For most people, their wedding reception is the biggest, most expensive party they will ever throw.
Insider asked wedding professionals what reception trends and traditions couples can skip to save money and stress.
Skip individual seat cards in favor of a large seating plan
Award-winning wedding ceremony master Artem Lomaz told Insider that place cards can add unnecessary expense, clutter, and confusion to a reception.
“Seat cards are often lost or mislabeled and don’t let guests know where to sit,” he said.
Instead, create a seating plan that is easy to personalize and allows guests to orient themselves in the room.
Champagne toast can be a waste of money
Champagne can be expensive.
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Lovely Day Events wedding planner Lindsey Nickel told Insider that couples should skip handing out champagne flutes and allow guests to toast with the drinks they already have.
“This saves you a lot of money, as the guests often just drink a few sips of champagne and leave the rest,” she said.
If you’re determined to offer champagne, try serving it in shallow coupe glasses instead of flutes to avoid waste.
Trendy food walls can be unsanitary and wasteful
The food wall trend – where couples put up a wall with edible decor like donuts or candy – tends to look better on Instagram than it does in real life.
“After the first guests grab their desired pieces, the novelty subsides and you get stuck on the wall with stale snacks,” said Lomaz. “And if your reception is outside, the food may attract wildlife or beetles.”
Avoid perishable decor by providing a photo opportunity with draped fabric or hanging plants instead.
Planning a getaway car can cut your time with your guests
You may end up having to rush without saying goodbye.
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Renting a fancy car to take a great exit from your front desk can be expensive and result in lost opportunities to connect with guests.
“Getaway cars can be great for photos, but couples often feel rushed and miss saying goodbye to guests,” Nickel told Insider.
Instead, the wedding planner recommended using this money for the bar tab at the after-party at reception instead.
Fireworks can be smoky and dangerous
Fireworks are an exciting way to end a wedding, but they can be loud, smoky, and polluting.
“The air and noise pollution from fireworks can devastate the local environment and affect wildlife,” Lomaz said.
If you want something similar, hand out glow sticks or sparklers (with safety instructions) to guests.
A huge wedding cake is neither necessary nor inexpensive
Sheet cakes are cheaper for a large reception.
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“A huge cake is not necessary, especially since the high price of a large, elaborate wedding cake often surprises couples,” Nickel told Insider.
Instead, order a small cake to cut at reception and serve a sheet cake or set up a dessert bar for guests.
A long series of speeches can be boring for guests
Wedding and event planner Keith Willards told Insider that most receptions don’t need more than a toast or two.
“A long list of speeches or toasts can get boring for guests,” he said. “At least half of your guests don’t know each other, which means that lengthy personal considerations are not appreciated.”
Willard also said that toasts should ideally be less than three minutes and be given by high-ranking members of the wedding party, such as the maid of honor or the bride’s father.
Guests usually give up their favors
Wedding favors are usually a waste of money.
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“Custom favors can often feel forced,” Nickel said. “Also, most favors are usually left by guests.”
If you’re really into favors, consider some consumables like chocolates or jars of local honey.
You shouldn’t serve more than 3 courses at the reception
Even if you and your partner are foodies, a wedding reception is not the best time for a seven-course meal.
“Don’t let your guests sit through four or more aisles,” Willards said. “A long meal is time consuming and robs guests of the opportunity to relax and have fun at your wedding.”
Focus on choosing an incredible main course and some interesting starters for the cocktail hour.
Dance floor props can look out of place next to carefully selected decor
Wedding photographer Amy Kolodziej told Insider that props on the dance floor can detract from the elegance of a wedding reception.
“Strobe headgear and neon glow sticks very rarely match the mood of the rest of the wedding day,” she said.
The photographer suggested serving a signature cocktail or fun snack during the reception instead.
Throwing the ostrich and garter belt can confuse some guests
Challenging individuals to the throws can be cumbersome.
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The bouquet of flowers and the garter toss are longstanding wedding traditions that some guests may feel uncomfortable with.
“Unless you get married young or in front of most of your friends, asking your guests to identify themselves as single can be awkward,” said Kolodziej.
Skipping the flower toss can also save money as no additional bouquet is needed.
