Post content has been hidden

To unblock this content, please click here

Savvy January 2019

Diy crockpot wedding food...is it possible?

Brit, on April 2, 2018 at 1:43 PM Posted in Do It Yourself 1 58

Saved

Flag
Hide content

Hi there!

im currently in the planning stages of my wedding and even though it’s 10 months away I still want to get the hard planning parts out of the way.

the reception will likely be a lunch time ordeal with about 50-70 people (I havnt finalized the list yet...I’m getting there though). I had a caterer in mind but I was also just suggested that I could do crockpot pots and make all the food ahead of time

i have a couple years of food service experience and have served large groups 3 times a day and I know of some tricks to make things easier on me

i thought about doing a soup bar with a few different kinds of soups. I have some recipes in mind I could make 1-2 days prior, I could then package it up and when it comes time to the day I could have someone throw it in the crockpot. On the side I could provide some other deli bought goodies to go with

if I plan and practice very diligently is this possible? Or is it likely to end up as a disaster?

Flag
Hide content

58 Comments

Latest activity by Mary, on August 19, 2024 at 12:02 AM

Master July 2018
Cuoghi · on April 2, 2018 at 1:47 PM
Flag

Hide content
Please don't do this. So much stress for your and your family and anyone else helping on a day that should be stress free and not focused on foos. You can easily cater Italian or something inexpensively and everyone can enjoy themselves.
- Reply
Devoted June 2018
Sarah · on April 2, 2018 at 1:50 PM
Flag

Hide content
This is a terrible idea, sorry. I am not a finicky person, but I would definitely be a little grossed out to see crockpots at a wedding. Who knows how long they've been out, if the food is actually safe and fresh, and who prepared it all? Let a caterer, NOT you, your friends, or your family, stress out about this on a day that should be about celebrating and not working.
- Reply
Master April 2018
Powers2 · on April 2, 2018 at 1:51 PM
Flag

Hide content
It’s a disaster waiting to happen.
- Reply
Devoted May 2019
Lee · on April 2, 2018 at 1:52 PM
Flag

Hide content
I think if you are able to get a caterer get one. If not you are lucky enough to have lots of experience. I would go with items you know how to cook well and be prepared for there to be problems.
Best regards.
- Reply
Master March 2018
FME · on April 2, 2018 at 1:54 PM
Flag

Hide content
Literally a disaster waiting to happen.

What are you going to do if someone gets sick? A "couple" years of food service experience does not mean wedding experience, and wouldn't you rather enjoy your day instead of seeing if the soup is at proper temp? No one wants only soup at a wedding.

BBQ or Italian are very inexpensive to cater. Have the professionals do it.
- Reply
Expert July 2017
SaraBear · on April 2, 2018 at 1:54 PM
Flag

Hide content
View Quoted Comment

All of this. I’m not sure I would be comfortable eating at a wedding seeing a spread like this for all the reasons the other Sarah posted.
- Reply
VIP September 2018
Michelle · on April 2, 2018 at 1:56 PM
Flag

Hide content
I would save yourself the headache. Read some posts on here from others who are at their 20 day or one week mark and they are stressed to the MAX. You don’t want to add that kind of stress to yourself
- Reply
VIP November 2018
ISaidHallYes · on April 2, 2018 at 1:58 PM
Flag

Hide content
I wouldn't do it if you have to prepare all of the food. You should enjoy your wedding and not have to worry about it the whole day. I have no problem with crock pots and people cooking for weddings but I doubt you went to spend the day like that. You can get good caterers for a small price.
- Reply
Expert May 2019
Sydney · on April 2, 2018 at 2:04 PM
Flag

Hide content
If it's in the budget, I'd definetely go for the caterer. Even if you have the experience, weddings are a whole different ballgame, and you'll want to enjoy the day instead of stressing over the food. Best luck!
- Reply
Champion November 2016
LB · on April 2, 2018 at 2:05 PM
Flag

Hide content
Not going to lie, if I showed up to a wedding reception and was expected to eat out of crockpots, I'd leave and go to mcdonalds.
- Reply
VIP September 2018
BB-H · on April 2, 2018 at 2:05 PM
Flag

Hide content
I would not recommend this. Aside from the food safety issues (yes I've worked in the restaurant and catering industries too, but I'd never dare attempt this), this is highly stressful on you, your family, and friends. It would be much better to get things catered.
- Reply
Expert August 2020
FutureMrsR-M · on April 2, 2018 at 2:06 PM
Flag

