5 Budget-Friendly Recipe Tips for an Outdoor Summer Engagement Party

Weddings are pretty expensive, especially if you want all your friends and family there. Jumpstart your saving plan and plan your summer engagement party on a budget. It’s important to brainstorm thoughtful details in order to keep the price to a minimum. There are many budget-friendly perks to consider when planning an outdoor soirée during the summer. For starters, look for a secret garden-like venue or a restaurant with a private outdoor space — leaving room to splurge on other party necessities such as food and booze.

One of the first things to keep in mind for your fête is the heat: cold appetizers are your friend. Keep ice handy and use a rustic base, like a boat, wheelbarrow, or tin buckets, which you can fill with ice to keep your refreshments cool. The rustic look adds a romantic vintage touch to your party.

For your food, think Mediterranean — most of that cuisine’s dishes can stand the outdoor heat, are healthy, and are budget friendly, using quality ingredients in smaller quantities. Everything about your wedding should focus on quality over quantity.

When it comes to dessert, my recommendation is to create a candy station, get creative with serving sweet fruits, and have plenty of delicious beverages!

Here are a list of budget-friendly dishes that require minimal ingredients but are still high-quality in taste and satisfaction.

A Chilly Start: Cold appetizers are your friend! With caprese skewers, the basil will make all the difference. Try a selection of antipasto trays, an assortment of pickled vegetables, and even apple sandwiches with peanut butter and raisins.

Cool Salads: Keep your guests cool with a refreshing salad. This one features watermelon, feta, and mint.

Creative Fruit Platters: Get creative with fruit platters. The best and most affordable fruits will be the ones that grow in season like: cherries, carrots, figs, grapes, melons, peaches, potatoes, raspberries, tomatoes.

Summery Cocktails: Be sure to serve a couple refreshing drinks, like blueberry lavender mojitos.

Summer Salads: Your guests will visit the Mediterranean station, with grilled meats and vegetables, to create their own summer salad.

— For the full article I wrote see The Daily Meal!

TIP: For a secret garden-like venue for just the price of the park permit. The permit fee for a luxurious place like Central Park in New York goes for just $400 — leaving room to splurge on other wedding necessities like the quality of your food. While you can only have a ceremony in Central Park, there are many parks around the country where you can bring the reception along with you.