Two receptions one small budget?

Question

My fiance and I are having two seperate receptions. The problem is that we have a very modest wedding budget and our parents are not able to help financially either. What can we do to really cut corners?

Answer 1

From the voice of experience...I had a reception that cost about 500 bucks. Here are some suggestions...
1. Food-cheese, veggie, and meat platters with buns in dollar store baskets lined with unfolded paper napkins. Professional trays look nice and are convenient, but you can make them yourself.
2. Cake-see if there's a friend of the family that will cut you a deal *no pun intended* LOL
3. Decorations-Mine was in October, but you can adapt to your season...colored helium balloons (groups of 3) tied with ribbon to cellophane bags of candy corn and jelly beans, twisted crepe paper and potpurri spread lightly down center of each table.
4. Music-You don't need a DJ to have good tunes. Just find someone that has a good stereo and a bunch of CD's. One person not have enough? Get copies burned and return originals.

Have fun and Blessings to you and yours!

Answer 2

There are any number of ways to keep your budget under control. One way is to have the ceremony and reception in the same location, thus cutting your rent in half.

You can have the reception in mid-afternoon or later in the evening after the dinner hour, when guests don't expect to be offered as much to eat.

You can have a dessert reception instead of serving other food. You can omit alcohol. Alcohol-free receptions are "in" right now as couples become more aware of the liability issues involved.

You can choose a less expensive wedding gown, perhaps from the clearance rack at a bridal shop or purchase on-line, including from E-bay, where you can find discontinued models.

Choose your attendants dresses from a department store or a catalog rather than from a bridal shop. Penneys has a bridal catalog and their big catalog can also be a source for attractive dresses that your attendants can wear again.

The ways to cut corners and still have a lovely wedding are limitless. Hopefully, the above ideas will spark your imagination and help you discover other ideas as well.

Deborah
Foreverwed.com

Answer 3

Have only one reception. If people from out of town cannot attend, well, that's less people to feed.

Have a very small guest list. Invite inmediate family and your closest friends only. No acquaintances or coworkers.

Skip the liquour. Have toast with sparkling cider or sparkling wine instead of champagne. Offer wedding punch, tea and sodas for refreshments.

Print the invitations your self at home

Skip the wedding favours, the DJ, the limo and the videographer.

Have a mid morning or mid afternoon reception, so a full meal is not expected. You have a brunch or hors d'ouvre's reception, a cattered dinner or lunch reception are very expensive, leave alone a sit down dinner.

Visit the local dollar store for decoration ideas.

Buy the wedding cake at walmart or local grocery store.

Hold your reception at your church's reception hall, local american legion or VFW or community hall. Or have a park or back yard wedding.

Good luck

Answer 4

If you have the wedidng and reception(s) between regular lunch and dinner hours, OR at late nigh after 8 p.m., then you can have a non-meal reception, because it is a non-meal time of day.

In the afternoon you can serve just cake and punch, or just chese and crackers with a fruit tray, or other finger foods.

Late night, you can have a cocktail party (if you can afford the alcohol) or a fancy dessert party, because people will have already eaten dinner.

Make sure to indicate "cake and punch reception" or whataver descriptive phrase on your invitatoins, so people woun't be surprised that a meal is not going to be served.

Answer 5

I don't understand the 2 receptions thing either but coffee & cake receptions are inexpensive. Just make sure you indicate that's the type of reception you'll be having on the invitation so people don't show up expecting a meal.

Answer 6

If both receptions are to be held in the same State Find an earth shattering reason not to have 2 but 1 reception If they are io be held in different states WHY If you like you can email me RE: 2 receptions

Answer 7

first of all if money is tight why two receptions???? I would try a golf course or a relatives pretty backyard and you can do the food and what not. I think food is important so don't cut corners there, but you could opt for not decorations and a small cake. Its really hard that you guys want to have two.... you could have one really nice one and invtie tons of people. GL

Answer 8

If finances are a concern, why have two receptions? One wedding, one reception. Either people come to it or they don't. If you start off your marriage by having one reception in one place to please your family, and another reception in another place to please his, then your entire life will be about bending over backwards to make your respective families happy.

Answer 9

I agree with the above.
Why do you have to have two receptions?
Maybe you should repost this question and better explain why you have to have two receptions, so we understand.

Answer 10

Maybe you should consider having only one reception.