Slashing Wedding Food Costs

With rising gas costs and other expenses through the roof, Kelly Howell of
www.wedding-reception-food-ideas.com provides the following ideas to save money planning your wedding reception.

The cost for food and drinks for your wedding can easily climb to several thousand dollars, but it doesn't have to. Here are several tips that will save you money and still provide you with the classy wedding you've dreamed of:

1. The biggest cost saver, whether you are using a caterer or planning the food yourself, is to schedule the wedding and reception at a time of day when a full sit-down meal won't be expected by guests. An afternoon/evening cocktail or dessert reception can save you thousands of dollars when compared with an elaborate dinner.

2. Next, be smart when planning beverages for your reception. An open bar can break the bank. Consider a classy champagne punch or a wine instead (or even an alcohol-free punch). And remember that it is always less expensive to purchase and serve the drinks yourself than to pay a caterer or bartender to do so.

3. Second to alcohol, the biggest food and beverage expense is usually meat for the wedding reception or dinner. Keeping meat to a minimum is another easy way to trim your wedding food costs. Choosing a vegetarian entree, a dish whose main ingredient is not meat, or a less expensive cut of meat are all wise decisions that will positively impact your food budget.

4. Another easy place to save money is on the wedding cake. Bakers and caterers often charge anywhere from $2-6 per slice to make and/or serve the wedding cake. For about $1 per slice, you can purchase a nice cake at a bakery and have a friend cut and serve it at the reception.

5. If you are well-organized and have a good support system of friends and family willing to help, you may wish to consider planning and making your own food for your reception. You can save several thousand dollars by doing so. And it's not as difficult as you may think. Food for a dessert reception, for example, can be made ahead and served cold the day of the wedding with little effort on anyone's part. For many brides, the extra work is worth the savings if it means more money to spend on the honeymoon or being able to afford a designer wedding gown.

The food for your wedding is one of the easiest expenses to slash, while still allowing the smart bride and groom to host a very nice affair. Be creative, ask questions, don't be afraid to ask for cheaper menu items, and do as much yourselves as you can handle, and you will be able to trim hundreds (if not thousands) from your wedding food costs.

WedAlert tip: In certain locations some of the above suggestions are not feasible, but many catering halls/reception sites offer much cheaper price per plate (which include food and drinks) depending on the date and time of your reception. So while the reception hall may not permit you to bring in your own food, a Friday night or Sunday afternoon reception will be substantially less that a Saturday night.

Wedding Invitations – How to be Creative Even on the Outside

Wedding invitations are one of the few pieces of mail that people enjoy receiving. It’s fun to open up that envelope knowing there’s a custom invitation inside. But amidst all of today’s junk mail, how can you make your envelope stand out to get your guests’ attention?

There are actually several ways you can make your mailing envelope as unique as your wedding invitation.

• Shape - With so many wedding invitation designs available today, you could easily select a uniquely shaped style such as square or tea length. The mailing envelope will then reflect that same distinctive size to fit the invitation.
  
  
• Style - Another option is to select a Seal and Send wedding invitation style. This all-in-one invitation is designed to be folded into a self-mailing piece eliminating the need for a mailing envelope. The response card is attached to the invitation so it can be easily detached by your wedding guest along the perforation. This also eliminates the response card return mailing envelope and saves on your postage cost as it only requires a postcard stamp.
  
  
• Color - How about using color for emphasis? Some wedding invitations now come with colored mailing envelopes. In particular, self-mailer invitations often include a colored envelopment. The envelopment holds your invitation card and has a built-in pocket for keeping any extra enclosures. It is then folded up wrapping around all your invitation pieces to become your mailing envelope.
  
  
• Decorative Seals - Adding a seal to your wedding invitation envelope could be that extra touch you’ve been looking for. Even though your envelope is sealed, you can choose to place a special seal on the back so it gives the illusion that the seal is actually holding the flap down. There are many seal design choices, from monograms to first names to specific themes. Their appearance can be clear, white, silver, gold, embossed, etc.
  
  
• Custom Wedding Stamps - There are now websites that offer you the option of creating your own personalized postage stamps using an uploaded photo or choosing from ready-to-use wedding designs. This is a great way to dress up your wedding invitation envelopes to reflect your personal style.

You want to be sure your wedding invitation gets the attention of your guests as soon as it arrives in their mail and that it doesn’t get lost in their sea of junk mail and bills. Using any of the above suggestions will surely accomplish this and will start building their excitement even before they see your actual invitation.

By Sara Haese
Printed Creations Wedding Store