Just because you are on a budget does not mean that you cannot have great Long Island wedding receptions, it just means that you have to set your priorities, determine what is essential and what is not. The couple that has time, energy and a DIY approach can greatly reduce and even eliminate some of the high priced aspects. Don’t be afraid to take your time, shop around and by all means, negotiate, take full advantage of any connections that you have that may help in driving the cost of the reception down.
There are going to be elements of the reception that are non-negotiable just as there are going to be elements that are less strict. Re-visit the non-negotiable items, you may find ways to overcome this, saving money and at the same time making the reception more memorable and less generic.
The venue for Long Island Wedding Receptions along with the catering take up a large portion of the budget. The ballrooms of hotels are the traditional venue for the reception but there are less traditional venues that can bring considerable savings. You may want to consider a restaurant that has a function room, there are also community centers and halls that often have rooms to rent that can be ideal with a little work. Many of these places are rarely used and it may be possible to negotiate an attractive price.
If you are on a particularly tight budget you can always consider hosting the reception in your home or in the home of your parents or a friend. If the home that is available is large enough you can eliminate the venue expense altogether. If the home is not large enough but there are ample gardens surrounding it, renting a large tent is also an attractive option.
Depending on the venue for your Long Island wedding receptions, it may be catered. Regardless of whether it catered by the venue or you use an outside caterer, do not hesitate to tell them that the reception is being planned on a tight budget and talk to the caterer about the options that may be available. If the options that are presented do not meet your expectations, ask them to work with you to develop a menu that does.
