There are a ton of inexpensive wedding reception ideas, and in this economy people need them more and more.  If you are beginning to plan your wedding then you are probably already stressed and anxious about meeting your budget and making sure everyone has a good time.  Read on for great tips on saving money on the reception by picking an off-peak time, leveraging your connections, good old fashioned bargain hunting, and more.

Most inexpensive wedding reception ideas mean you have to give something up, or receive something less than you actually want.  This first tip doesn’t!  What if I told you that you could have the exact same reception hall, florist, caterer, fantastic live band, and high priced wedding cake as your best friend did last Summer, but at a significant discount?  Want to know how?  Consider a Fall or Winter wedding!  Because most people insist on having their wedding in the Summer, prices are driven up by the heavy demand.  Get the best of the best for less by picking a time when fewer people are competing for these services.  Besides, that tropical honeymoon will be that much better when you leave the cold and snow behind!

Here is another of the best inexpensive wedding reception ideas – leverage your connections.  Most of us have a close friend who is heavily into photography, or an expert pastry chef, or spent some time working as a club DJ in college.  It never hurts to reach out to them for advice on selecting your vendors, and they might even offer to photograph your wedding or bake your cake as a gift.  So don’t be shy about leveraging your connections, a lot of inexpensive wedding reception ideas require some creativity and a bit of boldness.

Ready for one of my inexpensive wedding reception ideas that is not for the faint of heart?  Book your reception space within two months of the date.  Reception halls and banquet rooms will often lower their price on available rooms as the date gets closer because they lose money if that space goes unrented.  Much like the discounted airline tickets you find for flights leaving this weekend, you can save a lot of money by running down the clock a bit.  Note: If you are someone who will spend the next ten months stressing over the fact that you don’t have a location locked down, this tip is probably not for you.

Feeding a full sit-down meal to your guests can get very expensive.  Many people want to please everyone, so they provide a full menu with a wide range of choices.  The problem is, offering a lot of choices pushes the cost per person up dramatically.  Instead, consider just offering a single meat option, such as chicken that most people will eat, and a single vegetarian option such as pasta.  This will keep the cost per plate lower than offering several main meat dishes and a variety of other options, and still provide the sit-down meal experience that your guests may expect.  However, many people seeking inexpensive wedding reception ideas find that it’s ok to skip the sit down altogether.

The trend in many wedding receptions has been toward a less formal and stiff event.  Consider this: instead of hosting a full sit-down meal that costs $50 per plate, your guests may enjoy a cocktail party format instead.  It can be quite elegant to have waiters roaming with appetizers and cocktails while your guests are able to mingle and socialize without being tied to one place or table.  It is considerably cheaper too.

Finally, with all of these inexpensive wedding reception ideas to choose from, there is one that absolutely everyone needs to add to the arsenal.  Good old shopping around and bargain hunting.  Never, ever accept the first price offered to you when considering a vendor.  Florists, bakers, caterers, and everyone else associated with wedding services want to earn your business.  They know there are many other vendors in town competing for your event, and they will often come down considerably from their quoted price if you negotiate with them.  In the war of planning your wedding reception, you cannot afford to be squeamish about price shopping!