Food and drink are pricey, and an open bar can cost a small fortune. I once attended a posh wedding where the bar bill alone ran the couple $20,000. If your ceremony is to take place at a club or hotel, make sure alcohol is included in the set price per person and verify that no extra charges are levied. Those on a tight budget might consider serving only wine or champagne. And, if your wedding is a casual affair, simply pour sangria or margaritas from pitchers.
And the guests must eat! Sit-down dinners are the most expensive dining option, whereas brunches take a smaller chunk from your wallet. A buffet is the next notch down in price. But even these can seriously cost you -- broiled salmon and asparagus with hollandaise don't come cheaply. Another possibility is to have a caterer make loads of hors d'oeuvres and pass them for two hours rather than one. People will fill up (this is an old professional party-giver's trick).
For a small wedding at home or in a park, you can even prepare a cold buffet table yourself (or call on friends or Mom). A variety of cheeses, raw vegetables and dips, tea sandwiches and salads are elegant and inexpensive.
A tip about procuring the iconic dessert: Before you hit bakeries to shop for a wedding cake, take off your engagement ring. Once a bakery hears the cake is for a wedding, the price of a simple three-tier cake can double. Order a plain iced cake and, once it arrives, decorate it with flower petals or ribbons to add a ceremonial air.
And the utensils for these delicacies? The price of renting china and glasses can depress any bride-to-be: If you have little cash to spare, opt for attractive disposables. With great food, no one will care (except your snooty Aunt Mildred).
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