Weddings are expensive. Just thinking about them can make your fingers go numb while going through your figures. However, there are ways to make your reception somewhat less expensive. So read on for tips and strategies on how to cut the costs of your wedding reception.

How do I afford the wedding I want?

The average wedding costs about £24,000, according to Bridebook. That’s a lot of dough, and while a lot of that money goes toward necessities like the venue and catering or the photographer that doesn’t leave much left over for the bride and groom.

Still, if you’re on a tight budget, there are ways to trim costs and still have the wedding of your dreams. Here are a few ways you can cut the costs of your wedding reception.

Track your budget

If your wedding is an important investment, then it makes sense to keep track of how much you spend on various elements. If you’re struggling with a big wedding budget, you should create a budget tracking spreadsheet. Make sure you account for every single penny spent.

Think of an alternative wedding venue

Although the venue and area of your wedding is important, it shouldn’t be everything. You don’t need to pay for an expensive venue just to get married. There are other ways to save money.

Search for cheaper reception venues rather than renting the most expensive banquet hall in town. When you’re looking for the ideal location, try to find places that are somewhat different from your typical wedding venue.

Invite fewer people

It’s simple: the more people you invite to your wedding, the more money you’ll spend.

When you’re struggling financially, you need to prioritize your friendships. Don’t feel bad about excluding people from your wedding party if they’re not close to you. Just invite people who are important to you. This way, you can reduce the costs of your party.

Less decor

If you want to cut the costs of your wedding reception, you can start by having less decor, or cutting back on the amount of decor in each area. Big weddings tend to be lavishly decorated. This makes them more expensive. And lavish decorations also mean more stress. Do you really want a big wedding that puts enormous stress on you and your family and friends?

Serve wedding cake for dessert

Rather than paying out for a costly sweet for every visitor, serve wedding cake for dessert. It probably won’t be conventional, yet your cake is there to be eaten. So why not serve it up as sweet?

Utilizing your wedding cake as an option in contrast to pastry is savvy, and an extraordinary method to reduce the expense of the day. In addition, your visitors most likely will not mull over having cake for dessert, as long as it’s scrumptious, that is.

Try not to have an open bar

While you focus on other details, such as making sure your dress fits and your guest list is in check, you might not realize that one of the biggest expenses of a wedding is alcohol. Of course, splurge a little on wine or champagne for the toast. But if you’re serving alcohol at your wedding, it’s important to consider how much you’re spending and how it will affect your budget.

One way to lower the prices of the wedding reception is not to have an open bar. An option instead is to set up a beverages table with containers of wine, spirits, brews, and sodas for visitors to grab. This will work out much less expensive than hiring a bartender, renting a bar, and paying for every drink. Simply get a quote from a local liquor store, and your guests should be happy with your do-it-yourself bar option.

Hire a DJ instead of a band

Some couples find that hiring a professional DJ instead of a live band saves them a lot of money.
One big benefit of hiring a DJ is that you get to control the music. A live band has a list of songs that it’s expected to play, and you might not like some of the choices. The same is true of bands that play cover songs. If you want to play your own music, a DJ is the way to go.

Conclusions

It’s amazing how thinking outside the box and being an innovator can reduce the cost of your wedding reception and make it affordable. A few of these thoughts may not be conventional, but as long as everybody has fun, who cares?