hire a hall and send out home made invites, on each invite
For each invite give the people coming a choice of wedding presents in the form of food. So write out a list of food for a buffett
for example
butter and french stick x 30 people
trifle x 10 people
trifle x 10 people
egg sarnies x 20 people
egg sarnies x 20 people
ham sarnies x 20 people
sausages on sticks x 30 people
sausage rolls x 30 people
sausages on sticks x 30 people
sausage rolls x 30 people
fruit sticks x 30 people
chocolate gateaux x 10 people
straberry gateaux x 10 people
falafels
onion bajies
samosas
cheese and onion quiche
tomato quiche
mushroom quiche
chicken drum sticks
coleslaw
potato salad
tomato and mozzerella salad
three bean salad
then give one slip of paper to each person invited and ask them to bring that item of food - if it s a couple then give them two items of food to bring
that way everyone shares the cost of the food and it is not a price in a bar set and choosen by you - some people will bring waitrose food others will make their own or go to iceland, they have the choice.
it will probably cost each guest around £10 in food average
The other thing is not one person is preparing all the food and everyone can lay out the food in the room on a table
remember knifes forks and spoons and plates and get someone to bring napkins
This is how we do a lot of sporting award functions and it works really well - the fruit sticks and fruit salad always go before the chocolate desserts - which is curious.
Also on the list black bags for rubbish and paper plates are easy to throw away.
I would much rather go to a wedding where all the guest muck in and bring something to the wedding in this way - it is about two families along with friends coming together to celebrate.
Posh weddings are all very well but they never seem to have the same atmosphere as a good ole knees 