The average Australian couple spends over $35,000 on their wedding day, with more than half of that going towards catering.
And while most weddings involve a formal three-course meal, some savvy couples are opting for a casual spit roast dinner which slashes costs to $6 per head.
These couples are choosing whole roast lambs and pigs, with salads and accompaniments as a relaxed and economical way to feed their guests.
While the average Australian couple drops over $35,000 on their wedding day, would you be willing to sacrifice a three course meal to save thousands? (stock image)
For a relaxed yet delicious catering option, some couples are opting for roast meat on a spit to feed their wedding guests in a cost effective manner (stock image)
According to ASIC’s Money Smart, the average Australian couple spends $36,200 on their big day.
A large chunk of these costs come from supplying food, alcohol and a venue, which can add up to $18,683.
However, in a new trend, newlyweds are saving thousands on catering by purchasing whole roasted pig or lamb on a spit.
A whole roast pig will feed about 70 to 90 people comfortably and can be accompanied with salads and side dishes for a casual garden party style meal.
A whole roast pig will feed about 70 to 90 people and can be accompanied with salads and side dishes for a casual garden party style meal (pictured is Roger Bertoni, co-owner of the Pig Baron, dishing out food at a wedding)
A whole roast pig or lamb starts from $633 from Burleigh Heads caterer Spits n Pieces and would taste scrumptious with a side of wedding cake (stock image)
While sit down dinners can cost between $150 to $200 per head, a whole roast pig or lamb costs only $633 from Burleigh Heads caterer Spits n Pieces.
Considering that one whole roast pig can feed up to 90 people, this comes to a cost of only $7 per head. The pig is available at this price when purchased with a buffet side dish package, which starts at about $29 per head.
That means, for only $36 per head, you could have a fully catered wedding feast and spend your savings on a luxurious honeymoon.
Roger Bertoni, co-owner of The Pig Baron in Sydney caters about 8 to 12 weddings per year, with between 80 to 250 guests.
He observed that the casual roast pig wedding feast is popular amongst couples in their 30s and older, as they wish to save their money on honeymoons and house deposits.
The Pig Baron has catered for casual weddings, where guests order roast pork rolls from festival style market stalls
Mr Bertoni observed that the roast pig wedding feast is popular with couples in their 30s and older, as they wish to save their money on honeymoons and house deposits (pictured is one of the side dishes offered by The Pig Baron)
Mr Bertoni said that for most weddings, catering includes one whole pig, one whole lamb and atleast three large salad platters, with optional canapes.
At The Pig baron, one spit roast costs $1,705 and feeds up to 80 people, while a large salad platter costs about $100 and feeds about 30 to 35 people. All up, it costs about $3,300 to cater a wedding in this way.
The spit roast is perfect for a casual wedding with several serving options. Mr Bertoni says that in the past, he has catered for weddings by setting a buffet self serve table, and communal platters served to seated guests by wait staff hired by couples.
In an innovative twist, he also said that some couples have opted for night market style catering, where guests order trendy roast pork rolls from a festival style stall.