A low budget wedding reception sounds like an event that you wouldn't want to attend, let alone provide for your own wedding guests. However, low budget doesn't have to mean cheap. There are ways for you have a wedding reception that you can be proud of and that your friends and family will remember, without breaking the bank. First, let's take a look at the less desirable ways to have a low budget reception.

There are plenty of ways to save money on your wedding reception. The Easiest one is to have fewer guests. You just have to decide which of your friends and relatives won't take it as a personal insult that you didn't invite them. The venue can be a major cost. If you are limiting the number of guests, how about holding it at your home or the home of a family member.

You could also try church halls and local clubs and associations that have a club house. There are many other organizations that may have a meeting room that is available for hire at a reasonable rate. Most of them will have some kind of food preparation facilities if you are going down the route of preparing some or all of your own food. Of course, you will also need to provide your own decorations and find the time and help to do all of this.

A slightly more expensive option is to find out if any local restaurants or small hotels do a wedding package for those on a limited budget. A deal including in house catering might be cheaper but see if you can get a personal recommendation on the quality. You don't want to take a chance. Bringing in an outside caterer is a judgement call. You have to strike a balance between quality and expense.

Another suggestion, if you really want to go low budget is to have a 'pot luck' reception. You could offer your guests the opportunity to bring food to the reception as an alternative to a wedding gift. You know your friends and family. Are they laid back types who would enjoy a less formal, more personal and friendly sort of party? Sometimes this type of event can produce the most surprising quality and variety of food. Also, some guests might prefer producing their favorite dish as an alternative to shopping for a suitable wedding gift.

On the other hand, some of them might just think you are just being a cheapskate. At the best, it would add another layer of organization to the proceedings. You would need to keep track of who was bringing what, and hope that the people providing dishes turn up on the day. It has the potential to be a really fun party or a disaster. Do you really want to take the chance on your wedding day?

Be honest. None of these alternatives sound very exciting do they. Not what you always imagined your big day would be. So you will be happy to know that it doesn't have to be like that. Armed with the right information, it is possible to make massive savings on your reception and all other aspects of your wedding. You can have a Low Budget Wedding and one that will live in your memory for all the right reasons.