Save on Catering - 5 Ways to Serve a Tantalizing (Yet Wallet Friendly) Culinary Experience

Looking for ways to save on catering? Of course you are - you will allocate almost 50% of your entire wedding budget to wining and dining your guests. If you’re already dreading the look on their faces when offered bread and water (as I was), browse through my favorite ways to save on catering costs.

Eliminate Courses
Break from the five course mold – it’s tedious and expensive. Why not serve a 3 course meal that’s extraordinary?! Eliminating a soup, salad, or an extra dessert will go unnoticed and will free up some of your catering budget for what really excites you.

Appetizer Tables
Passed hors deuvres, while elegant, can drain your catering budget. Consider instead an appetizer table. And don’t fret that this decision will scream “low end.” Infuse the table with creative displays – even a vegetable tray can be done to invoke chic.

A Casual Affair
The most stylish events are not always black tie. A recent trend has brides breaking from the stuffy formal affair and embracing a more casual and festive atmosphere. Consider instead a down-home barbeque, a New England Clambake, a Mexican Fiesta. With a little insight and ingenuity, you can serve these relaxed themes in a manner that’s positively chic.

A Non-Dinner Affair
Dinner is the most expensive meal to serve. Save on catering by considering a brunch, lunch or even a dessert reception. Your wedding budget will thank you.

A Cocktail Reception
Along those lines, consider a menu consisting entirely of hors d'oeuvres. If your reception does not coincide with a meal time, a cocktail and appetizer reception is perfectly suitable. Since these events typically run for only two hours, in addition to savings on catering - location, staffing and other rental fees are also considerably reduced.

For more ideas on planning your wedding menu, visit my complete Catering Guide on Elegala.com - Elegant Galas Made Simple