diy Catering- How much to pay for help?

Honestly, to get people who know what they’re doing and are experienced in cooking for large groups, plus have the relevant food safety certificates, it will be more expensive than getting BBQ or Italian delivered from a restaurant, which will also be less stressful. Then you can just get a bunch of students to be servers and clean up for a fairly minimal price.

View Quoted Comment I agree. Please don’t make friends or family work on your wedding day. For food safety, proper warming/cooling of foods, and fair servings for all guests, hire a restaurant to cater for $10-$15 per person. Other couples here have complained about self-serve/potluck weddings: cold food or not enough or stressed-out families.

Or, have your wedding at a non meal time (2 or 3 pm) and offer a cake & punch reception.

View Quoted Comment Exactly this. Hire a catering company or restaurant with the appropriate certifications and experience or host a non-meal time wedding.

I'm expecting about 200 guests and I'm having trouble affording professional caters. I wasn't going to have my family or friends cook but rather talk to a local culinary school and hire some students or my FMIL has friends and connections that work in the public school cafeteria that I've considered asking-especially since school won't be in sessions during my wedding.

Sounds like it could work. I am doing something similar but not hiring anyone to cook just to clean up. I am torn between hiring students and or people from one of the shelters or transitional living places. My family would be all in for helping but I have a little money saved just for the wedding and wouldn't mind paying if it will help others.