Wedding Reception Food, Drinks and Cake Planning

A big part of the wedding is the reception, the entertainment, the food and the fun. It is a smart idea to think about the food that will be at your reception at the same time as you are deciding on the location of the reception. There are different options available depending on the time of day you will be exchanging your wedding vows.

If your budget is one that is a little on the tight side, you might want to think about having a buffet style wedding reception or even a family style dinner. This is more casual, but the guests will enjoy it just the same. If you are getting married earlier in the day, a lunch or brunch might be more on the lines of what will accommodate you. Changes like this can often save a lot of money for the bride and groom to be. Another idea for cutting back on the costs of the reception is having a paid bar versus having an open bar. If you are not willing to get rid of the open bar, you can always have the bar open for a specific time and then have it switch to a paid bar.

Begin planning on the wedding reception food and bar options available as soon as possible, at least six months prior to the wedding day itself. Many couple choose the location of the reception because it includes the cost of the food and even the drinks for the toast. However, it is highly unlikely that the price will include the wedding cake, but it often times does include other dessert options.

Not all reception halls will include the food, you might have to hire a caterer. If you are going to need to hire a caterer, be sure you find out if the company will be able to cook the food onsite or if they will have to cook it and then transport it to the hall. If the catering company needs to rent items in order to get it to the reception, you might end up paying more money that was not originally put into the contract or quoted. There is much more to having the wedding catered than just telling them what food you want. Servers for the food may also need to be hired, again adding to your costs. Be sure to ask not only the catering company but also the reception hall if servers will be included in the price or separate.

Breaking the food costs down to a per person basis seems to make it a little more understandable for most bride’s and groom’s. This is also done to be sure they are getting the best value and food amount for their dollar. When calculating the number of guests for your food count, do not forget about the DJ or band, the photographer or anyone else that is not actually on the list that will be there providing a service to you. If you have begun to seek out the food options early enough, you will see that your options are numerous and you can save some money as well.

On to the drinks, you will need to decide on the bar options, as mentioned earlier. Open bar or paid bar, full bar or only wine and beer. An added cost that is often forgot about is the bartender, they also need to be paid for their service, so be clear on the cost for them as well. If you choose to stay away from the alcoholic drinks you can save some money. Typically, the wine or champagne for the toast is included in the original price of the reception hall. Be sure to ask in advance just to be sure.

The wedding reception cake is another expense that needs to be considered. The amount a cake will cost is going to vary by the size, detail and even the flavor. If the cake is going to be a custom one, expect to pay a little more. The cake topper is another item that the bride and groom normally purchase on their own and have put on the cake.