Another thing to consider is your guests’ opinion. As we discussed in the last blog, this is a cutting-edge trend, meaning many people still have “old-fashioned” ideas about how weddings should be put on. By asking them to cover their own meal you may be unintentionally stepping on some toes and don’t be surprised if some guests decline.
It is a possibility that if you ask guests to cover their meal, you may not receive as many gifts. Some will look at the meal cost as your gift. This could be a con because, for a couple that is just starting out, many need quite a few home essentials and those can get pricey! (Especially if you have to purchase more than a couple.)
While there are pros and cons to everything, at the end of the day, the decision is yours. You and your partner deserve to have a life full of love and happiness and to be honest, twenty years down the road, who covered the meal is not going to be as important as it seems today. So whatever decision you make, you’re doing great.
The biggest pro is the ability to cut costs. Caterers can get pricey, so having each person cover their cost per plate takes that burden off of you and your new spouse.
Secondly, the stress of who to invite or not to invite may become a little easier for the mere fact that dinner cost is no longer in question. So in this sense the more the merrier!
With dinner costs covered by your guests, you and your new spouse will be able to delegate your budget elsewhere. Whether that be to a photographer to capture your big day, a videographer, a beautiful cake, or maybe you two want to put a down payment on a house!
If you plan to have your guests pay for their own meal, be sure to include that on your invitation to avoid any confusion the day of. You can do this in a couple of different ways.
Having several menu options with prices on your invitation would easily imply that your guests cover their own meal. You also can give the option of asking the guests to pay for their meal instead of bringing a gift. Lastly, the term “no-host” interprets that your guest will be responsible for their meal.
Whether you ask your guests to cover their meal or not, remember this is your day so you make the rules. You deserve the most perfect day, whatever that looks like for you.