Hide content
This is going to be extremely difficult if you are planning on serving warm food to all your guests. If you have the proper catering equipment to keep the food warm, then that’s fine, but otherwise it’s just going to be a hassle. Better off to hire a professional caterer. And although it’s fine to make something like soup the night before, making the food two days before isn’t good. People want freshly made food. I think a reasonable number for self catering is anything less than 20. If you have great spaces to keep food fresh/cool/warm, then maybe as many as 30, but that’s pushing it for me.
- Reply
VIP June 2018
Meet_The_Clarks · on April 2, 2018 at 2:07 PM
Flag

Hide content
^^ everything else people have already said. Why do people think this is a good idea? Are you prepared to pay for medical bills if someone gets food poisoning? Such a bad idea. Hire a caterer and if you can't afford one, scale the guest list down to a manageable number.
- Reply
Master December 2016
Elizabeth · on April 2, 2018 at 2:07 PM
Flag

Hide content
No, no, no, no. Please don't do this. It's a horrible idea. It concerns me that you're calling your reception an ordeal and you're 10 months out. If you're not ready to get married, postpone so you can save up the money and do it right. Or elope so you don't have to spend the money or worry about the ordeal.
- Reply
Champion October 2018
Kelly · on April 2, 2018 at 2:12 PM
Flag

Hide content
Look into a local BBQ place, Olive Garden, or Chipotle for cheap catering. If you don’t want to do that have a short cake and punch reception from 2-4pm. Please don’t do crockpot meals! Your guests won’t enjoy that and it’s not worth the stress and all the things that could go wrong.
- Reply
Expert September 2018
Heather · on April 2, 2018 at 2:21 PM
Flag

Hide content
Despite what everyone says this is kind of what we are doing
My parents did this at my sister's wedding they made lunch meat sandwiches and side dishes
My venue has a full kitchen and hot bars to keep our food warm/hot
So night befire we are making sandwiches either turkey or ham
Mom is making potato and maceroni salad
The morning of the guys are bbqing a bunch of chicken the morning of and putting it in the hot bar at the venue
Plus we will have chips, pretzels, cheese its ect
I dont think it would be weird to have soups at a wedding and sandwiches
- Reply
Master December 2016
Elizabeth · on April 2, 2018 at 2:24 PM
Flag

Hide content
View Quoted Comment
Sorry Heather, but this is pretty high up on the DO NOT DO list on wedding forums. Self-catering a wedding is looked down upon.
- Reply
Dedicated April 2017
Baconater · on April 2, 2018 at 2:30 PM
Flag

Hide content
View Quoted Comment

So what happens when everyone gets sick from your mom's potato salad? Guess who gets held liiable and responsible for medical bills, Y.O.U.
People have DIED from potlucks.
- Reply
Master September 2019
Mrs. H · on April 2, 2018 at 2:32 PM
Flag

Hide content
This just sounds like one HUGE mound of stress to me. I would cut costs elsewhere and either find a venue with a caterer or find a vendor.
- Reply

VIP May 2018
Red Queen · on April 2, 2018 at 2:32 PM
Flag

Hide content
We self catered our stag & doe for 250 people in the fall. That's pretty normal here. So I'm not going to come at it from the sanitation aspect- I have my food handler's certificate and everything was prepared fresh and stored in an industrial kitchen.
I will tell you that we worked from 8:30am the day of, to 6:30am the day after. Literally 22 hours without a break. We were exhausted, didn't have time to mingle with our guests, and while the party was a smashing success (we've been asked to throw another next year) it took us days to recover.
We would have had no time to get ready or take pictures or enjoy the moment. And we certainly don't want to ask our friends and family to spend the day like that.
Let everyone relax and have fun; hire a professional caterer.
- Reply

A Detailed Wedding Budget Breakdown Based on Real Couples’ Spending — Budget A Detailed Wedding Budget Breakdown Based on Real Couples’... We explain the average wedding budget breakdown percentages so you can determine...

30 Mountain Wedding Venues in Colorado With the Most Jaw-Dropping Views — Places to Celebrate 30 Mountain Wedding Venues in Colorado With the Most... Find the perfect views for your wedding weekend with these scenic and...

Trends & Tips How Many Wedding Vendors Do You *Actually* Need? These are the wedding pros you’ll want to have on your team to make the day...

Post content has been hidden

Diy crockpot wedding food...is it possible?

58 Comments

Related articles