You’ve dreamed about your wedding day all your life. You may have even gone as far as creating a Pinterest board with ideas on the perfect dress, cake, flowers, catering and a breathtaking venue.
In our previous blog, How To Create A Wedding Budget, we spoke of things to consider when setting your budget. Now that you’ve got your budget, you may have to decide if you need to either scale back your dreams,or your guest list. With an average catering cost of $25 – $35 per person (including food, services and rentals) here are some things to consider when balancing your budget.
Choose an ‘Out of Season” Wedding Date or Time
There are specific days and seasons that are most sought after by brides. With higher the demand comes higher cost. Did you know that even certain days of the week have a higher cost than others? Some couples are breaking away from the Saturday tradition and using alternative days of the week to be unique and more frugal.
If you have chosen a weekend wedding, time of day is also something to consider. In comparison to morning or daytime, evening receptions have additional costs due to more robust catering needs for dinner. Larger bar services are needed, as (most)people don’t drink as much during the day! Ambient lighting and décor also need to be considered in the absence of natural light.
Weddings are About Location, Location, Location
Some cities are more expensive, and popular places have minimum head counts and won’t book small wedding parties. When considering distant locations, remember the additional cost travel costs for flowers, talent and guests. Many young couples are getting creative in their nuptials from older barns in beautiful, country locations to houses with their own private beach.
Choose Your Wedding Theme Carefully
Always wanted a white tie wedding? The more formal your special day, the more expensive it will be. For example, an evening gown will cost significantly more than a semi-formal dress. A six-course meal compared to a brunch or cocktail and hors d’oeuvres soiree will affect your price per guest. A 12-piece brass band will have a larger fee than a DJ with his own sound system. Once you have a theme, go through your list of must have’s and decide if it is really needed or just a wish.
Trim Your Guest List Like a VIP Event
After you figure out the cost of your dream day, it’s time to compare that to your guest list. With the average cost for a 150-person wedding being approximately $25,000 (higher in urban areas), you need to set your expectations accordingly. A great idea from Bridal Guide is to create several lists.
- Your first list should include people( outside of close family) that just have to be there, including friends you hang out with often.
- The second lists should include aunts, uncles, cousins and high school friends you’ve stayed in touch with.
- Your third list should include coworkers, your parents friends and neighbors.
- Your final list can include distant cousins, friend you’ve lost contact with and more friends of your parents.
Once you’ve got the maximum number of people you can have within your budget, you can work backwards through your list and fit it within the necessary budget.
Talk With An Expert Wedding Caterer
To make your decision making a little easier, we work on various wedding-catering packages to assist you in your wedding planning journey. Come in today for a consultation with our professional and highly recommended team, taste our delicious samples, and let us assist you in making the most out of any budget. No pressure, just great ideas and delicious samples! It’s the easiest decision you will have to make 😉
Start Planning Your Wedding Today!
