Unless your Daddy’s a really rich man (and even if he is) it’s a good idea to put together a food budget for your upcoming wedding so that you can not only keep track of how much you’re going to need but also make sure that the cost of the food doesn’t quickly start adding up to a number that you’ll never be able to afford or pay off. The tips below will help you to budget the food and, if you do it right, you’ll still have a great day with great food but without going into debt for years.
One of the most important, and most expensive, foods at your wedding will be the wedding cake itself. Before you get near the altar you should make sure that you set a budget for the cake and stick to it. You should visit and talk with at least 4 bakeries before you make a choice and see what they can do and for how much. It’s fun too, and most will give you a taste of what they can provide.
Figure out well ahead of time how many people will be coming to the wedding and, once you have that number, figure in 10% more for last-minute invites and stragglers. There are always a few of those and you don’t want to run out of food.
Speaking of which, determining what types of food you’d like to have is vital. Depending on your budget you may find that chicken is better than beef as far as affordability is concerned. If you’re of a specific cultural heritage you may need to factor this in as well as religious preference. As with the bakers you will do well to visit at least 4 caterers to see what they can provide and, most importantly, how much per person they will charge based on the food you want.
If you then multiply the number of guests times the cost per guest given by the caterer and add in the cost of the wedding cake you will have an idea of what the food costs will be. Before alcohol that is, which can be expensive also and should be factored in as well. If you’ve picked a place to have the reception it’s possible that the alcohol is factored into the price in which case you can skip this step.
If the cost that you determine fits your budget you’re all set. If it’s too high you’ll know ahead of time and can start looking for ways to lower it. Good luck and congrats on the upcoming wedding.