It’s hard to tell these days just how much the average American couple spends on a wedding. One estimate gives a total north of $35,000. With an average of 2.4 million weddings in the United States each year, there’s a lot of money spent no matter which way you slice it. In fact one estimate for the total amount spent on weddings in the U.S. annually is $72 billion.

In the midst of trying to plan the perfect wedding-fine tuning the guest list, picking a florist, creating the ideal menu-one small detail that may get overlooked is the tableware for the big day.

The average number of wedding guests is 136 and if you’ve got that many attending your ceremony and reception, chances are you’re going to go through a ton tableware. Better Homes and Gardens tells party planners to assume that guests will drink two servings of non-alcoholic beverages in the first hour of a reception and one for each additional hour of the party. If the weather is more, you can expect people are going to drink more.

Several good rules of thumb include:

• Make sure to have about 100 napkins for every 25 guests.
• Plan for about 75 glasses per every 25 guests.
• Have at least three disposable plates per guest.

Depending on your budget, you can make your tableware as fancy or as no-frills as you wish. In fact, there’s plenty of benefit in buying in bulk whether you’re looking for wedding plates bulk, cups in bulk or cutlery in bulk.

If you’re on a budget, consider using something like gold plastic tableware for your big day. Gold plastic tableware is inexpensive (a 100-piece set is available for 26.99 on Amazon Prime) and gives your wedding reception a touch of fanciness. Gold plastic tableware paired with the right tablecloth will give your reception a more regal feel and leave your guests feeling impressed with your elegant plastic tableware.

If you’re wanting to budget your wedding money carefully, items such as plastic tableware, fancy plastic cups and disposable serveware can be easily purchased at bulk stores or at party supply stores. Buying wedding plates bulk or cups and cutlery bulk will save you some money and enables you to pick up as much or as little as you need. A wedding vendor will be more than happy to sell you all the supplies you need for your perfect reception, but you’re left to pay whatever the vendor is charging for fancy glassware and linens.

If you’re looking for elegant plastic tableware, many wedding websites offer a variety of items in bulk such as wedding plates bulk or tableware in bulk in a variety of styles to fit the décor of your wedding. Sites like PoshPartySupplies.com offer elegant plastic tableware sets for as little as $36 a set.

Everyone wants their wedding day to be perfect from beginning to end, but you don’t need to break the bank to make that happen. If you’re big on a DIY wedding, all that matters is that it’s what you and your spouse want. Buying wedding plates bulk and other items in bulk such as gold plastic tableware or another type of elegant plastic tableware and pairing with the right tablecloth will make your wedding colors pop and impress your guests.

Adding your own personal touches such as colorful menus, homemade wedding favors, homemade desserts and doing the decorating yourself will ensure that your wedding day is more memorable for the two of you and leaves your guests with a unique experience.