The most common tips for saving money on your reception are include reducing your guest list, not serving alcohol, having it on a weekday/morning, serving only appetizers and so on. I don’t know about you, but none of these were appealing or realistic when I was planning my wedding. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t find reception venues that don’t cost an arm and a leg. Regardless of your ultimate decision make sure you research site fees, food and drink minimums and hidden fees (linen rentals, cake cutting, corkage, clean up, etc.)
Public Parks/Beaches/Gardens: Great outdoor reception venues can be found in public locations. The main issue to consider here is that you will likely have to bring in everything from a DJ to the silverware. This can add up and if you aren’t careful, end up costing more than you expect. Another benefit to these locations is that they are inherently beautiful and therefore require less decorations than some other locations.