Cooking for reception?

I strongly suggest against self catering for the following reasons:

1.)Food poisoning

2.) It is WAY more work than you expect

3.) Your guests should be able to enjoy themselves, not worry about dinner

4.) It is still pretty expensive and a hassle

My mom has a mobile kitchen, is certified in food prep and she wouldn't touch self catering. It's too big of a deal to try and work out.

If it's a small get together, order a few platters from a deli and food from a restaurant you like and call it good.

Really.

Setting food up, keeping it warm, and serving the food will all still take a TON of time. I highly suggest hiring a licensed and professional caterer!

No - let your family and friends enjoy the day as guests. Check out local BBQ places who cater - you'll likely find a good deal there with people who know how to professionally handle food so that your loved ones don't have to.

I worry about the food poisoning issue also. I'd be mortified if my gusts got sick

Wow. Two of these in a matter of minutes?

1. Food poisoning. You don't want to give that to your guests. Professionals will make sure stuff is served to temp.

2. Who wants two day old reheated meal for a wedding??

I went to a wedding where the food was prepared by a friend of the bride's who runs a catering service. They cooked it beforehand, stored it, just like you're saying... The food was LATE. Like, almost 2 HOURS late! The only thing we had to eat was grapes and other pieces of small fruit. As a bride, I would be weary because so many things can go wrong...just from a logistical standpoint. The friend was miserable, embarrassed, and annoyed. She vowed never to do that again, and spent the whole wedding rushing around and exhausted because she couldn't enjoy it (and the food was buffet style). I felt bad for the woman, and embarrassed for the bride... And as a guest I was extremely hungry (even when they did serve food, it was finger food first, they were even late with that, and then the meal itself was late) and some people even left because they weren't playing music or anything, just waiting around for the food.

How big is your guest list?

Don't do this. This will be way more work then you anticipate and it's a lot to put on your family. It won't even save you a lot of money. Most importantly, food needs to be handled properly so it's safe to eat. Do yourself a favor a hire a caterer. If you have a small guest list, a restaurant may be able to cater.

Hire a caterer. Please.

The family members don't get to just setup the food and walk away ... someone has to keep the containers filled, make sure the sterno stays lit so the hot food doesn't cold, make sure the ice stays filled for the deviled eggs so they don't spoil. Please don't make your family work at your wedding.

Not to mention the cleanup !!!

And I agree with what a previous poster said - do you really want to serve 2 day old, reheated food at your wedding?

I am big perplexed by your comment about your fiancé and his family being "country". Maybe that means "they are laid back and like simple food"? You don't have to have carved standing rib roast and caviar. You can do all the foods you listed thru a caterer.

Unfortunately this topic never goes over well on this forum for the all the reasons myself and other have listed. Have a nice relaxed day with your family as your guests, enjoy fresh food prepared, served, and cleaned up by a caterer.

I cannot believe the number of posts today on this topic. At what point does anyone think this is easy/ok/safe/normal??? I don't get it. Help me get it...Lol.

No

Hire a pro. I AM a pro and i catered my own wedding and I would never do it again. We had a full catering kitchen at my business and a full kitchen at the venue. We had a full staff, and I married my chef.

It was the least fun ever.

Buy food from a caterer or a restaurant, hire staff and enjoy yourself.

Ok so I just posted this in another thread but it belongs here too. I went to a wedding that was self catered. I got food posioning and then had to drive the four hours home with my family. The only thing we talk about or remember from that wedding is me throwing up in the bushes... Hire a caterer.

Salisott: is food poisoning really likely? thats scary. the cost factor was my main reasoning plus I want to make sure its the exact food I want. It will be buffet style so I won't need a server.

Nicole: That's horrible about your friends wedding. I would have close family or friends take it. Did they ever find out WHY she was late?

VC: My invite list which I just updated last night is around 140 but I don't think alot of them will come because of various reasons. We just have to invite them according to our families. I'm thinking it might be around 100.

MayBride: The money situation is my main reason for considering this. I don't wanna go the restaurant route because of their limited options as I wanna make sure its the exact food I want.

Kelli: I didn't think about the 2 day old food. I know ham is good for days because we eat leftovers for several days after Christmas and Easter. Us being "country" means we're south and my wedding is going to be very country, my fiance and his men are wearing jeans instead of suit pants and the vests are gonna be camo.

Jennifer: I can tell, I didn't even see the other post today thats been mentioned. I just don't wanna pay an arm and a leg and want the foods I want.

Chips and deviled eggs????? Spare no expense with the food.... plz

Ham and pulled pork sound fine, but the mac n cheese isn't going to be great after 2 days in the fridge and reheating. And 2 day old deviled eggs are definitely food-poisoning prone.

For 100 people you are going to need someone working on the buffet line. Because you'll need multiple trays of each kind of food, and someone has to switch the empties out for full and monitor food temps.

That sounds like a lot of work for your family for 140 people. That many probably won't come, but if you invite 140, you should be prepared for 140 to show up. I'd be upset if I was expected to be the food server. I hate holiday cleanup for my family of 25, I can't IMAGINE trying to serve and clean up after at least 100 people. Please hire pro, Bella. Where in the south are you? You can probably get those foods for a reasonable cost, especially if you are willing to cut your guest list down to 100 or less.

Even with buffet style, you still need staff to make sure burners stay lit, ice isnt melting, things are kept to proper temps, chafing dishes are refilled, etc. Its not simply set it out and forget it, least of all for 140 people - unless you want people getting sick, food getting cold, etc.

This is one of those things that you do NOT want to skimp on. Cut costs elsewhere. Don't do it with the food. There are plenty of caterers and restaurants that can make a menu that is exactly what you want, with a tasting beforehand. Do not try to do this yourself. Its a nightmare waiting to happen.

Yes food poisoning is a threat...