Weddings don’t come cheap, and the catering cost alone can eat up a large part of the budget. Luckily, there are lots of ways to keep catering costs down without compromising your big day.
Drinks
Often it’s the drinks that bump up your catering bill, so get savvy on what you serve to slash those all-important costs. If you can provide your own drinks, then do so, as you could save quite a bit of cash. Shop around for bulk deals on wines or beers. Instead of champagne, opt for prosecco. According to You And Your Wedding, there are a lot of quality proseccos that are cheaper than champagne.
Stick to Seasonal Food
Food that is in season will be cheaper to source and provide than that which is out of season, so get to know what is in plentiful supply at the time of your nuptials.
Offer a Children’s Menu
Keep costs down by providing younger guests with a children’s menu that appeals to their tastes. They’ll prefer this to the adult offering, and there will be less waste.
Play Down the Desserts
Desserts often account for a large portion of the catering budget, but after a large meal most people only pick at the puddings, so scale down your sweet offering. Use the extra cash to devote to more important aspects of the big day, such as choosing a quality Hampshire wedding photographer, like http://www.nickrutterphotography.co.uk/blog/best-wedding-photography-hampshire-dorset-2016/. Instead of lots of decorative desserts, offer a simple classic pudding, or even go straight to the wedding cake.
Ditch the Starters
Lower your catering costs by ditching the starters or stick to something simple. Olives, bread and nuts can do the trick without pushing the budget overboard.
Marry Later in the Day
If you marry early in the day, you’ll need to provide guests with a lunchtime and evening meal, adding to the catering fee. See if you can arrange to marry a little later so that you only have to provide one main meal.
Go for Informal
Informal catering, such as a buffet, requires less staff than a formal waiter-served affair – and the fewer staff needed, the lower your costs. Many guests prefer the option of helping themselves, so just because you go for the informal approach, it doesn’t mean it compromises the enjoyment of your day.
