How much can you afford to spend? Here, experts come up with six great reception ideas for three different budgets.
By: Kristen FinelloThe Budget: $10,000
Sophisticated City Brunch (Guests: 75)
“Lots of great city restaurants have adorable backyard patios you can rent,” says Tina LaMorte of Oh So Fabulous in Maywood, New Jersey. “To complement a summer brunch reception, work with a crisp, fresh color palette of brown, yellow and white. Dress your tables in white linens and finish them with yellow polka-dot ribbon laid out in a grid pattern. Use the same yellow ribbon to tie a hand fan to the back of each guest’s chair. Arrange clusters of daisies in old-fashioned jars, tied with white eyelet ribbon. Place three jars on each table and surround them with tons of frosted white votives. String white eyelet paper lanterns along the top of the area.”
Brunch Bash: “Serve comfort foods like Eggs Florentine, crepes, cold pasta dishes and a cold soup like gazpacho. Have a meat-carving station as well as a sushi station.”
Bar None: “Arrange for the restaurant to greet guests with pre-poured mimosas and bellinis. Put flavored lemonade and iced tea in large old-fashioned containers with spigots so that guests can easily serve themselves.”
Smooth Tunes: “Hire a sophisticated jazz trio to provide some light but elegant background music.”
Cake Walk: “Serve cupcakes that can double as favors. Have them individually wrapped in small boxes, topped with ribbon and a sticker. Stack the boxes on a table, alongside a galvanized bucket filled with containers of plain and chocolate milk on ice.”
Post-Reception Revels: “Treat some of your closest friends and family to cocktails on the town. You don’t need to spend a ton of money to enjoy a memorable outing.”
Budget Breakdown
Food/drinks:$6,100
Cake upgrade:$300
Centerpiece trees:$350
Ficus trees:$280
Linens:$220
Gold napkin rings:$50
Musical trio:$1,200
Lighting:$600
DJ:$650
Candy bar:$250
Total: $10,000
Easygoing Elegance (Guests: 100)
“By making some savvy choices, you can stretch your budget to have a traditional sit-down dinner,” says Goldberg. “If you opt for a Sunday night in November, you can find a package at a banquet hall or catering facility for about $65 per person. At that time of year, I would go for a cozy, autumn feel. Centerpieces of gold trees (rent them from a party store), decorated with votives and surrounded by fall flowers, set a chic tone. Dress up ivory tablecloths with gold crinkled-organza overlays. Accent the ivory napkins provided by the venue with glam gold napkin rings that can be purchased inexpensively. ”
Dinner Service: “Have an upscale sit-down dinner featuring a salad with cranberries, walnuts and balsamic vinaigrette, filet of beef with sherry and mushroom sauce and a veggie like butternut squash. Finish with a tiered carrot or red velvet cake. For about $300, you can upgrade from the cake included in the wedding package to a more ornately decorated confection.”
Chic Cocktails: “Greet arriving guests with champagne flutes of cider and sparkling water and passed hors d’oeuvres. In addition to the open bar included in the price of your reception package, you can serve a few special cocktails that represent you and your fiancé—maybe the drink you shared on your first date.”
Musical Notes: “Set an elegant tone by having a musical trio perform at your cocktail hour. Once you move into the dining room, have a DJ play tunes that will get guests on their feet.”
Sweet Endings: “Treat your guests to an end-of-the-night candy bar. Set out a colorful selection for guests to scoop into decorative boxes and take home as favors.”
Budget Breakdown
Food/drinks:$6,100
Cake upgrade:$300
Centerpiece trees:$350
Ficus trees:$280
Linens:$220
Gold napkin rings:$50
Musical trio:$1,200
Lighting:$600
DJ:$650
Candy bar:$250
Total: $10,000
