Outdoor Wedding Reception Food and Drinks | Money Saving Methods

Wedding Reception Food

For those who opt for an outdoor wedding reception, there are several ways food can be served. Following are some popular and money saving methods for serving food at an outdoor wedding reception:

• Barbecue. At a casual reception, it is common to serve barbecue items such as hamburgers, chicken, or ribs. To make your barbecue buffet-style, ask your guests to forego a wedding gift in exchange for bringing their own special dish to accompany the barbecue. Although, if you do this, be sure to confirm with your guests beforehand so that you don't have everyone bringing the same dish.

• Buffet. Ask your guests to bring a favored dish instead of a wedding gift. If cost is an issue, serve vegetable, cheese, fruit, and meat trays with dips and other snacks rather than hosting a huge meal.

Wedding Reception Drinks

The bar tab can often account for one of the largest wedding expenses. Following are tips on serving drinks at your reception without incurring a major expense:

• Semi-open bar. Offer several beverages for free, such as beer and all non-alcoholic drinks, but have guests pay a nominal fee for mixed drinks, such as a dollar per drink to cover some of the expense.

• Bring your own. Request that guests bring their own drinks to the outdoor reception in lieu of bringing a wedding gift.

Wedding Cakes | Current Trends For Wedding Cakes

Are you getting married and planning your wedding? One of the questions that you will want to ask yourself is about your wedding cake? There are so many options available from traditional wedding cakes, cupcakes or no cake at all. The trend in wedding cakes at the present time is the stacked like a pyramid cupcake wedding cake. How many delicious flavours, colours and combinations can you come up with or can your caterer? Why not have a whole range of flavours: Simple vanilla/yellow/white cake, but frosted with Nutella, Strawberry cupcakes with cream cheese, Black Forest, Oreo cupcakes, Mocha Caramel, Black Sesame cupcakes, Ginger cupcakes with lime icing or Lemon cupcakes with lemon icing and filled with blackberry butter cream. These cupcakes will make a statement with your guests and they will have fun figuring out the varieties. Perhaps you want to package one or two of the varieties for guests to take home, I would recommend the Black Sesame or the Vanilla with a flavoured powdered sugar dusting- you do not want to pack up anything that will require refrigeration. Remember to keep the cupcake stack refrigerated and bring it out just before serving. This will ensure that the cupcakes are kept cold and are considered food safe for your guests to consume.

Unique Wedding Decoration Ideas | Use Wedding Lights as Part of Your Decor

Wedding light displays come in a variety of styles and colors. Some favorites include bells, doves and hearts. There are also roses and even cupid styles. Just plug them in and you've got a spectacular lighted wedding decoration.

Most wedding light displays are for indoor or outdoor use making them an easy way to decorate. Place one above the wedding party's table, over the entry way to the reception area or near the dance floor. Accent them with some string lights on white wire and you've got a truly beautiful wedding decoration.

As an added benefit, wedding light displays can also be used at Christmas or Valentine's Day. Once you see how beautiful these displays are, they will be the first decoration up next holiday season!

Battery operated mini wedding lights are a great accent anywhere you want to add sparkle. Intertwine them with some white garland around windows or table tops a shimmering effect. Here's an easy wedding decoration idea. Buy an 18 inch grapevine wreath, some small dried flowers (like baby's breath) and wide white ribbon. Secure the battery pack to the back and weave the lights around the wreath. Next attach bunches of the dried flowers over the lights and wreath. Wrap the ribbon around the top to hang and you have an elegant lighted wedding decoration.