How to Save on Wedding Food

Save on Drinks

Drinks are very expensive, that's why it's the first that you have to revise in order to save. Ask your venue if it's possible to bring your own beverages. If yes, then you won't have to pay for services of the venue and the alcohol they provide, that is more expensive then bought in a supermarket.

Serve only one or two kinds of drinks. You may make one kind of spirit to be the drink of your wedding, thus allowing your guests indulge in it with you. If you choose this variant, then you just have to count how much servings you need. The second idea is to have a limited choice of drinks, for instance – wine and beer. These beverages are very popular, and by avoiding providing a wide choice you can save on extra liquors.

Serve only non-alcoholic drinks. There are plenty of tasty non-alcoholic cocktails and smoothies that your guests will love. Don't think that people always have to drink alcohol to enjoy the event!

Save on Appetizers

You may want to impress your guests with the appetizers served and choose some expensive ingredients. We recommend you to avoid this. In fact many guests will come hungry at the reception and most of them won't care what to eat when they have some sort of snack before dinner. Fruit, vegetables, chips, crackers are not very expensive, but your guests will be happy.

The second way to save on appetizers is to ask the venue if you can bring your own food. If may sound tiresome to you, because you have to cook on the wedding day. But actually everything can be done the day before you get married. Organize a cooking party for your relatives and cook appetizers and some main course food. And here we proceed to the ways to save on the main course.

Save on Main Course

First of all think about the style of your dinner. If you choose a family-like party, then you will need big dishes, that are passed around the table. They are not so expensive as per plate servings.

Before choosing plated or a buffet meal, check the prices for each of them. Many find buffet dinner more expensive, than plated, and vice versa. Anyway, it won't make you any harm to find out about the prices for each and make your choice.

Think about stations and allow this concept to enter your wedding. You can think of several kinds of stations, like pasta, pita, taco, southern cooking and other stations. Let your guests wander among them and choose the food they want.

Make sure that you don't use some out-of-season ingredients in your dishes. These ingredients will have to be ordered and transported, automatically increasing your bill. Stick to simple and seasonal ingredients.

Think about the time of your wedding. Breakfast and lunch cost less then dinner, but at the same time they are unusual. Moreover, your guests won't be expecting a full meal that's why they will be happy with the food they are given.

If your venue let's you bring your own food, then you can order take-out. Pizzas or Chinese food will look great if they fit in your wedding style.

Save on Desserts

We have already given a couple of tips on how to save on a wedding cake, now we expand this theme. If you can't refuse having a wedding cake at your wedding, then think about making the servings smaller.

Many guests even won't try your wedding cake, but they will be happy with cupcakes. They will cost you less and look as your mini wedding cakes. By the way, don't order several flavors. Choose only one flavor and simple decoration.

Sweets bars were very popular during the last years and they provide guests with a number of desserts, that will be less expensive then your cake. Pick up different candies to serve on plates. You can also have a dessert buffet, where brownies, cookies and pies will be served for your guests.