How to Plan a Wedding reception for Under $500
Getting married can be the most important day of your life, but you don't have to spend thousands to have the perfect wedding reception. In a poor economy it can be hard to justify spending thousands on your reception and a formal affair can just add to the stress of the big day. instead, opt for a more casual and significantly less expensive option, a wedding reception for $500 or less.
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Instructions
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How to Plan a $500 Wedding Reception
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Begin by booking a free or low cost site for your event. Book early because the best free sites get snapped up fast. Get your reservation in writing to avoid any last minute cancellations. Nothing can be more stressful than having to find a reception hall at the last minute. Consider sites that are out of the ordinary. City and state parks, especially those that have picnic shelters, can be great reception sites. You may also be able to rent a room at a local church or civic organization for a fraction of the cost of traditional reception halls.
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Plan an afternoon reception. By deftly scheduling the reception between meals, you can save tons just by feeding your guest finger foods instead of a full meal. One lovely reception that cost far less than $500 was hosted in early May at a local park. The bride, her mother and friends scoured the region for off-beat cheeses and crackers, served fresh from the farm strawberries bought that morning at the farmer's market, and served lemonade, iced tea, cucumber water and water to drink.
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Investigate unusual entertainment options. Borrow the sound system from your local church or, if this is a family affair, call up the local snow cone vendor. For about $50 you can treat all the guests to all the snow cones they want. Hit up friends who are entertainers or simply fill someone's MP3 player with all the great dance tunes you want at your wedding.
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Scour local thrift stores, dollar stores and other discount merchandisers for decorations and other items. The after-Easter sale at discount retailers can provide colorful platters, plates, napkins and more for pennies on the dollar. Checking at factory outlet malls during the off-season, think December, can also yield great wedding decorations at half the price.
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Forgo the wedding cake. At most bakeries, putting the wedding label on a cake can quadruple the price. Instead, opt for several sheet cakes in a variety of flavors, including one that is plain white cake. Call it a party cake and the local bakery will sell you a cake to serve 20 people for about $15. Call it a wedding cake and the price will be ten times that much. the bakery will also probably be happy to add roses or other decorations in colors appropriate to your wedding.
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Skip the alcohol and you save lots of cash. And, there is no chance of someone overindulging and ruining your perfect day.
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Visit the local florist and find out if they save the rose petals when they groom roses for their floral designs. Most do and will sell or give you the left over rose petals for a unique and environmentally friendly toss for the arrival of the bride and groom. Rose petals are much more romantic than bird seed and far easier to clean up.
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Enlist the help of your friends and family. You can never guess where a great money saving idea can come from. Table pieces can be constructed with the help of a crafty bridesmaid or from inexpensive candles and candle holders. Let everyone know that you want them to celebrate your wedding, not spend the day in a suit and tie. Your guests will thank you.
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Tips & Warnings
It is sometimes tradition to base the cost of the wedding gift on the approximate cost of the meal at the reception. In a tight economy, friends may consider skipping the wedding if they can't afford an appropriate gift. By making the reception more down to earth, you remind friends and family that the day is not about presents, but about starting your new life as husband and wife.
