When it comes to planning a wedding, the food can be the most costly part of it. You’re fortunate if you can get food for your guests for less than $50 a person. So you have a choice when you’re on a budget.

Do you choose not to feed them, or do you invite less people? Instead, how about you break out a cookbook and find some wedding recipes to make your own food for the reception?

Making your own wedding food comes with plenty of benefits. First, you can control the cost. You also have more control over ingredients. By choosing your own food and ingredients, you can guarantee that everything at the reception fits any dietary guidelines you choose.

But do yourself a favor and give yourself time to plan, because your wedding day is going to be quite busy. Test all recipes ahead of time. Choose recipes that freeze well, or that will stay fresh in the fridge for a few days.

Get your friends and family involved. As long as you give them plenty of notice, a lot of them should probably be happy enough to help you make some wedding recipes for a few days.

Deciding on which recipes to make and serve to your guests could be the hardest part. There are thousands of possibilities. Peruse cookbooks at the book store, and perhaps buy a couple that each have several good ideas.

The internet might be the best resource, though. There are literally thousands of recipes on dozens of recipe sites. You could put together a fine menu with just a few hours of research.

There are lots of things you might consider serving at your reception. Consider skewered meats served with fine sauces, tea sandwiches (carrot, pimento, cucumber & cream cheese, etc.), potato skins with unusual toppings, wedges of pita bread with dips, crackers with smoked salmon, etc.

You want your recipes to be tasty, but be careful that they don’t resemble the ordinary kind of food you might serve at a Saturday night party. You want to serve food that will stand out in the memories of both you and your guests.

Planning a Do It Yourself Wedding? Visit DIY Wedding and get all the help and advice you need. We even cover Wedding Bouquet Ideas!

- Coreen Christobel