and have a friend drive. Ask friends to help decorate the reception room, be the disc jockey, help with the seating, etc…
Good friends and family will be honored and you’ll save money and know that your wedding needs were fulfilled with love and care.
Attitude
Have a positive – we can do – attitude and be optimistic about planning your wedding and about your special day itself.
If anything goes wrong, as something may, take into consideration that things that went wrong will become things remembered. You will laugh about them later and throughout your married life. So, have a great time as you share the happiest day of your life with the friends and family who love you and rejoice with you.
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Nily Glaser, the CEO of A-wedding Day at: http://www.a-weddingday.com She is a published author of books and important articles. Her Personalized Wedding Planning Organizer that is available to subscribers in printable format, can be found in the A-wedding Day Magazine. Nily Glaser has presented workshops for parents and for wedding professionals all over the USA.
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