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Weddings can be extremely expensive if you’re not mindful of what you’re doing. In order to cut costs, many brides and grooms try to find tips for planning a wedding on a budget. While this can be done, it’s always a good idea to try and focus your cost-cutting on specific areas to help you have the wedding of your dreams for less.
One of the most expensive factors about weddings is the food. You need to feed however many people you invite, and this can add up. If you want to have a great wedding, but you still want to cut costs, use these tips to have luxury wedding food on a budget.
Opt for a package
When you choose wedding food, you are typically given the choice of a la carte vs package. Each one offers its own pros and cons, but for money’s sake, you want to opt for the package. This way, you will get more food for your money. In fact, opting for this can allow you to feed more people, so if you have a very large guest list, using the packaged dinner option is your best bet to allow everyone to come without going broke.
Work with the caterer
If you’re having your food catered, you can always work with the caterer to create the best plan on your budget. Let them know what you can afford up front and see what they can give you. To do this effectively, you should comparison shop a few different caterers to see who can give you more for your money. You’d be amazed at how prices can start to drop once they know they’re bidding for your wedding.
Consider a culinary school
Culinary students need to learn, and many offer catering at a very reasonable price. Reach out to local culinary schools in your area and see if this is a viable option. If so, then check out what you can get for your budget. If the school doesn’t offer it, speak to someone for recommendations. There may be a student who is looking to start a catering business and would love to supply your wedding in order to get school credit or build a portfolio.
Stick to appetizers
Sometimes you just need to keep it casual. Instead of giving everyone this elaborate sit-down meal, consider sticking to appetizers and finger foods instead. This will allow your guests to spend more time mingling and getting jiggy on the dance floor that suffering through a five-course meal while watching you cut a cake or have a first dance.
Stick with a theme
It’s important to remember that your wedding is your wedding. You get to do it your way, so why not pick a theme and stick to it? For instance, if you and your fiancé are avid baseball fans, why not opt for foods that you can associate with baseball, such as hot dogs, popcorn, nachos, hot pretzels, etc.? All of this food is cheap to provide, and it’s a favorite among most people. Plus, having your wedding this way will certainly make your wedding stand out from all the other stuffy weddings out there, and people will be talking about it for years to come.
Cut back
Sometimes in order to save money on food you just need to cut back. Do you really need that cocktail hour? If not, cut it. That will save you money on appetizers. Do you really need to invite everyone you knew in grade school? Probably not. Cut them from the list. Are you sure you want to do the five-course meal? If not, opt for a buffet style that will keep things moving along.
Getting married is one of the biggest milestones in your life, and you’ll want to enjoy it without going broke. While you can find other ways to cut costs, there are plenty of ways that you can save money on food but still provide a great spread. Use these tips to have a luxury wedding with great food on a tight budget, and you’ll create so many memories and have money left over for a great honeymoon.
