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Tip Store: Weddings: The Reception

​Our Beautiful Low Cost Wedding

Hired ALL wedding attire! Total cost $450.00 for four people 18 years ago! Spent $50 on a sheaf of flowers and decorated the church myself at Roadside Stall- $15.00! Held reception at a local restaurant, $30 a head for thirty-five people. Total Cost $1,050 (Dad's gift to me). The wine was supplied by my brother as a gift. Photos were don by a friend of the family for $100. Our wedding was bought and paid for on the spot with limited cash! Oh, and our cake - a profiterole mountain for $50.00. The best part of all - we are still married and have no DEBT! Thanks Cheapskates - No worries!
​- Contributed Melinda Rau-wig, 17th July 2010

​The Most Delicious Finger Food

The most delicious finger food I know are small pikelets topped with smoked salmon on a bed of crème fraiche sprinkled with dill and/or capers. Toppings may be expensive but you don't use much and they look very classy for minimal effort!
​- Contributed by Gay, Warrandyte, 29th July 2009

​Tandoori Chicken Wings

Buy whatever quantity of chicken wings you need then cut each wing into three at the joints. The tips can be used at another time for stock. Cover the rest with a tandoori mix and bake in the oven on wire racks over an oven tray until browned.
​- Contributed by Gail, Bondi Junction, 20th July 2009

​Organized DIY Catering Makes the Day a Breeze

My sister catered her own wedding. She had around 30 people as well. She downloaded finger food recipes off the internet and from the Womans Weekly Finger Food book and then printed up cards outlining the preparation of all the food. She then did all the individual prep (cutting etc) and on the day we had friends put it all together as per the laminated instructions. It was all very easy and went smoothly.
​- Contributed by Carol, Flinders View, 20th July 2009

​Wedding Breakfast Ideas

Some of the things that we often make for functions are: pinwheel pizzas, mini quiche, sausage rolls, marinated drumettes, pot of soup, bruschetta, meat balls on a tooth pick,. Sweets: rum balls, profiteroles, choc biscuits, mini pavs, mini trifles. There are many web sites with lots of cheap yet elegant ideas.
​- Contributed by Donna, Buronga,17th July 2009

​Pastry Twists

What we have done in the past is sheets of puff pastry. Spread with seed mustard, cream cheese, pizza sauce, anything you can think of. Place another sheet on top. Cut sheets in half then cut into thin strips, take each end and twist. Place in oven and cook until golden brown and crisp. Make heaps and very cheap and tasty.
​- Contributed by Gillian, Nambour, 17th July 2009

​Fingerfood Wedding Feast

We were married in our backyard and although we had caterers, it was fingerfood. We had things like small sandwiches - the ones with a couple of layers look great, canapés, potato wedges with dips, vol au vents, small meatballs with dipping sauce, chicken strips, mini hamburgers - they went down a treat with the guys after a few beers.
​- Contributed by Helen, Heathmont, 17th July 2009

​Fully Self-catered Saves Money

I made all the food for my sons Naming Day at a huge reduction from buying the items. I made small quiches and party pies in patty pan trays. I reduced the cost of the pies by using a really cheap recipe for chicken and corn pies. Its just chicken mince(250g) a few rashes of bacon diced and a tin of creamed corn, you can even add some grated carrot and chopped mushrooms to add bulk and keep the cost down. I also make sausage rolls using mince and heaps of grated veggies with tomato sauce added for flavour. And meat balls that I add heaps of grated veggies to mince and bake in the oven. I make all of them in advance, especially if I can buy the ingredients on special and then freeze them for the day. You can also make other things that are easy to prepare earlier and are inexpensive like rum balls and peppermint slice. Good luck, it sounds like a great wedding.
​- Contributed by Leanne, East Doncaster, 17th July 2009

​Food in the Gift

When I was married I received food inside presents. Cups had dips in with biscuits on a tray. Hot meals and salads in casserole dishes. Not only did this help us but it was a great way to receive a present. I did the same at a friends wedding when she remarried a couple of years ago. I put potato salad in a casserole dish I gave her. Someone else gave her a cake stand with a cake on it.
​- Contributed by Robyne, Goolwa, 17th July 2009

​It's Kitsch But Good!

