An awards ceremony doesn’t have to break the bank in order to appropriately acknowledge and honor recipients of awards. Prioritize the value of the trophies you’ll be giving to the recipients, and then focus on being frugal with the rest of the ceremony. Here are some tips to help you make the most of your ceremony, without going over your budget:

Venue
Use a school gymnasium, a church basement, or even a public park or a volunteer’s backyard to save on the cost of a rental.

Food
Make the awards ceremony a potluck event! Potluck never goes out of style, and many attendees will be excited at the prospect of sharing their favorite recipes and home-cooked creations with others. Or, create a food list and ask attendees to volunteer either an item on the list, or money to cover the cost of purchasing that item.

Entertainment
Instead of hiring a professional band or DJ, check around in school and in your community for aspiring artists. You may be able to retain their services for free, or for a very low fee.