Catering your own wedding

This is my second wedding, and for my first wedding, we had a pot-luck buffet. My mom and dad baked 2 turkeys and 2 hams the night before, and I asked special people in my life to make a dish that I liked, aunts, uncles and future in-laws. It was a wonderful spread. Five 6' tables full of food and drink. My (now) ex-sil was convinced that I had catered. I didn't have anything to worry about. I asked aunts to make sure the dishes were refilled and watch over the tables. As a bride, I'd recommend this course of action, though my mom may disagree.

This time around, I am thinking of finding some place where I can buy the meat already cooked and pot-luck side dishes, like I did before.

For dessert, I am getting a small cake, mini 2-bite cupcakes in 4-5 different flavors and a candy/dessert table with paper bags that I am buying a stamp to decorate to take some candy and desserts home in. The desserts I want are mini pies, buckeyes (or chocolate covered peanut butter balls), mini cheesecakes, etc.

I'm just throwing this out there...your reception is to thank your guests for coming. Making them work all day is not fun.

My uncle got married ten years ago and had my parents help do everything...ten years later....that's still all they talk about when they bring up his wedding (and it's not in a positive way)

We are sort of self catering. my fh's friend is trying to start a catering business so I will be helping, because honestly even if we had a caterer I have to be in control over things, if that makes sense. he is making pulled pork and pulled chicken. then I am helping make a mashed potato bar (well basically helping peel potatoes the day before) and the toppings for it. and I am getting the stuff ready for the pasta bar, sausage, meatballs, and chicken. but I am baking the cake and cupcakes. I say as long as you have some help who volunteered then it can be done. some people say oh but you can find catering cheap like $10.00 a person. for me, that wouldnt work. it adds up to $1080.00 (for me since I am up to 108guests). I am probably spending about $600 or less on food. which is about $5.55 per person. even though it will prob be less than $600 that the high end.

You will probably find, like the woman whose friend bailed on her decor, that volunteer help is worth exactly what you pay for it. No one will want to clean up. After a couple of drinks no one will want to do anything. They didn't want to do it when you asked them. Your 'friend' the DJ will be on the dance floor with your cousin, and the bartender will be doing shots with your dad.

I can tell you to, that two days ahead of your wedding when you're peeling potatoes or frosting cupcakes in the middle of the night, you'll wish you could throw money at it to make it go away.

If you REALLY want to cater it, invite 20 guests to your home or your parents' home and call it a day. You have a year and a half to figure this out and save for it. I'd be thinking of every latte I DIDN"T buy as one less carrot to peel.

Find a way to relax and have your friends and family enjoy your wedding. Seriously.

^^ this is very good advice. Seriously, peeling potatoes and baking cakes the night before your wedding to save $400 on catering? $400 is not a lot to save over 1.5 years.

For me since I am a cake decorator on the side, it will take me about an hour maybe to decorate 150 cupcakes.so for me no biggie!

and we will be peeling potatoes the night before, however, we have 5 teenage kids that are capable of peeling potatoes. as far as cleaning, fh's friends girlfriend is bringing her sister and her boyfriend to help out, I am paying them, oh and his sister is going to help too.

they will just take everything into the kitchen and put in the fridge till the weddings over. we have to clean anyways.

so not all situations will be bad. you just have to know your crowd and your help.