Fun + Frugal // Wedding Tip Wednesday // Champagne + Linen // Western Montana Wedding Designers and Planners

Now that you've prioritized your wedding, you may have found that having a large guest list is something you want. When I started planning my own wedding, I knew some things were going to have to give. My family is huge, I have seven amazing grandparents, along with all their kids, and their kids. My husband, has a gazillion close friends. Food and alcohol are very near and dear to our hearts, so we had to be practical.

I know many of our friends who are getting married are in the same boat! Here are some money saving tips that work really well for a big guest list:

Delicious chicken, mac+cheese, and roasted veggies || Dina Remi Studios

Negotiate a menu // Do you have a wedding venue that requires you to order your food from them? That's what we had. They gave us a bunch of sample menus, but we weren't loving them. I asked if they could just prepare chicken, mac + cheese, roasted veggies, and salad (aka my favorite meal). They were more than willing, plus it cost us much less than any of their sample menus.

Give your local culinary school a call // Check them out! Since they are students - who are being graded - they have high standards. You can also check out your local college’s dining services.

Offer a low key meal // People aren’t there for the food, they’re there to witness your marriage. No one will turn down a BBQ!

Host a potluck // If you want to go even farther, ask that everyone bring a dish and host a potluck! I went to a wedding like this last summer and it was a blast! There was probably a 20 foot table full of different sides. The couple provided the main course and it was great to try everyone's different dishes.

Signature drinks // Creating a signature drink may seem like a swanky expense, but really it cuts down on all the liquor and mixers you have to buy. Ariel had a delicious huckleberry lemonade at her wedding! 

Stock the bar // ​Alcohol is expensive. Depending on your venue, you may be able to provide your own alcohol. Take advantage and ask guests to bring their favorite bottle. All you need to worry about is mixers! Chances are you will end up with more alcohol than you'll know what to do with. (Challenge accepted?)

Remember, the more guests you have, the more mouths there are to feed (and keep liquored up). Don't let that stop you from being surrounded by the one's you love, though!

xoxo Alicia