Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/508032
18 real weddings / F eeding your guests will be one of the most expensive things you do at your wedding. After all, you want to make sure your food and libations re‚ect your generosity rather than your budget consciousness. But there's no reason you can't satisfy both wishes at the same time, according to Vancouver caterers. Keeping to your budget while still providing a memorable feast is all a matter of careful planning. A few tricks of the trade don't hurt, either. Here's the scoop. Style of Service ‰ough you might have imagined a sit-down, plated dinner, be warned: this and family-style service come with high price tags. ‰e reason? "A plated dinner requires more service sta', china and cutlery because the logistics are so complicated," says Donna Wadsworth, head honcho at Savoury City Caterers. Plated dinners usually come with three entrée options. Add bread to the equation and between the cost of the bread, bread plates and butter knives, you might be adding as much as $5 per head. Wadsworth suggests a bu'et or cocktail party as a signiœcantly less costly choice. "In a bu'et you can o'er abundant food, but you require far fewer serving sta', china and cutlery," she says. "In this context, o'ering one option for an entrée, plus a vegetarian o'ering, is enough." A cocktail party is another more a'ordable reception choice, where guests can be o'ered hors d'oeuvres and miniature-size entrées served at food stations. ‰is saves on sta¡ng, as well as on rental fees for china, glassware, tables and chairs. Also, creating a restaurant-style meal in a catering setting is extremely challenging and requires an enormous amount of set-up, say the experts. So, if you can reduce the workload, your budget won't su'er as much. Talking Timing Keeping your timeline tight can save precious dollars in fees for service sta', a factor many couples don't consider as their guests mingle for hours while they are o' on their photo session. "Sometimes we have a 16-hour timeline for a wedding, and all the service and culinary sta' have to be paid for that time," Wadsworth says. Debra Lykkemark, CEO of Culinary Capers, agrees: "A shorter wedding is also a favour to your guests. If you start your wedding early, their whole day is gone and it's a long time for guests to be tied up." You could also pick a Sunday rather than a Saturday, Wadsworth suggests, as Sunday weddings involve shorter timelines and guests tend to drink less than on a Saturday. And choose your wedding date carefully. "Avoid the big dates," she adds. "August is fully booked a year ahead, so consider an October or January wedding and your caterer might be willing to o'er a discount." realadvice How to trim your food and drink costs while still keeping your guests well satisfied By Lauren Kramer Illustrations by Mandy Lau Frugal Feast