6 Easy Ways to Save on Your Wedding Reception Venue

The reception site is indisputably the most important piece of the wedding planning puzzle. Like no other aspect, the venue sets the tone for the day.

You'll find that a large chunk of your wedding budget will go towards the venue, so you’ll need to choose wisely. Based on my personal experience, here are some easy ways to get the cost down - without sacrificing on style.

1) Banish the Rental Fee
A large portion of your wedding reception budget will go towards food and beverage costs – that’s unavoidable. But many facilities slap on an exhorbiant rental fee just to host your event at the location (that’s before you spend the first dime on catering). You can avoid this extra cost by shopping around and comparing rental fees. Many facilities – often just as scenic – charge little or no rental fee on top of your catering bill (you’ll have to use the on-site caterers, but the cost is usually competitive).

2) BYOB
Believe it or not – many wedding reception venues will let you bring your own alcohol – which can lead to extensive savings on your bar tab! Liquor store prices are always less, and you can usually return any unopened bottles for a full refund after the wedding. When prospecting potential reception sites, ask whether stocking your own bar is a possibility.

3) Snub Saturdays and Summers
Saturday nights in June command big bucks. Instead, be a little flexible with your date and time, and enjoy big savings. Most reception venues offer a discounted rate for dates that are not as high in demand (vendors too!).

4) Loosen Up
A general rule of thumb – less formal venues tend to lend themselves to more affordable affairs – which is good news for you. A simple beach or garden wedding can be equally chic, and it lends itself to steel drums instead of a 10 piece orchestra, a casual buffet or barbeque instead of a 5 course meal, and simpler wedding attire - all of which can save some serious cash in your wedding budget.

5) Beat the Clock
Trimming an hour off of your reception time will reduce any facility rental fee, along with many other costs associated with your reception – such as transportation and entertainment. Trust us, your guests will be none the wiser and may actually be grateful for the extra time to unwind.

6) Get it in Writing
Hidden fees can accumulate if you are not careful. Avoid any confusion by requesting an itemized list of fees for your specific event. Make sure every item you have discussed or requested is accounted for before signing on the dotted line. For an itemized list of typical facility fees and costs that you can take with you when reviewing potential reception sites, you can visit this Reception Site Checklist at Elegala.com - Elegant Galas Made Simple

-contributed by Joni Lacroix -