With the average wedding cost climbing into the $30,000 range, it’s understandable that you want to cut where you can. On first glance, food is easily the biggest portion of your wedding budget and so you might think it makes sense to reduce costs there. However, deciding to do something drastic in your wedding like not serving your guests dinner at the reception is a pretty controversial move.
So, is it ever OK to not serve your guests a full meal at your reception" Are there occasions when it’s more acceptable" Let’s go over the etiquette involved in this tricky question.
What Kind of Wedding Are You Hosting"
Back before the days of Pinterest and the explosion of wedding magazines and guidebooks in every bookstore, weddings were pretty simple affairs for most people?unless you count the weddings of the wealthy, celebrities, presidents’ children, or royals. In those days, average brides and grooms served cake, punch, and maybe a few Jordan almonds or mints. Today, weddings are an experience for the couple as well as all of the couple’s family and friends. Modern weddings are generally pretty large and grandeur, which means that couples are not only expected to provide a full meal for everyone who attends?but they’re also in charge of entertaining guests and sending them home with something extravagant to remember the event. This, as we all know, can add up in cost.

A wedding is centered around the two of you making a com...