Couples with little cash just need lots of heart to host a memorable wedding reception. Even if the budget dictates there's no room for The Ritz, there are lots of alternatives to hold a heart-felt reception. In fact, chosen wisely, a reception venue can be not only budget-minded but also help to create a unique and personal event. It all starts by taking an inventory of all the possible places you have at your disposal:
- The congregation hall at your house of worship
- Your community centre
- Your home or the home of a close friend or relative
- A public garden, theme park or aquarium offering space for public functions
- The alumni hall at your college
- The officers' mess hall on a military base (if you are in the military)
- A heritage building that's available for social gatherings
- A favourite restaurant
- A vacation home, vineyard or barn
- A garden tent in the backyard.
Volunteer Services
If you opt to go the home-grown reception route, you can save money by relegating smaller projects - such as the gardening, the flower arranging and background music - to willing volunteers among your family and friends.
What nonprofessionals may not be able to deliver in terms of polished, experienced service, they'll certainly make up for in eagerness and heart-felt effort. As long as you don't expect perfection or mind if one of Uncle Harry's CDs starts to skip during the quiet classical music interlude chosen for the cocktail hour. Or that the kids have decided to make daisy chains out of the centrepiece flowers. Could you laugh about it? Then you're guaranteed to have great stories about your wedding day.
The Upside of Downsizing
The key factor in planning a budget reception is to be realistic. If your heart says "300 guests dancing to an orchestra beneath sparkling crystal chandeliers," but your budget says "75 close friends and family dancing to golden oldies under the sky sparkling with stars," then you've got to reassess your priorities. An important rule of thumb in budgeting for a reception is of course the larger the guest list, the greater the cost.
The very best reception-planning tip for any bride and groom is to remember that your bottom line isn't the cheque you write at day's end. It's that everyone you've invited has had a chance to celebrate with you in a relaxed and happy environment. Be generous in spirit and you'll create something far more valuable than any big-budget reception could ever offer.
