Find ways to conserve wherever you can, if you have edible centerpieces like fruit bouquets or fresh fruit arrangements, you won't need to have a separate dessert and you'll save money that can later be allocated to other parts of the reception. Pick the top ten; it can be anything like the band that plays at the reception, a special dish or unique centerpieces like fruit bouquets that will give your wedding arrangements a unique look. Make a list of the must-haves before you start allocating money to anything. It is absolutely necessary that you check and re-check your spending.
It's absolutely understandable that you might find something that your reception wouldn't be complete without but instead of adding more money to your budget, re-allocate your spending and save wherever you can. The key to having a stress free wedding reception and a stress free planning process is to stay under budget. It happens because the one thing the bride/groom really want at the reception costs 'a bit more' and before you know it there are about ten different things at the wedding reception that cost a bit more than originally planned for. While most couples will set a budget, few will actually follow through on it exactly.
Planning a wedding reception is when most couples find themselves slowly yet steadily exceeding their budget.