Catering Help!

You need to cut the list, as everyone else said. You cannot feed 175 guests "nicely" for that much money; not with a licensed caterer (which YOU should be requiring) and servers.

Cut your list to zero and start rebuilding it; immediate family and SO's. When you get to 50 stop. If you can't cut below 175, you haven't given it enough thought.

I'm regularly mystified why people want to invite so many people, many of whom they rarely even talk to, and treat them to the cheapest food they can find.

My food is $18/pp before gratuities and such. But it's BBQ and you already shit on that soooooo I don't know what to tell you lol. I got a quote from my favorite Italian place for $12/pp but it didn't include servers or anything.

Celia is right. Build your guest list up, starting with your nuclear family. And don't flatter yourself - most people aren't really that hurt to not be invited to a smaller wedding.

Just coming in to say don't B list. You're better off cutting the list, period, and not inviting them. I've been B-listed, I knew about it, and I was pissed. Don't do that to someone

That's a gorgeous space (I had to look it up) and I can see why you feel BBQ would be out of place.

I agree that the best ways to treat your guests would be by having fewer of them. I also noticed on the site that more than 170 guests adds on 15%, to the event rental. So if it were me, I'd really be whittling down the guest list.

Italian.

Giovanni's, in your area, will do you a full tray of chicken Marsalas (serves 18-20) for $125. That includes salad and bread. For your number, you need 9 trays so $1125. You'll want some meatless pasta as a side/main for the who don't eat meat, so add $630 for 9 trays of that. That's a total of $1755. Luckily, that includes service, delivery, set-up and cleanup. I don't know about dishware. Use the rest of your food budget for drinks and taxes and tips. Don't have a cocktail hour (which means you'll have to go directly into the reception from the ceremony - do a first look for pictures.)

http://giovannisrestaurant.com/catering/

I think you'd be better off upping your budget or cutting the guest list, but if you're determined not to here's some decent food you can afford.

You need to cut your guest list. I'm sorry, but that's the reality of it.

Do a buffet style with a big section of different pastas and sauces , one with baked breast chicken , Pernil (slow-roasted marinated pork shoulder/ mix vegetables, and a big section of salads and dressings . In Orlando you can find a lot of Buffet style restaurants or Spanish with great prices. Have one employee behind each table to serve and have control of meals portions and be sure at soon all guests are served, clean up these tables and prepare a coffee tea table to distract. You have a lot of people and no sufficient food budget but you can have a great weeding if you make a fast move with a buffet and distract your guest with good music and dance, take pictures with your guest by tables and people will forget the menu and will concentrate on having fun and look great in your pictures !! If you have a planner talk about this issue that is easy to fix.

Liliana, distract your guests from not having food??? Ummm that won't work, I'll notice food isn't offered, or minimally offered. If I get hungry, I'll Leave. I'm not spending half my day attending a wedding, and there be no meal available.

Wow, I also looked up the venue and it is stunning. Please don't cheap out on food with a venue like that. If I were a guest, I'd be expecting a really elegant affair with top-notch service. Aluminum pans of spaghetti don't really set the scene.

I really don't think it's going to happen. What I'm spending on food is almost $4000, for a Sunday wedding, brunch food, and in Upstate NY. I would seriously consider cutting your guest list, like others have said.

Cut the guest list, increase the budget or push back the wedding to accommodate the two previous options.

PS Self catering is NEVER a good idea, unless you want to serve your guests food poisoning as their wedding favor.

Liliana, are you a wedding planner? If so, do you give brides the same advice you've given here? Please say no.

Pizza party

Aly, not everyone can eat pizza, or even likes it.

Did I seriously just read a B List? Did you lurk at all OP? It's always a good idea to do that before coming out and posting these types of things. That is why you are probably feeling like you are being attacked right now.

Crap! I was looking for two people and got you confused with someone else! Sorry @OP. I'll keep trying!

ETA: The pasta place above IS in your location. I had another one that wasn't. Back to google!

@Del you are AWESOME!!!!

@Del bravo!

Thank you Enchanted! i was looking for two people at once!