Yes I admit that I am saving cost, I am be thrifty but I am not cheapo.. End of the day, it's a win win situation.. I get to rest early (enjoy the hotel facilities, pool, gym), the guests get to go home early (though mine is a Saturday), and it's cheaper.
If it's a dinner, there will be this awkward break timing in between where it's neither here nor there.. perhaps I am just used to packing my own time table up so as to make my day a lot more eventful than to have pockets of empty time where we don't know what to do.
Furthermore, ours is a non-alcoholic event, which makes lunch a even more viable option compared to dinner (assuming that more guest will drink during dinner). My fiance and I are both against alcohols and we are both non tolerant of alcoholic drinks as well.
So if you were to couple these 2 things together - lunch + non alcoholic banquet.. people will start pointing fingers and say that we are cheapo.
BUT, it's our wedding, the very fact that if we are extending our invitation out to the relatives (no choice), or to our friends means that you play a significant part in our life. A wedding is nothing but for a day's show, but marriage is for life. Furthermore, we are financing the whole wedding and housing on our own, our parents are not forking out a single cent.. so we have 100% say in how we spend our budget
*disclaimer: we are spending quite a bit of money on photography as we are flying to NZ for our overseas pre-wedding photoshoot. However, that double up as a honeymoon, and since NZ is a great place, we decided to document our journeys together on photos and memories that will last a lifetime*
Personally, I am living on the mantra where I choose how I want my life to be. There's no way you can please everybody.. so long as you and your husband/wife is happy and comfortable, that's the most important