Catering own wedding

I’m going to advise that this is probably not the best idea, unless you’re having a micro wedding with 30 people or less. Even then, cooking will be the last thing you’ll want to be doing leading up to your wedding. There are way too many horror stories about guests getting sick from home-provided cooking or about couples/their families not being able to enjoy the wedding since they had to cook. Try looking into bbq, Mexican, or Italian restaurants that can drop off the food for you as they may be more affordable than you think. If that still doesn’t work, you may need to adjust your guest list to accommodate for your budget.

Honestly I think even Subway sandwiches would end up safer and less work. But like Nicole said, Italian, BBQ or Mexican will be a great meal and only $10-$20 per person.

Catering doesn't have to break the bank (see PPs suggestions above) but it's definitely a necessity unless you're having an incredibly small wedding (I'd say 10 and under). Not only is it potentially unsafe in the storing and serving departments, but it's a lot of added stress to you, and probably family members.

I agree with PP's and would also like to add that if you can't afford even the cheapest catering out there (totally understandable, everyone's finances are different), have a cake and punch reception! Instead of having your wedding around a meal time, you could have your ceremony around 2 and end everything by 6 so everyone can get their own meals before and after and you can just serve cake and drinks. Just make sure that if you go this route, you make it clear to your guests (on your wedding website or even a details card in your invitation) so they know that they should eat before coming to the wedding.

We are also self catering, but I am used to catering and preparing, cooking, and food safety. If you do not have experience in these things it isn't recommended to try your hand at catering on your wedding day unless, as mentioned before, you are having a micro wedding. A friend of mine was on a tight budget for her wedding and she spoke with the culinary arts program at a local tech college and was able to contract with a couple of the students to cater her wedding for much less than traditional catering options.

Could you do something like a cake & punch wedding instead? And not serve a full meal? I've been to one DIY food wedding, it was AWFUL. The chicken was undercooked, and I found a hair in my macaroni salad. I left during dinner.

My excellent momma is catering our wedding, but we are helping her do most of it! We are doing BBQ pulled pork, Italian Beef, Cole Slaw, and Potato salad, and probably a few other side type things. We have been buying the meat as it goes on sale and freezing it. Now that we are approaching the 3 month mark, we are going to start cooking it on the weekends, and refreezing it.

This is not my mom's first time catering a wedding, so I don't foresee any problems.

I have to feed upwards of 35-55 students for events and a summer program. You can totally do catering for 8-9 bucks per person. Subway, check BBQ places. I use a place called Taco Box for tacos/enchiladas. I live in NM, but you just have to search catering and go from there

My plan is to do cake and punch for the 330 wedding/reception and then a sandwich bar and beer at the 6p after party where there will be a smaller, more intimate crowd. I'm just going to get a meat and cheese tray from the deli with some decent rolls. Nothing major. The focus will be on the fellowship instead of the food.

View Quoted Comment Thank you everyone for the help and advice just to make it clear I should’ve worded it better I used to cater for a restaurant I used to work for I cooked so I have experience when it comes to catering and food safety for others events I was just not sure how to do it for my own since I wouldn’t be just be delivering it after cooking it all the day of but we decided to part cater make some simple dishes ourselves and baking would be all done by me since I used to do that as well so instead of using money towards a fancy cake we will put it towards a caterer instead. Thank you again so much I really appreciated the help