diy Catering?

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I'm sorry, but if I was in the wedding party I certainly wouldn't expect to be on buffet duty. Ushers are not there to serve people food.

If you search for self-catering, you'll be able to read for days and days about why it's not recommended. You're unlikely to find support from the idea on this forum for the reasons already listed.

Please don’t DIY catering. Cut your guest list, go with cheaper invites, cut favors, etc to save money but do not DIY catering and make your friends work on your wedding day.

A lot of venues do not allow diy catering as it is a liability issue

One of the things you should not go cheap on is the food. If you want to save money cut the cost elsewhere. One of the things people remember the most is the food.

I was able to find an all inclusive venue where food was as low as $15 a person but I know that's not always available.

View Quoted Comment Agree with this. Also you don't want you or your family to have that stress the day of yiur wedding!

Look into Italian catering or BBQ catering, they are considered to be budget friendly options. Cut your guest list as well. Do not self cater.

I second looking for an Italian restaurant that might do delivered pasta or even a pasta station (that way the same dish could be vegetarian or have a meat option). Self-catering brings up so many problems that many other PPs have also mentioned.

Just sit back for a second and think about the stress not having a licensed professional would cause on your wedding day. That isn't something to put on yourself, but especially on others. Your reception is to thank your guests for witnessing your ceremony, and for that reason a large portion of your budget SHOULD be spent on good food and drink for them to enjoy.

Also - to the person who suggested self-catering a dessert bar and making unpaid laborers out of your ushers - all I have to say to you is LOL.

Look into restaurants catering, or holding your wedding at a restaurant. I had my wedding at a restaurant, for 42 people-we did cut our guest list by over half-and it was very affordable in our area. I would cut decor, flowers, programs, menus, diy projects, signs, and get cheap invitations to have a catered meal for my guests.

View Quoted Comment That sounds like exactly what we're looking for: a pasta buffet bar where you can add meat to any dish as you like.

As for my family friend: while I've been to other private events she's catered, and I know her food is great, I don't know if she's licensed, so I'm going to turn down her offer and opt for a restaurant, just for piece of mind. I'm glad I posted, or I'd never have thought about liability insurance.

Thanks for the helpful advice! Now I just need to find a venue that will allow a restaurant to cater.

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For 40 or 50 people you may even be able to find a restaurant with a private room or level who will let you host the reception there.

View Quoted Comment Thanks for the advice! We have been trying to keep the guest list small, so we have around that number of guests. We're both very crafty people who diy together, so we're making a lot of the decorations, and we're opting for artificial flowers.

I second looking for a restaurant with a private room. No need for very many decorations, mainly just table centerpieces. Just think, they set up, cook, serve professionally and do all the clean up. When my family has events at restaurants, we find that management strives to go above and beyond to make us happy. They usually throw in a couple of freebies. All we do is show up, have fun and leave the mess behind.

View Quoted Comment Lol no. Myself, my fiancée, my mom and my aunt are all vegetarian and we will be serving meat at our wedding

View Quoted Comment Try Olive Garden catering. That’s what we’re doing. Pasta and meat you can add in if you want.

View Quoted Comment Thanks for the suggestion! I looked into it and it's exactly what we're looking for. The pricing is great, and I love how they keep the sauce separate. We'll probably use them too. Super helpful!

Late coming back to this thread because I have a busy life and whatnot, but I wasn't being rude or "bridezilla..." I was just telling you self-catering or having "friendors" is an all around bad idea. What if she backs out last minute or something else goes wrong? Friendship ruined, man. But you "feel sorry for my hubby," okay lol

View Quoted Comment I felt your response was rude by using words like "crappy" and insinuating I'm "forcing" service. I don't mind criticisms, far from it, I actually learned a lot, which is what I was hoping to accomplish. To put an idea out there and immediately be spoken back to with such patronizing snark, it immediately made me feel unwelcome. There's a difference between giving advice and being smug. It's not that your advice was bad, I just felt you could have been a little kinder in your reply. I'm one to fight fire with fire, though, so if I feel snapped at, I snap back. Sorry if I name called, more sorry that I assumed you were with a husband, when I don't know the gender of your SO, which was probably insensitive of me as well. In that way, I'm guilty of assumptions too.

You do make a good point about ruining the friendship. I'd worried about that myself. If something went wrong, it could be unnecessary strain on the relationship.

View Quoted Comment The only way to get around using a friendor (having someone you know do the catering, officiate, photograph, whatever it may be) is to get an air tight contract. Outline everything that is included, timelines, staffing, communication expectations.... everything.

Also, an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. Relax (everyone) and we can all go on with our respective planning