One
Stop Shopping is Key
Think….
Ceremony, Reception, Equipment. We all
have the picture perfect day laid out in our heads, but with a little
flexibility we can land the perfect day with decreasing about a third of the
cost per guest. Selecting a venue that
can accommodate your guests for the ceremony and that can easily be transformed
in to the after party is certainly ideal on a limited budget. If you select a venue that can provide the
majority of the equipment needed for the reception that is another significant
decrease in expense. Event expert, Bernadette Coveney Smith, and owner of 14
Stories, an event company in New York City offers phenomenal advice.
"Look
for a spot that can accommodate both your ceremony and reception. By doing so, you'll save on decorations and
guest transportation costs, not to mention a second venue-rental fee."
Terri Says: “The biggest benefit…meeting the minimum on
food and drink guarantees a delectable menu and eliminates the expense of a room
rental. “
"Not
only does it completely eliminate the need for rentals, but once you meet the
food and beverage minimum, there typically isn't a room fee," says Coveney
Smith.
½
Faux, ½ Fabulous
I
said it. Fake the cake; it’s one of the
best tips I have ever retained. (Thanks, Martha!)
Everybody knows a memorable tiered piece of perfection is a must have on
the big day, but what happens to all of the grand tastiness when the big day
comes to a close? Make it easy, have
your confectionary artist create a memorable masterpiece that is half foam and
half cake. No one will eat the entire
cake anyways. Wendy Kromer, owner of
Wendy Kromer Confections in Sandusky, Ohio, and a Martha Stewart Weddings
contributing editor even suggests only having one real tier and a sheet cake
for guests. She says they will never
know the difference.
Terri Says: “ The biggest
benefit…your cake will still look fabulous after the cake cutting ends and the
dance party begins and it costs less!”
A
Signature Drink + Savvy Sipping = A Fabulous Party
I
know….I know, we all think the number one way to save is “Out with the open bar and serve up the beer and
wine” I can tell you after planning
events for enormous amounts of guests, there is more than one way to save on sipping. supplying mass amounts of beer &
wine is not always the less expensive route.
Consider sitting with your planner or Maid of Honor and evaluate your
audience, season trends and remember to remain flexible.
Why
not have a Brew Garden with the grooms top10 beers to taste, after all… Microbrews are the
new wine! You can pair that up with a signature drink designed by you and the
groom and give each guest a cocktail recipe card as sassy wedding swag.
Just think, 750 ml is equal to around 17
shots. If each drink has one shot in it, you can almost serve 17 drinks from one bottle of choice liquor. In comparison, a 750mL bottle of wine yields
roughly 5.625 drinks. That comes out to about serving 4 people from 1 bottle of
wine.
Lets Do The Math
While
you can see there is a significant savings in selecting a signature drink,
don’t completely do away with variety.
Purchase a few cases of about three different wines, serve a glass of
champagne (brut is okay on a budget) to each guest, have a versatile beer
tasting and perhaps budget for a limited bar menu that closes an hour prior to
the reception ending.
Terri Says: “The biggest benefit…your signature drink
will always be remembered, you’ll kill two birds with one stone (swag and a
savvy memorable wedding element) and most importantly, you won’t break the
bank.”
