Anyone who has ever been a part of a wedding reception knows that it is here that the real costs of the wedding start to add up. With the average wedding today costing over $20,000 (with even higher averages in larger metropolitan centers) it is no wonder that couples are starting to look a little bit closer when it comes to where they are putting their money!

There are quite a few areas reception planners can look at when it comes to saving some money on the proceedings. Remember that pinching pennies does not mean a lower quality reception; it just means a little more work in terms of bringing things together. Most couples will find that the more preparation they personally put into the reception, the better it turns out. Here are some ideas for scraping a little bit off of the cost of a reception.

Let the Caterer Worry About the Food

Catering businesses used to supply only the food to an event; today, caterers can be responsible for everything from the food to the beverages to the decorating. One way to cut some costs is to make it clear to your caterer that you will be supplying the beverages and that they only need to concentrate on the food. Like restaurants, a catering business will make a lot of money through mark up on the beverages they provide to an event; pop makes a good return, but even more so do alcoholic beverages such as beer, wine, and champagne. Cut the costs a bit by supplying your own wine for your guests; you can buy bottles from wineries or liquor stores at the same quality for much less than your caterer would supply them for.

Wedding Favors?

Everyone likes to supply their guests with little mementos of their wedding, but these decorations can add up. If you are supplying the wine yourselves, you might also want to consider adding some wine accessories to the table that have been personalized and that your guests can use as souvenirs. Chillers and corkscrews can make great favors that the guests will use over and over again.

Music

The audio considerations for the wedding are another area where costs can accrue. A live band can be great, but if you want a really good range of music as well as guaranteed quality for your reception, it is probably best to go with a reputable DJ service. DJs will also generally cost much less than live bands, and will typically organize some music for parts of the reception aside from the program. If you can find a venue that has the sound equipment necessary for the wedding, you will save a bundle on rentals!

Having a cost conscious wedding reception never means sacrificing quality. Just keep in mind that whatever you are paying another service for, you are likely paying mush more than you would if you were supplying it yourself. Always break down the individual costs to make sure you are getting the most out of any package deal.