Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Saving Money on Wedding Venues

As we reported in May, the average American wedding costs a whopping $30,000.00, according to WeddingWire.com survey. Brides can really start feeling the stress of having the wedding of their dreams while remaining within their budget. Atlanta florist, Peachtree Petals, believe no one should have to forfeit their vision, so we've developed a few cost saving tips for wining and dining your guests for less.

Wed Beyond Mealtime: Serving a complete meal at the reception can get tricky. Between deciding on buffet or family style serving, a plated meal that gives guests two options, dietary restrictions for certain guests, and including kid-friendly foods, the planning and execution of serving a meal quickly becomes overwhelming. We recommend to plan your soiree around mealtimes rather than during mealtimes. By switching up the time of your reception, guests will have already eaten and won’t be expecting a full four-course meal. Instead of serving a full meal, focus on a cocktail reception with signature cocktails that tell a story and appetizers. You can also have a fun cocktail hour featuring dessert wines and decadent desserts. Who will even miss dinner as they snack the night away?

Add a Little Sparkle: Continuing to think with mealtimes in mind, why not have a Mimosa or Bloody Mary (or both!) bar? Having a cocktail hour earlier saves on having to shell out for tons of liquor and expensive dinner foods. These low-key drinks require very few ingredients, all of which could be purchased from a bulk retailer like Costco or Sam’s Club. You can then artfully arrange add-ins or garnishes for guests to choose from as they build their own drink. These light drinks not only are cost effective, but the sparkling wine within your mimosa will create a truly sparkling reception.

Haul in Your Savings By the Truck Load: Food trucks are a perfect option for smaller guest lists as fewer trucks will go a long way. Hiring food trucks can save on your food serving costs while providing variety for guests. Guests will enjoy a mix of flavors from BBQ and taco trucks, to pizza trucks, or Jamaican cuisine. Too often we see food going to waste at receptions, but a wide variety of choices will be pleasing to guests with dietary restrictions, children, and those that are simply picky eaters, and cut down on food waste. Don’t forget the dessert truck! We love doughnut food trucks or carnival inspired fare like deep-fried Twinkies!

Limit the Guest List: As with the concept of fewer food trucks being able to comfortably serve a small guest list, having a smaller guest list regardless of your food and drink choices just makes sense. With less people to feed on your big day, you’ll have to provide less food and drink. This simple math allows you to have the event you dream of without having to empty your pockets.

BYOB: Perfect for low-key, natural wedding spaces, invite guests to bring a beverage of their choice. It is unrealistic to serve every guest’s favorite spirit, so invite them to imbibe on something they know they’ll enjoy: something they brought from home. You could even setup a DIY bar area where guests can share their drinks and get a chance to mingle with one another while trying other drinks all at no cost to you!

It seems as if the higher the cost of an average wedding climbs, the more options there are for brides to save. Located at 1450 W. Peachtree St., NW, Peachtree Petals is Atlanta’s premier wedding florist. The dedicated team at Peachtree strives to see brides happy on their special day. The look on the face of a bride we've worked with is one of the best job perks. In order to see these happy faces, we must look at ways for brides to save while still maintaining their vision. You can play with venues, menus, and attire to create room in your budget, but one thing you simply cannot afford to scrimp on is wedding flowers.

Schedule a free wedding consultation today at our Buckhead Atlanta florist to begin the wonderful journey of planning your dream wedding with us. We will work with you for your design aesthetic and budget by utilizing the freshest, in-season flowers, flat-rate delivery, and free setup on the day of your wedding. From corsages to centerpieces, we've got you covered, and we invite you to browse our comprehensive wedding portfolio online and while you’re there, schedule your complimentary consultation to get started right away.

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