Planning Your Wedding Reception on a Budget

The wedding day is one of the most important days in a couple’s lives, but with the staggering cost of having a wedding and reception, it can easily seem like the most daunting. With wedding season in full swing, here are just a few tips to help keep the cost of your reception well within your budget.

Location: One of the pricier portions of the reception budget is the location. Try booking locations that are not typically used for wedding receptions like parks, picnic shelters, smaller churches, and civic organizations. Also try booking your venue for days and times that are less common for weddings like Sundays and between noon and 3 p.m. Book as early as possible. Booking early can help you negotiate a better rate. Also be sure to get the agreement in writing to avoid any additional fees later.

The Menu: If having a $30 a plate dinner at your reception just doesn't fit into your budget, try serving h'orderves and appetizers rather than a full meal. Booking your reception for early afternoon not only saves on your location expense, it means guests will be in between lunch and dinner and less hungry than at dinner time, allowing you to serve bite-sized portions. Some of the most popular wedding h'orderves and appetizers of 2013 include:

• Mozzarella wrapped prosciutto skewers
• Bite sized grilled cheese sandwiches served with tomato soup shooters
• Mini twice baked potatoes topped with cheese, sour cream, and chives
• Iced cocktail shrimp served with a spicy cocktail sauce

You can also save on drinks at your reception. Instead of having an open bar that can cost over $1,000.00, try serving a signature drink. For greater continuity with your wedding party and décor, match the colors of your signature drinks to your wedding colors, or the colors of the season.

Entertainment: For your entertainment think about your talented friends and family members. Are any of them skilled in a particular instrument that would serve as the perfect background music to your cocktail hour? Do you know a talented vocalist that could pen and perform a song especially for your perfect day? If not, do not worry. Think about your venue; if you’ll be tying the knot at a church or civic organization, they will likely have a sound system you can use. Create your perfect iPod playlist and hook it up to the sound system for hours of dancing.

Décor: Save on décor by hitting up craft stores and your local dollar store. Here you’ll find many pre-made options and the supplies necessary to create one of kind DIY pieces. Also be sure to contact Todd at Peachtree Petals, Atlanta's leading florist. Todd and his staff will provide you with a complimentary consultation to ensure you the best in quality, style, and cost for your big day. The staff at Peachtree Petals can design bouquets, centerpieces, boutonnieres, and other wedding day décor within any budget.

Peachtree Petals is located at 1231 Collier Rd. Ste. H Atlanta, GA. 30318. To schedule your free personal wedding consultation use Peachtree's simple appointment scheduler located in the wedding section of their website at www.peachtreepetals.com, or call 678-336-1195.