Wedding hacks and other money saving tips

meeshpeesh

Hi everyone,

I'm a bridesmaid for my best friend, she's getting married in November and the planning is well underway.

She's stressing out a bit about the cost, the venue is costing £1000, but they're providing the food at about £50 a head. The venue has said no outside catering, but she wanted some food at the evening reception for those who couldn't come to the wedding breakfast.

The venue have a few options, ranging from pastries for £9 a head to steak sandwiches for £20. Now, I know it's a wedding and costs are going to be inflated, but £9 to feed 1 person a few pastries? That's the cheapest option they had, and she was stressing because this is around an extra £1000.

So me, her and her mum brainstormed a few ideas of how to get around it, and we came up with this:

1. Include on the wedding invitations that the evening reception will just be a few nibbles, that way guests won't expect to be fed but will expect a few things to pick at whilst enjoying the entertainment.

2. Party favours. I don't think the venue would bat an eyelid at a table full of gift bags that are intended as party favours for the guests, she can include snacks and others treats in the bags disguised as a 'party survival kit'. She loved this idea, as it would save a bundle, keep her guest fed and she can customise it to keep them in line with her theme.

Do you think this is too cheeky? Has anyone else got any little hacks that they've done to keep the cost down?

Kayalana99

2 - You might have a problem with this *ok* at first they wouldn't bat an eye lid - but when your holding an evening party with no buffet in place and staff hanging round they are going to 'click' what is happening...and then you have the problem when the venue turns around and charges them for going against the contract of not bringing their own food in. (I don't know if they can do that but just to add in their.)

It sounds like an expensive wedding, perhaps she could re think the venue or better yet - have a word with the people doing it and ask them if they would do more for the buffet at the same cost considering what they are spending overal - you might be surprised.

fashionlover10

I have heard of venues that have a clause in the contract which states that favours cannot consist of any kind of food or drink.

Relocationrelocation

Has she tried to negotiate with the venue? £50 a head seems very steep, as does the cost of the evening food. We managed to get the price down on our food and only catered for 75% of the guests for evening food, which was more than enough. Maybe your friend can just order evening food for 50% of the guests... What about a cheese buffet type thing? That could work out cost effective, if they offer than as an option or allow to bring your own?

Tashatutuw

fashionlover10 wrote: »

I have heard of venues that have a clause in the contract which states that favours cannot consist of any kind of food or drink.

Where my reception was originally booked for had this clause 'no food or drink was to be given as gifts and no external food or drink could be consumed on the premises' (obviously this is a generalised version of what it stated rather than verbatim).. You would need to be VERY careful. You might get away with a bar of choccy or a box of sweeties but I think a bag including an M&S meal deal will raise suspicion..

Have they considered a sweetie cart (are they allowed one) these are quite expensive to hire but not as expensive to do themselves... They could include things on there which are a bit more filling such as mini choc bars and choc biscuits...

VintageBelle

That just sounds like plain old exploitation.
I don't mean to sound too blunt but I really do think there are a few simple options a) new venue b) pay the cost for food c) don't have food.

meeshpeesh

Relocationrelocation wrote: »

Has she tried to negotiate with the venue? £50 a head seems very steep, as does the cost of the evening food. We managed to get the price down on our food and only catered for 75% of the guests for evening food, which was more than enough. Maybe your friend can just order evening food for 50% of the guests... What about a cheese buffet type thing? That could work out cost effective, if they offer than as an option or allow to bring your own?

Well the £50 a head is just for the main meal, she wanted evening food as well because it's gonna be a long day. The venue did suggest for evening food to only order for 75% of people. She's going to talk to them and see if she can haggle a bit. At the moment her's is the only wedding booked there for November (and it's likely to stay that way as no one else is crazy enough to leave it such short notice :rotfl:) so I think she's going to see if there's any wiggle room.

If not I think she'll have to consider somewhere else, which I know she really doesn't want to do as she's fallen in love with the place, but she knows she's going to have to compromise on some things

paddyrg

She could go to Pret and leave sandwiches in everyones rooms/in the Best Man's room which he can invite people to if they look peckish?

legogingerninja

I think you may be adding to stress levels if you are trying to smuggle food in under the noses of the venue staff - you wouldn't want a big disagreement spoiling the day.

I know obviously you didn't book the venue but it shows just how important it is to look at these hidden costs before you book a venue, and look at the 'all in' cost. £20 for a steak sandwich is extortionate, this is how they'll be making their money. If £1k for a fabulous venue sounds too good to be true, it probably is!

I'd recommend telling people there isn't an evening buffet, so evening guests will eat beforehand and day guests may well be full from the previous meal. Cake could be cut later as an evening 'snack'?

It's also really easy to cut back the cost in one step - invite fewer people. This is the simplest way of keeping costs low. Extras like wedding car, favours, make-up artist, or wedding night hotel, may well have to be sacrificed if the overall cost is also an issue.

Other money saving tips are: iPod playlist instead of a DJ, wedding cake from M&S, cheap suits hired from an online company, getting a friend to take photos, buying dried flower bouquets as a cheap alternative to fresh flowers, and entering every competition going. I have won three competitions so far!

There are no prizes given out for the bride who gets in the biggest financial pickle organising the most fabulous wedding! The important thing is a lifetime's commitment in front of loved ones, not keeping up with the Joneses.