Cocktail hour/cheese tray?

I'd look in to whether the caterer that you're using will allow you to bring in other food.

If you buy them yourself, check with the caterer to see if they will even store, refill, clean up the trays etc. This is where a lot of the cost is in catering. Chances are they will not have anything to do with them so you will need to find somewhere to keep them, someone to fill them and someone to clean them up. For what it is worth - $10/pp for what you are saying sounds reasonable.

Depending how long the guests have been waiting for food, and how long until they will get dinner, you might be able to skip food during cocktail hour.

You could always order cheese for 3/4 of your guests as not everyone eats that stuff. We are having ~ 80 people (I think) and the raw bar alone is over 20 per person. I know at least 20 people that don't eat that stuff (including me) so I'm getting it for 60 people.

Is that the only food for the cocktail hour? Will they let you do that?

Emmy just explained why your caterer is charging $9.95/person for these appetizer trays. It's one thing to toss a block of cheese, some fruit, and crackers on a tray right before you're ready to serve them. It's quite another to store those products, slice the cheese into individual portions, and then arrange an aesthetically pleasing display of those appetizers. Even if they aren't passed (which requires someone to be paid to do the passing), someone has to watch the tray and artfully rearrange the next fresh replacements on the tray. Is this something the bride wants to concern herself with? No. That's why you're paying for the service.

You may be able to have those trays pre-arranged by a deli or Sam's Club. Check with your venue to be sure that they will allow you to store those trays in their refrigeration units (and ask yourself, if you were a venue owner, would you be thrilled to allow a DIYer to use your refrigeration -- something you pay for? Be honest with your answer). They may say no. Will the venue's servers be watching those trays? Not if you're not paying them, they won't. Will they be refreshing depleted trays? Probably not. So, if you're going the DIY appetizer route, make sure you can use the venue's refrigeration and give someone the responsibility of replacing the trays. Remember, a lot of what you are paying for at a wedding has to do with service and complete attention to your event -- so complete that you never have to think about it, and neither do your guests.

And a display is not a cheese tray. ....

Y'all certainly tell it like it is. Sheesh. Well, the venue owner is thankfully laid back and has approved me bringing in my own hors d'ouerves. But he didn't say anything about refrigeration or service of course. Hmm...

Pay the money. It isn't a bad price and you'll be glad you did. One less thing to worry about!

I know, you're totally right. Should've eloped! Hahah

@Robin thanks for that idea we are having a raw bar as well $30pp never thought to only have it for x amount of guests I'm goi ng to inquire about that!

Since we are doing a cocktail party, we don't need a "true" count so for the stations I'm doing various amounts... Some, like raw bar, less than the people present. Others, like the mashed potini bar, more than guest qty as I know everyone loves potatoes and I know I'd eat two servings.

Robin and sher no. Niether of those are good solutions

You're not just paying for the food itself- you're paying for someone to keep it cold until time to set it out, someone to upkeep the table (restocking with fresh food and picking up around the table)

If you can convince someone to do the setting up maintaining of the table for the duration of cocktail hour- by all means purchase from Sam's or Costco- but I think you'll save yourself the worry of a non-professional messing with food if you pay your caterer to do it.