If you're going all kitsch - why not sliced Devon filled with mashed potato and finely chopped onion mix! At my engagement party (some 14 years ago) one aunty turned up with a plate of them... If you live ANYWHERE near the ACT, I can lend you my 50/60s cook books - I inherited them from my late mum in law (sister of the aunty above). With love from a former pink bride.
​- Contributed by Bindii, Richardson, 16th July 2009

​Retro Wedding, Serve Retro Food

Retro style brings back the memory of all those yummy party foods we had as children and whenever I have served these, they go quicker than anything else. My suggestions are: little hotdogs baked in puff pastry, puff pastry twists sprinkled with parmesan cheese, potato bites and mini quiches. Potato bites - mashed potato with in a bread case with bacon/spinach/cheese. Just roll out a piece of bread with crusts removed and press into a muffin tray. Make mashed potato as normal with some savoury extras. Fill and bake for 10 mins. The bacon, cheese and spinach can be used for the mini quiches as well! Mini quiches are simple to - just little square of puff pastry pressed into muffin tins. Make quiche mix with eggs, cottage cheese, spinach, bacon and cheese. Pour in to puff pastry cups and bake.
​- Contributed by Salena, Frenchs Forest, 16th July 2009

​Catered Garden Wedding

We were married about 18 months ago, and had our reception in my mother-in-laws garden. For appetisers, we bought cheeses, cold meats, and dips all from a discount food outlet (most were close to date, but given everything was going to be eaten on the night it wasn't a problem). For biscuits/breads for dipping we bought up big when these things were on special, and put them away in the 6 months leading up to the wedding. For drinks, we bought soft drink from the Warehouse ($1 for 2litres) and spent some time calling wine-clubs to get the best deal on wine/champagne (the deal we got included a few cartons of beer for free!). For dessert, we had 3 pavlova's, (60 guests) which were only $15 each already decorated. For mains, we actually found it cheaper to have it catered, than to cater ourselves. We used Golden Roast and paid only $12 a head - which included 3 roast meats, salads, bread rolls, hot vegies AND all the cleaning up! Hope this helps!
- Contributed by Claire, Maryborough, 16th July 2009
​ Website: www.goldenroast.com.au

​Do Ahead Sandwiches To Serve

As a start, I'd make and freeze batches of ribbon sandwiches in plastic containers several weeks beforehand. Make sandwiches using fillings that will freeze such as cottage cheese and crushed pineapple, ham and cheese, roast beef and pickles etc. Trim off the crusts from the sides and cut each round into three strips. You could shop for these fillings when on special and keep adding batches to the freezer. Also make several batches of sausage rolls in advance and freeze, ready to cook up on the day. Won tons and spring rolls are also really easy to make and just need to be deep fried before serving. Mini quiches are also really easy to whip up in batches and freeze. And why not have a go at making sushi rolls of tuna, avocado, smoked salmon or crab, they are so easy to do and really impress. For drinks, consider the old punch bowl with a juice/vodka/ginger ale combination, always a favourite and so easy to do. Do some price comparisons for alcohol shopping, many stores have a per carton price which when combined with their special saves even more. Start saving the broccoli boxes from your local supermarket to use on the day for holding your cold drinks. Splurge on nice napkins and rent champagne glasses, hire some young friends to play waitresses in black and white and the day will be a success.
​- Contributed by CJ, Tallebudgera, 16th July 2009

​Quick and Simple for a Self-catered Wedding

I would search on the Internet or in Grandmas recipe books; you would need to choose quick and simple recipes unless you have plenty of time and storage in the lead up to the big day. An alternative is the old fashioned but sensible "Ladies a Plate Please". True friends will be more than happy to oblige.
​- Contributed by Alene, Canberra, 16th July 2009

​Buy Up At Factory Outlets

I would personally go to the Sara Lee outlet shop or Price Freeze where you can buy bulk frozen foods , such as mini spring rolls, mini quiches at a small price. This is what we are doing for our wedding next year , we have used these shops previously and the food is beautiful.
​- Contributed by Rebecca, 16th July 2009

