Without a doubt, finding cheap wedding reception ideas online is a hit or miss proposition.  Now, more than ever, people are looking for solid advice on how to cut costs without necessarily cutting corners.  A wedding reception should be a wonderful celebration, filled with joy and happiness for the new couple on their special day.  Here are some tips to make yours a time to remember without needing a second mortgage.

Some cheap wedding reception ideas are so simple that you would be crazy to ignore them.  For example, in some parts of the country (depending on local liquor laws) you may be able to supply your own alcohol.  I’m not talking about a “bring your own beer” type wedding where everyone shows up toting a six pack of Pabst!  Some reception halls and other venues will allow you to purchase the beer, wine, and liquor at a discount retailer like Sam’s Club or Costco, and stock the bar yourself.  This can save hundreds of dollars without changing the experience for your guests at all!

Other cheap wedding reception ideas might involve replacing monetary expense with labor.  For example instead of buying the decorations for your reception space, why not make some yourself?  Some easy ideas include tasteful helium balloons at entrance and walkways, homemade candle centerpieces, and fabric covering the walls.  You might also string some ornamental lights over any potted plants.

If cutting the cost of food, beverages, and decorations doesn’t get you there, you may need to take a little action in terms of your guest list.  Everyone hates to have to limit the number of guests, but sometimes it is simply necessary.  One trick for doing this efficiently is to list every possible guest, in order from highest priority (immediate family) to lowest (friends of friends, etc..)  You can then start cutting at the bottom of the list and know that when you reach the right number of guests that everyone on the list is who you really want.  This may be one of those cheap wedding reception ideas that people hate to do, but it really can save a lot of money in the long run.

Some cheap wedding reception ideas will depend on where you have booked your event.  For example, if you are using a hotel meeting or banquet room, you will be working with the event planning staff at the hotel.  You can use this to your advantage by asking them to help you coordinate other vendors, such as the florist and caterers.  If you can get enough help from the event center itself, you may not need to hire a wedding planner.  Plus, event planning professionals typically know where to find the best deals which will save you money.

On that note, you may find that with the abundance of freely available information on wedding and reception planning, you don’t need a professional wedding planner at all!  For very large receptions with hundreds of guests, a professional wedding planner can be a lifesaver.  But, if you are hosting only 30-50 people for a more intimate gathering a lot of expense can be saved by doing the planning and arrangements entirely by yourself.  All it really takes is some solid planning and a schedule that you can stick to.

Finally, one of my favorite cheap wedding reception ideas is picking an off-peak time for the reception itself.  Consider a late morning, brunch-style reception or one in the early afternoon.  The most popular times for weddings are Friday and Saturday late afternoon, which means booking a reception hall for those times is going to cost you a premium.  Selecting a non-traditional time for your reception will save on the cost of the space and you may find that your guests drink less than they would at a Saturday night reception too, which saves additional money.

Celebrating with your friends and family at your wedding reception will be one of the most memorable times in your life.  Regardless of your financial situation, almost no one can afford to ignore the cheap wedding reception ideas in this article.  For the most part, I think you will find it very easy to cut a few costs without having to drastically impact the wedding reception you have envisioned for yourself.