Big Day, Small Budget
Following these cost-cutting tips can help you throw a party without breaking the bank.

By Diane M. Marty

Event planning is stressful. Decisions about location, food, and entertainment take a lot of time and consideration. The biggest concern could be how to pay for it all. Whether it’s a military reunion, your daughter’s wedding, or a holiday party, the key is planning.

• Start making arrangements in advance: Some formal, large, or once-in-a-lifetime celebrations need more than a year of preparation.
• Ask yourself if a small, elegant party would suffice. If it won’t, consider sharing the expenses with others.
• Remember to budget for tables, chairs, and tents, says Nicole Aloni, an event guru and author of two books on the subject. Many companies also will provide glasses, linens, and silverware.
• The date of the event will affect the bottom line. Choosing less popular days and times of the year and limiting the event’s length also can curb costs.
• List the party components — dishes, drinks, decorations, and so on — in order of importance. Include an estimate for each category’s cost so you can slash from the bottom of the list if you run over.

Regardless of the occasion, your three top expenses most likely will be venue, liquor, and food.

Location is everything

Consider your options carefully before picking the spot. “To help in the decision-making process, track the costs, rules, pros, and cons for each site,” says Letha McLaren, an event-planning consultant and cocreator of www.realmentertaining.com. Be aware of issues that push up your event’s price tag, such as parking constraints that require professional valets.

• If your home can accommodate your guests and you’re at ease entertaining, choosing your own four walls always is cost-effective. “But if your expected crowd is too large or you’ll be a wreck worrying about … stains and shattered memorabilia, a remote location is the only way to go,” says Aloni.
• Aloni suggests avoiding renovated mansions or the services of professional location finders, both of which can have robust price tags.
• Holding your event at your favorite restaurant is an attractive option, but be careful. “Restaurant’s rooms are often convenient for accommodating large groups,” McLaren says. “But keep in mind that the food will usually have to be catered by that particular establishment. Also, their minimum charges and per-person costs can add up fast.”
• Some thriftier possibilities might be off the beaten path, but well worth the effort. Aloni suggests driving around a prospective party area, perusing phone books, and looking online. Some hosts strike gold with nonprofit organizations such as Elks Clubs or local women’s groups. These groups often are housed in historic buildings on prime real estate with exceptional views. “People tend to overlook neighborhood clubhouses as another possible place for hosting events,” says McLaren. She points out that these locales usually charge under $100 — or just a modest clean-up fee.
• Other local sites can provide a unique venue. “Most communities have smaller museums with banquet halls, some large parks have buildings with full kitchen facilities, and [many] churches have reasonably priced meeting rooms,” says Aloni. Take a good look at clubhouse and hall accommodations; many places have limited or no kitchen appliances, says McLaren.

Money, money, money

Set your budget in advance and in stone. There are many ways to save money; consider these tips before you decide how much to spend:

• Ask for donations for military homecomings, halfway parties, and service retirements, says Sgt. Mom, a party-proficient military spouse of 20 years and founder of the Sgt. Mom’s Web site (www.sgtmoms.com). Check with florists, food vendors, and other merchants for freebies.
• Save money on decorations by going for the impact of a single element. Aloni uses bundles of wheat, stalks of pussy willows, and wicker baskets with artichokes and lemons. White lights, American flags, and potted plants can be worked into your party’s theme.
• Quality paper and stock invitations can get pricey, says Ginger Venable, coauthor of GraduationParty.com (www.graduationparty.com). Visit the clearance section of your favorite discount paper and party stores to unearth cheaper options. Computer programs can mass-produce “personalized” invitations at a fraction of the cost of their special-order equivalents. E-invites are free and techno wizards can add animation, photos, and sound.

Food, glorious food

Food also is a costly expense. To staunch that outflow, experts rely on tried-and-true tactics.

• Know your guests. “If they tend to be diet-conscious, stock up on your veggie and fruit platters, while cutting back on your fancy desserts. If you have many vegetarians on the guest list, you can skimp on the beef dishes and add pasta selections,” says McLaren.
• Homemade — and most store-bought — provisions will conserve capital. But shaky cooking skills, emotionally laden events, and huge guest lists are valid incentives for engaging professional expertise. Catering companies’ services can range from serving seated dinners to delivering meals with reheating instructions. Time spent choosing the right type of service can salvage hefty costs. But try not to rely on the caterer to supply all the food. “Unless you are hosting your event in a restaurant or hotel, caterers are generally not offended if you buy some of your own food,” says Venable. However, for insurance reasons, many venues insist on catered food only.
• Local culinary and cooking schools, as well as community colleges, can recommend students and graduates to help with kitchen duty. For instance, school staff might refer you to aspiring pastry chefs to make desserts. Some teaching facilities even have the space and equipment to sponsor events.

Whether you choose to engage professionals or decide to rely on your own cuisine capabilities, pay attention to the following tips:

• “If [you are] serving hors d’oeuvres only, the costliest feature will be the seafood appetizers,” says Aloni. “Engage someone to pass these higher end choices, while leaving the less dollar-depleting cheeses and crudités on tables for easy access. … And there is no need for more than three appetizers if you’re serving a meal. If that feels skimpy, complement your offerings with designer olives, dark chocolates, and spiced nuts.”
• “You’ll need more food for buffet-style meals,” says Aloni. “But you’ll need servers for plated dinners.” For frugal hosts, the fees for hired help will tip the scales in favor of extra food costs. “But do not make the mistake of opening the food line with an invitation to ‘serve yourself,’ ” says Aloni. Any remotely expensive dish should have an assigned server, even if it’s your 12-year-old child.
• The ever-popular potluck is one way to divide the costs. Guests with last names beginning with A through F bring appetizers, G through P bring main courses, and so on.

Drink up!

Alcohol can take a big bite out of event budgets. Trim intoxicating costs with the following strategies:

• Limit your choices. “Serve only beer and wine,” says Venable. “And always have lots of bottled water on ice, as many people will switch to this far less expensive beverage when it is convenient.”
• Select less expensive liquor mix combinations. “For many events, I offer one type of cocktail to all my guests,” says Venable. Good sangria or Vodka lemonades will go far in slaking most thirsts. Or rent a margarita machine — and expect long lines. Place someone in charge of this delicate instrument, and be sure to do a dry run — pardon the pun — before your big day.
• Wheel and deal with vendors. Many large-scale businesses will deliver your selections chilled and accept returns of unopened bottles, as long as labels are intact. But if you think you have a firm handle on the guest count and their liquor preferences, buying from smaller merchants could be wiser. Neighborhood package stores often will discount most significant invoices by 5 percent to 10 percent.
• Find servers on the cheap. Bartending schools can recommend staff to handle the spirits often at half the cost for staff at catering companies.