what do y'all think

Ew. no.

No.

I'm against making your family and friends do anything for your wedding day. You are inviting them as guest. Not hiring them as employees. So another NO NO NO! from me.

^what stiching bride said. But I also have to add that potlucks have been going on for years without a huge influx of food poisening. As long as you keep the cold food cold and the hot food hot, and all of it covered....its not as big of a concern as ww people make it out to be. I live in Minnesota, land of casseroles and potlucks. Can honestly say I have never gotten food poisening in my 51 years and 10s of 1000s of potlucks I have gone to or had. I HAVE however gotten food poisening from 3 restaurants in the last 4 years.

So I'll ask the question....how is the main course going to be supplied?

Nope.

Bad idea by your MIL. If you need help in justifying why it's a horrible idea, just read her all these comments.

.

Just show her all these memes.

This is immediately what I thought:

http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/23/health/church-potluck-botulism/

Then, I thought...where is Christine aka The WW Food Safety Expert???

Also:

I agree with what Mrs Cheapskate said. I never heard such a fuss over the idea of potlucks being gross or all edged stories of people getting sick than I have over the last few years.

one day there were all these online stories and 'news' stories saying of gross potlucks were. then all of a sudden nobody likes potlucks.

though they are supposed to follow certain rules and standards, gross things happen in restaurant kitchens all the time, I've seen it.

I've gotten food poisoning from restaurants, but never from a pot luck.

@StitchingBride - I don't eat at pot lucks so I can't say whether or not they cause food poisoning per se but I can agree you can get food poisoning from restaurants. I think the biggest thing for the ladies here on WW is that it isn't necessarily the best way to host your guests. A potluck for a small wedding/gathering of 20 people max I think in all reality wouldn't be insane but having a potluck or "bring a side dish" for a wedding of 100 people.

@Mrs Cheapskate - The biggest thing with keeping hot food hot and cold food cold is just that. How would that be accomplished during the ceremony? Is there someone in charge of maintaining temperatures, keeping burners going, icing down the cold food, ect?

Edited for grammar.

I have less of the issue with potlucks you know for work functions, small get togethers, but they are so innappropriate for a wedding. You do not ask for people to 'pitch in' for your wedding. Totally unacceptable.

I think what people have an issue with is asking a guest to bring food to an event that they have been invited to. The least that a bride and groom should do is give their guests a free meal. Guests are paying for travel costs, lodging, a gift, sometimes a babysitter, to come to this event. Pay for their damn food.

ETA: Emmy was in my head and pretty much said what I was thinking

And who wants 5 green bean casseroles at their wedding anyway?

Nope.

@emmy - Odie gives me that look of 'this is inadequate' all the damn time!

ETA: I have no problem with potlucks. In fact I'm going to a family potluck tonight. But it just seems wrong to ask guests to bring side dishes to a wedding......

I still want to know if this wedding is entirely self-catered. OP WHERE IS THE MAIN COURSE COMING FROM?

OP seems to have disappeared.....

I don't have an issue with potlucks. I have a issue with using your family and friends as free labor. They are your guest not your vendors. It's one thing to pay a friend to do something (friendor). It's another thing to give them a job as a guest at your wedding.

@O&S your profile pic gets better everytime you change it - that baby knows how I feel.