The actual meal plan is possibly the most expensive part of your wedding reception. You can save a significant amount if you make smart food arrangements for your wedding. The basic idea is to choose simple and inexpensive yet attractive food items served in a buffet style.

You can hire a caterer or do it yourself, but if your menu comprises affordable food items, you can have an interesting wedding ceremony while maintaining a budget.

Following is a discussion regarding wedding food ideas on a budget that you can implement for your big day:

Buffet Dinner Menus

Buffet-style menus are less expensive than individually plated meals since buffet-style dinners are easy to prepare and offer affordable choices. The best idea is to pick a theme and design the menu accordingly. This gives off your desired vibe and makes your arrangement seemingly well planned.

However, it doesn’t have to include over-the-top items. You can have comfort foods according to your theme. You could serve Southern, Italian, or Tex-Mex as well. Following are some menu ideas for your buffet dinner:

Wedding Dinner Classics

This type of dinner is classic with good reason. They include delicious, crowd-pleasing, and inexpensive items. Following are the usual items included in classic wedding dinners:

• Dinner rolls
• Salad
• Marinara Penne
• Roast chicken
• Roasted potatoes
• Vegetable medley
• Wedding cake

Thanksgiving Style Wedding Dinner

Suppose your big day is scheduled in fall. You should definitely consider a thanksgiving style dinner menu. These items are perfectly comforting for such gatherings.

Such a menu can include:

• Dinner rolls
• Butternut squash soup
• Mashed potatoes
• Roasted turkey
• Green bean casserole
• Brussel sprout
• Sweet potatoes
• Wedding cake

Barbecue Style Wedding Dinner

Nowadays, a lot of people hold rustic and casual weddings outdoors. BBQ menus can make such weddings even more wholesome. This type of food is delicious and attractive for wedding dinners and budget-friendly at the same time.

A barbecue-style dinner would cost you less than formal dinners, even with caterers. You can also adapt your menu according to your budget. Hot dogs and burgers are the most classic barbecue items that can be served on the smallest budgets.

You can also add kebabs, sausages, and more chicken if you have a slightly higher budget. You can save a lot by doing it yourself and add in salmon/shrimp or steak to the menu.

BBQ menus are great for DIY. Side dishes are even simpler and more convenient for these menus. The only thing that needs cooking is barbecue meat.

Following are some menu ideas for a BBQ style wedding dinner:

• Hot dogs
• Hamburgers
• Chicken and vegetable burgers
• Sausages
• Steak
• Salmon
• Kebabs
• Shrimp
• Corn on the cob
• Pasta salad
• Grilled vegetables
• Potato salad
• Coleslaw

Mexican Food Station Style Menu

Food stations and food bars are excellent ideas for weddings. The guests can choose from a delicious and fun menu to serve themselves while mingling with others.

Even on a tight budget, you can whip out a fantastic taco bar with taco shells, tortillas, nachos, and fresh toppings.

Following are some food items you can keep in this type of menu:

• Taco shells
• Nacho chips
• Flour tortillas
• Beef
• Chicken
• Refried beans
• Onions
• Lettuce
• Tomatoes
• Sweet pepper
• Salsa
• Cheese
• Guacamole
• Cilantro
• Sour cream

Pasta Station Style Dinner

Food stations are excellent alternatives to buffet dinners. You can add in a pasta station if you have the budget. You can also add a carving station with ham or roast beef too. However, if you’re on a tighter budget, the food can be served from a salad bar, pasta and soup stations, and dinner rolls.

Following are some sample ideas:

• Linguini
• Penne
• Shrimp
• Chicken
• Pesto
• Sausage
• Alfredo
• Marinara
• Tomatoes
• Sweet pepper
• Mushrooms
• Broccoli
• Spinach
• Chili flakes
• Parmesan

Breakfast Menus for Weddings

Brunch or breakfast menus are much cost efficient than dinner items. Also, there are fewer complications in preparations, and caterers charge less per meal if it’s a breakfast order. You can save further on the bar bills if it’s a brunch or breakfast wedding since people don’t drink as much in the mornings.

You have two obvious options for brunch weddings:

• Full breakfast menu
• Continental breakfast menu

Getting a continental breakfast is a smarter option if you’re a little tight on the budget. Continental breakfasts are also great for DIY menus since they are so easy to prepare.

Sample Items for a Continental Menu

• Fruit & yogurt
• Danish
• Croissants
• Donuts
• Muffins
• Bread, bagels, jam, and butter at a toast station
• Tea, coffee, and juice

Brunch Buffet Wedding Menu

If you have a slightly flexible budget, you can get a full breakfast for your guests. This can include pancakes, freshly cooked eggs, and much more. Catering a breakfast menu is much cheaper than dinner menus. You can serve a buffet-style or a family-style full breakfast.

There are caterers who offer waffle and omelet stations. You can offer fresh and delicious food while maintaining your budget if you get such breakfast food stations.

Following are some affordable food ideas for a full breakfast or a brunch wedding:

• Pancakes
• Scrambled eggs
• French toast
• Waffles
• Sausage
• Bacon
• Homefries
• Ham
• Pastries
• Biscuits
• Hash browns
• Fruit platters
• Tea, coffee, or juice

Final Thoughts

Hopefully, all the sample foods mentioned in the different menu styles for weddings have been able to give you affordable yet standard and delicious wedding food ideas. You can choose any of the ones mentioned or combine them into your own personalized version to make your big day perfect on a budget. The occasion might be a celebration for your big event, but the food is definitely to satisfy the guests. Be sure to consider this when preparing the menu.