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Event planner: Stick to budget for graduation parties
The average family spends $1,200 on a graduation celebration, but event planners say it is possible to have a great celebration without spending too much.
Posted β UpdatedDURHAM, N.C. β The average family spends $1,200 on a graduation celebration, but event planners say it is possible to have a great celebration without spending too much.
βIt can get out of control really fast,β event planner Samantha Dockery said. βThe first thing I always tell people is, βNumber one, have a budget and stick to it.ββ
Another way to save money is by splitting the budget among several families.
βIf you can get five BFFs (Best Friends Forever) ...together to have a party that would be great,β Dockery said.
Dockery says the biggest expense is likely to be food.
Sam Poley, a chef for Durham Catering Company, says knowing how much food you need can be tricky. βItβs a lot of math,β he said.
Poley says a good rule to follow is five ounces of protein per serving. For cookouts, he suggests budgeting three-fourths of a burger and one-half of a hotdog per serving. People 10 years or younger will generally eat half a serving. Teens and some adults usually eat one to one-and-a-half servings.
Poley said the Durham Catering Company asks clients to give a βdemographic profile of the crowdβ that will be attending their event.
When using a caterer, Poley suggest clients ask for a line-item budget and question things like service charges or corkage fees.
When planning a graduation party, invitations can also be an expense. Dockery said it is OK to invite some people online.
βJust send an adult a postcard and then all the teen friends you can invite them by e-vite,β Dockery said.
Dockery also suggests cutting costs by having an event that's not around meal time. One of her favorite types of parties is a dessert bar in the evening after dinner.
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