​Budget Chair Covers

Rocket hire in Seven Hills do plain white tie-back chair covers for $3.50 if you pick up and install yourself. A florist in Toongabbie called 'Flowers by Misha' does them for $2.50, again if you pick up and install yourself. I don't have contact details sorry, but I found them on the web so you should be able to get phone numbers if you Google the company names. But be quick - I took too long and missed out on the cheaper ones!!
​- Contributed by Emily, 29th November 2005

​Thinking Outside the Square Saved on Wedding Breakfast

We found it much cheaper to book a hotel and order the 'Saturday or Sunday' buffet lunch for our wedding breakfast. Our wedding reception cost $42 per person including all alcohol as opposed to $65 per person just for the meal provided by the wedding planner. This was at the Hyatt Hotel 13 years ago but I am sure that using the same principal you would still save money today. My advice is stay away from pre-arranged wedding packages and do your own thing. One of the best weddings I have ever been to is a country wedding in the local girl guide hall where all the guests bought a plate. You or your bridesmaids can organise who brings what so you don't end up with 60 trifles or 100 salads.
​- Contributed by Helen, 18th September 2005

​Small Celebration, Big BBQ

Have a small private breakfast with just your immediate family and the witnesses, and then have a big catered BBQ the next day or even after your honeymoon for all the extended family and friends. More informal, people mix better, and heaps of fun when there are kids involved as they can run around.
​- Contributed by Annette, Corio

​Get Guests to Pay for Meal Instead of Gift

For my sister and her husband's wedding they hired a catering company to do the work for them. Grinners (www.grinners.com.au) supplied finger food, which was walked around for the guests, and a beautiful smorgasbord of roasts, salads, fresh bread, tea, coffee and fresh fruit. My sister and her husband supplied their own wedding cake, which Grinners cut and served with fresh cream for everyone. Grinners even cleaned up afterwards and left all the leftover food for us. They were fantastic, which is really an understatement. Instead of getting their guests to bring wedding presents, as they already had everything, they asked them to pay for their meals, which cost approximately $24 a head. This was a stress-free and cheap option for them and everyone concerned with the wedding costs, saving them thousands on catering or a restaurant. All of the guests commented on how great the food and service was. Grinners also cater for breakfasts, lunches and other functions.
- Contributed by Kaye, Dianella, 24 April, 2005
​ Website: http://www.grinners.com.au

​Christie's wedding day Be Creative for Ceremony & Reception

We had a big wedding (300-odd people) because I couldn't face excluding anyone. Obviously with that number of people a sit-down dinner was going to cost a fortune so we decided to have an afternoon tea instead. However, all the wedding venues I approached wanted to charge me a small fortune even just for a Devonshire afternoon tea, and few could accommodate the numbers we were looking at anyway. Then we found a wonderful solution. My husband and I met as students at Monash University (Clayton campus). The chapel there easily accommodated the number of people we needed, and allowed us to use our own celebrant (most large wedding venues are churches with their own minister but we had a family friend we wanted to marry us). Better yet, the University Club next door to the chapel was willing to provide a Devonshire tea for only $4 a head (this was in 2003). We supplemented this with wedding cake, and some chips and lollies for the kids, and I was able to have my all-inclusive wedding for a budget price! An afternoon tea also removed the expectation that alcohol would be provided - a massive saving. Afterwards we took the bridal party (and their partners) out for an intimate dinner which was nicer and more relaxed than a huge reception. We also saved on the wedding cars, by asking around our friends and assembling a fleet of matching cars (in our case, white Commodores). My wedding dress was half-price because it was "last year's design" (I couldn't discern any difference from the current designs) and the bridesmaid dresses were off-the-rack. We decorated the chapel with potted roses, which were moved into the University Club for the "reception" then doubled as thank-you presents for friends who had helped out. All-in-all it was a wonderful day, and I still have people telling me how much they enjoyed it.
​- Contributed by Christie, Bentleigh, 22 April, 2005