Not everyone has the desire (or the budget) to have a gigantic wedding reception that includes family, friends, co-workers, managers, neighbors, the pool guy, etc. etc. If you are looking to have a small wedding reception that aren’t sure where to start, here are some ideas that will kick start your planning process.
Wedding Suppers
Why do you need to rent out a giant venue for one night’ You can try contacting some local restaurants that you enjoy and ask them if you can have a wedding supper there. You can usually keep these meals as lavish or as simple as you would like. A lot of restaurants love to host private events at their restaurant and will even tailor a menu to the needs of both you and your guests. Make sure that you check with the restaurant to see what their capacity is and whether all of your guess (and always plan on an extra guest or two showing up) will be able to be accommodated.
Backyard Receptions
Backyard receptions are absolutely lovely in a spring or summer sunset. You don’t have to use your own backyard; if you know someone who has a nice backyard and they are willing to open it up to you, then by all means take full advantage! You can also check in with farmers or historic homes in your area and see what they would charge for you to hold a reception there. Chances are it will be a whole lot less than if you were to pay for a fancy reception venue.
TIP: When ever planning any sort of outdoor event, make sure that you include tents in your budget and make sure they are on hand ‘ JUST in case the rain decides to fall.
What’s Free in your Community?
Believe it or not, but there are a lot of spots in your community that offer free spaces for you to have a beautiful reception. You can also check with your local Parks and Recreation board to see what fee they will charge for you to rent you a portion of a park or beach (in a lot of cities, beaches are free as long as you keep the number of guests to a minimum). Your local Parks and Recreation board will charge you a whole lot less to use their park than a private establishment, so look around and see if there is a park that tickles your fancy.
Additional Budget Cutting Tips
Borrowing equipment is a number one priority for anyone who is looking for a small reception. Why spend a ton of money renting a projector when Uncle Jim has one just sitting in his basement’ Take full advantage of how you can utilize things that you already have in your home, such as an mp3 player and your laptop computer to create slide shows, create play lists for your wedding, and other neat things that can save you hundreds of dollars. You’ll be glad that you did!
Tags: wedding reception
Categories: Reception