Planning a wedding reception is when most couples find themselves slowly yet steadily exceeding their budget
. While most couples will set a budget, few will actually follow through on it exactly. It happens because the one thing the bride/groom really want at the reception costs "a bit more" and before you know it there are about ten different things at the wedding reception that cost a bit more than originally planned for.
The key to having a stress free wedding reception and a stress free planning process is to stay under budget. It"s absolutely understandable that you might find something that your reception wouldn"t be complete without but instead of adding more money to your budget, re-allocate your spending and save wherever you can.
It is absolutely necessary that you check and re-check your spending. Make a list of the must-haves before you start allocating money to anything. Pick the top ten; it can be anything like the band that plays at the reception, a special dish or unique centerpieces like fruit bouquets that will give your wedding arrangements a unique look. Find ways to conserve wherever you can, if you have edible centerpieces like fruit bouquets or fresh fruit arrangements, you won"t need to have a separate dessert and you"ll save money that can later be allocated to other parts of the reception.
Try and sit down with whoever will be in-charge of co-coordinating everything and get their opinion. If you"ve hired a professional, ask them for advice on budgeting and saving wherever it"s possible.