Weddings are expensive, no question about it. To be able to afford that fabulous gown, you may have to make cuts somewhere else in your wedding budget.
When it comes to the budget, you don’t always have to sacrifice style. Instead, think outside the box. For instance, to be able to afford the gown of your dreams, you may choose to have a cocktail wedding party instead of a sit down dinner reception.
Another budget saving idea is to limit the drinks served to four or five. Speak to your venue to discover popular cocktails that would cover a wide range of tastes and ensure that the knowledge and ingredients are present to make your desired choices.
To simplify things, you may want to choose just one signature cocktail and wrap the wedding theme around it. Some fun cocktails to choose from include: a Wedding Belle, Sealed With a Kiss, Hot Romance, and Love is in the Air.
For that personal touch, design it yourself, and give it a fun frothy name to go along with that princess dress. A perfect task for you and your bridesmaids at your stagette or bridal shower.
While a full menu is not required, appetizers and tidbits will still be required to offset the alcohol being served. This is one event where a bowl of chips simply will not do.
For appetizers, choose bite-sized items that easily fit on a cocktail napkin. These can be items you make yourself, items you have catered or items provided by your reception venue. Appetizers can be served by formal waiters or provided at stations around the room, the general rule of thumb is usually three of each kind of appetizer for every invited guest.
When planning your cocktail wedding party, make sure to include music as a backdrop to guests’ conversations and as a possible lead in for some dancing. A jazz ensemble, string quartet, or even a piano bar styled accompaniment to your party makes sure that guests continue to mingle without any awkward silences.
As a wedding favor for the cocktail wedding party, you can choose from the many different cocktail mixes on the market that come in single packages. Create a small gift bag with mini bottles of all the ingredients complete with a shaker engraved with your wedding details to make a wedding favor and ultimately a party that will be remembered for years to come.
I came across a couple of wedding and budget planners. These checklists are pretty general, you may want to use these as templates and break down each category in detail as needed.
I love weddings! 