Be cheap, but look totally 5-star

What we obtain too cheap, we esteem to lightly.
 - Thomas Paine

While speaking with a chef at a hotel a couple of months ago, I asked his secrets on creating a champagne meal on a beer budget. He gave me some fabulous suggestions, and all of them ended with "let the chef have a little fun."

Hotel menus are great. They give you pricing guidance and ingredient lists. What's even better is to set up a meeting with the chef and tell him your budget. He will then create a masterpiece by working with local vendors to procure the freshest products. If you tell him you need appetizers and desserts, too, he may suggest taking the portion size down on every item, but increasing the beauty on the plate.

Imagine going to a 5-star restaurant. The serving sizes are usually a third of what you'd get at TGI Fridays, but still four-times the cost. Pure margins. Your hotel chef can go crazy on the fancy serving, while cutting the chicken cutlets in half, serving more (but smaller) appetizers, and REALLY rich (but tiny) desserts.

You can also save money at your receptions by using butler service. It seems like it would be much more expensive, but you are more able to control the number of appetizers your guests are eating by having the servers roam around the reception. Just remember to never serve shrimp with tails on or anything with a skewer or toothpick (guests never know what to do with the tails or toothpicks!).