Self catering reception - success stories?

If you used took the time to search this topic, you would have read a post from about 2 weeks ago about a bride who self catered and got food poisoning.

But you do you and cross your fingers you or your guests don't get sick.

@Celia, that's a real life episode of fawlty towers!

M - I agree ALSO - if you are going to self cater - you have picked the worst types of food to do so with.

Its like you googled- highest rates of food-borne illness from food - and choose that list to make!

If anyone has EVER been to a family reunion or Christmas at grandmas then YOU SURVIVED A SELF-CATERED EVENT!

Our family Christmas is 60 people easily, and everyone always brings a dish. Same for family reunions. Graduations. And yes, I've been to weddings in my family that provided food straight from grandma's, aunt's, and others kitchens.

People have done it successfully. And will continue to do it successfully. People have also botched it. But professional catering has messed up before too.

It has been removed, but you could ask Shellie about her successful self-catered wedding. https://www.weddingwire.com/wedding/UserViewProfile?wid=8f83cfe060d7b9d3

Shelby, everyone bringing a dish is totally different than sourcing, palnning, prepping, and cooking for 100.

You should be embarrassed by your statement. Please don't talk about things you know NOTHING about.

From, former restaurant manager.

I can't even with these posters who come here and ask for advise (oops, advice) and then get angry when they don't hear the advise (oops, advice) that they wanted.

If a person can't handle hearing differing opinions, why do they ask questions on interwebs? Just, why?

@Shelby, everyone bringing a dish to an event is a potluck, not self-catering. Both are still bad ideas for your own wedding.

@SHELBY a family reunion and Christmas at grandma's is NOT the same thing as cooking for a wedding!!! FOH!!! Even this dog is giving you the side-eye and don't want none of your self-catered foolishness!

OP - if you do start a business that tells clients to self cater, I hope you have an amazing insurance policy. The first time you advise this and people get sick, you will be paying for medical costs, time off and all other kinds of fun things.

Since you seem dead set on doing this to get fodder for your blog, hire more people to be there the day of, hire people to assist leading up to it and rent out a commercial kitchen to prep, store and cook all this food. And buy event insurance with medical coverage.

@Shelby

Oh, and OP you're going into an event rental business? Whatchu rentin'? Hospital beds for the guests of the brides and grooms who decide to go the self-catering route?

@everybody I'm not self catering.

BUT OP asked for successful self catered events and I delivered. That being said, yes, a potluck is different from what OP is describing, but at the same time.... I stick to my guns. I have been to successful self catered/potluck weddings. Which is what the OP asked.

Where did OP say she was starting a rental business?

Self catering is very stressful. Do you have experience hosting a crowd that large? For holidays I have around 70 guests at my house and have to spend AT LEAST three days prepping and making everything that can be made beforehand. There was no time to do anything else....I look disgusting in all of my holiday photos because I never have any time to get ready!!!!

If you are sure it is something you want to do, you should think about adding some other foods. A lot of people don't eat ham, so another option would be nice. Maybe adding something a little more "kid friendly" to the menu would be a good idea as well. Chicken fingers or Mac and cheese maybe?

I have a friend who catered her own wedding and it was all very good and successful! She only had about 15 people in attendance.

The only way I would have even considered this would have been if I had been having maybe 15 people or less. Then to me it wouldn't have been any more difficult than a holiday dinner. I still wouldn't have been willing to do it myself because I wanted to enjoy my wedding day and not spend it fussing with cooking (even though I love it most days) but I would have considered something like having a chef friend who offered or even a pot luck if we were basically eloping and then just having people hang out in the back yard. Any more people than that and I really wanted it done by someone who knew their shit. We only had 35 guests and it was just so nice to not have to fuss over any of it.

We get catering for almost every family event (Christmas, graduations, showers), because otherwise it is too much of a hassle. Just saying.

Why would you want to cook on your wedding day?

It's just a regular Monday and I don't want to cook tonight.

So 80 people have to use your bathroom?

Hope you have amazing plumbing, or a great plumber on hand.

I saw one, an episode of "Four Weddings", but she was a professional caterer. That doesn't really count. Hiring 2 people sounds like a good idea, but to keep everyone well, they should be professionals.