Party Planning: 8 Simple Ways to Save

Partyspot.com, June 28th, 2007

Decide What's Most Important
Pick your top three priorities and allocate a little extra money for them (i.e., venue, catering, and band). Next, pick the three things that come lowest on your priority list (maybe favors, cake, invitations), and budget accordingly.

Cut the Guest List
One of the fastest and most effective ways to lower your party cost is to pare down the invitees. Get out that red pen! At $50 a head, taking 10 guests off the guest list saves $500! If you’re having trouble cutting your list, make a rule and whittle away. For example, if you're having a night-time 50th anniversary bash, anyone whose bedtime occurs before 9 p.m. probably won't have the best time.

The rule? All guests under 12-years-old get cut.

Pass on Pricy Details
Glamorous details on items you're indifferent about spike costs without adding any fun to your fête. Free yourself of the pressure to upgrade and instead make honest choices based on what you want. Ask yourself, "Will anyone but me notice if we don't do this?"

Simplify Your Invites
Having two shades of ink on your invitation might match your color scheme, but it can also add massive printing costs; square invites require extra postage.

Picture the Savings
If you're happy with simple pictures, pass on options like sepia tones, multiple exposures, and split frames.

Choose Flowers Wisely
Since fresh flowers can get expensive fast, make smart choices. Substitute less expensive flowers in the same color: If you exchange Black Magic roses for more reasonably priced, deeply colored dahlias in all your centerpieces, you'll save about $4 a stem.

Be a Frugal Gourmet
If you're serving a seated dinner, reduce the number of overall dinner courses (making each of three courses fabulous costs less than serving five individual courses) and keep your menu simple. Stick with the specialties of the season and region.

Cut Your Cake Costs
Big birthday bash? Order a small, fabulous cake that's exactly what you want and, in the kitchen, have several sheet cakes of the same flavor cut for your guests.