Don’t plan your wedding for the most popular months, April to September, and you might find that rates for reception venues are lower during the autumn and winter.

Instead of using a hotel or restaurant for the reception, consider hiring something like a church hall. If you do, check on the facilities.

Is there a kitchen?
Is there a stove for heating food?
Are seats included in the price and are there enough for all the guests?
Are tables also included and are there enough?
Are there any special conditions of use attached to the hall?

If you choose to use a hall like this, you will then have to decide whether to use caterers to supply the food or whether to do it yourself, hopefully with the help of family and friends.

If you decide on caterers, get several quotes before you decide on one and also see if you can check with past customers to see if they were happy with the food and service.

When it comes to choosing the food, whether you use caterers or do it yourself, go for the less expensive options. Don’t consider fillet steak, think of serving chicken instead. A buffet is also less expensive than a sit down meal because you won’t need to pay waiters or waitresses to serve it. Look more at www.differentwedding.com

If you are preparing the food yourself, a buffet is ideal because all of it, except perhaps for hot sausages or similar items, can be prepared well ahead of time and frozen.

The more tiers and decorations your cake has the more expensive it will be, also consider making it yourself. You can buy the enormous quantity of fruit required over a number of weeks so making it less of a burden. You can then get it professionally decorated if you can’t do it yourself and don’t know anybody who can.

Buy your own drink as it will work out a lot cheaper then paying the caterers or venues prices especially if you take a day trip to France and buy it all there.

Finally, there is a great temptation to invite many people to your wedding that would not be at all offended if they weren’t invited. Casual friends, very distant relatives don’t always want to come. Keep your guest list to family and friends that are close to you and your parents. Every extra guest is another mouth to feed!