Self catering reception - success stories?

I'm guessing you'll get few success stories, from self catering, and get more telling you not to even try it.

This will end badly.

WHEN WILL PEOPLE STOP SELF CATERING?!

Is 5/6/17 your projected date for this? If so, you have a year to save some money. If you pay to have someone cater it (your local grocery store would be fairly inexpensive), you would save yourself a lot of time and stress.

The only one I know of is E-Tex.

I am not self catering, but my sister sorta did for her wedding. It was for like 40ish people and they ordered the meats and my Dad, myself, and sister made the sides. we basically just made potatoes, veggies rolls ect. It was one of the most stressful exhausting situations to worry about and try to get through on that day, then the stove in the venue had issue and we ended up with later dinner than planned because it took that much longer to get everything and some of it started getting cold before we could serve it. It really made it super clear to me that I was not going to ask one person to lift one finger on my wedding day.

That being said though, my dad was recently had a very small informal wedding and they had some deli trays, sandwiches and finger foods from out local grocer that had premade everything and they just had it picked up and layed out when it was time to eat. Which is a pretty budget conscious way to go and not have the stress. IMO

I'm so in for this.

"I realize that most here advise against self-catering your own reception"

Soooo you know this is a hot topic here, yet you still posted this thread saying you are planning on self-catering? Idk whether you are really ballsy or just don't have a clue.

I'm guessing since you are asking for success stories you do not have experience in catering a large number of people and food safety protocols. Which means - no you should not do this. Save up some money and hire a caterer. No one likes food poising as their thank you gift.

Yeah, I am like Sarah. So you plan on self catering no matter what and only want advice from people if they did it too and have good success stories? You don't want to hear from anyone who did it and regretted it? Or from people (like FUTURE.MRS.SMITH) who didn't cater their own wedding but have horror stories about others who did? What about people who got sick from a self catered wedding? Would you like to hear their opinions? Because if someone was to get sick at your self-catered wedding, the chances are you wouldn't know about it, but that doesn't make it ok.

No.

Ask the girl 2 weeks ago who posted about her self catered wedding-

her and her husband got food poisoning and missed a day of their honeymoon because of it

FFS.

Self-catering for a backyard party for 10-15 people is one thing, but 75? This is a mass ER visit just waiting to happen. Have fun with that.

Even if you find success stories I think you will also find those people saying it isn't worth the stress and the risk.

It's advice. Not advise.

I don't advise that this is the best option since you're looking for advice.

I wouldn't recommend self catering due to food safety and the enormous amount of stress it would cause.

If you decide to do it, definitely nix the deviled eggs. I would not be eating anything with mayo in it.

Well since his sister is making the eggs...... The rest should be manageable..

??!!!

Self-catering can work...for maybe 20 guests max. If you hear any success stories it will be weddings of that size.

Fixing Thanksgiving dinner for 14 people stresses out both of us.

Officiant Celia used to be a professional caterer and catered her own wedding with her staff and she does NOT recommend it.

I use to cook Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter for 15 to 20. I can't imagine doing it for 70+.

Plus, add your wedding to the mix? And family who should be enjoying the day getting caught up in food related matters? To say nothing about the safety aspects? No thanks!!!

There's really not success to be had in a situation like this. At best, there might be some stories about bullets that were dodged. Some things you need to realize:

1 - There is a difference between cooking a big family meal and catering an event.

2 - It will definitely take more than one person to serve, replenish, bus, and breakdown.

3 - Spending your wedding/reception day working will not be enjoyable. You'll spend the whole time making sure everyone else has a good time, instead of enjoying your day.