Do you get to keep the excess food after the reception??

Not sure... We are having a restaurant cater (vs the venue doing it) and we will get to keep the food that's left.

Ours is an outside caterer, but no we don't get to keep the food. She gave me an explanation, but I can't remember what it was.

No, unfortunately. I'm kind of bummed about it, but whatever =/

We didn't get to keep the food. Granted there were only 3 no-shows, but no, the extra paid for meals were not offered to us. I think you'll find this with most vendors. No shows = loss of money.

We do. My friends the caterer, and it's at a friend's home, so they want it out. We're loading up our friends pick up trucks and taking it all to the after party. Boom.

Almost nowhere lets you keep the extra food.

Most won't let you due to insurance and liability. Ie food sitting out and not properly stored in your care, you get sick, threaten to sue yadda yadda.

Our caterer will package up any leftover food at the end of the night and we'll take it home with us. We're having an outdoor tented reception at a private residence so we had to hire our own caterer. Maybe it's different if you're using the venue's caterer (if you're even doing that).

ETA: just read the other responses and yep, it is different if you're getting married at a venue. Nice to know!

I made sure that it was in my contract. The catering business that I used to work for would package up any leftover prepared foods that didn't have any possibility of contamination and left them in the fridge for the client. It sounds like it depends on the catering company.

Pisses me off. I own it.

We never released leftovers. It's too dangerous, liability wise.

I asked about left over food, since we are doing a buffet with two proteins, five salads and sides and bread.

I asked if we would be able to box up the left overs. We are no allowed. Like Val had said, its a liability thing. BUT we are able to continue to pick at it all night, since we will be at our location till the next morning.

The caterer we booked lets us keep any leftover food. From what I've read, it's not normal to get the leftovers.

But, you can take leftovers from a restaurant???

We actually get to keep SOME Food.

our venue puts together trays of extra food that we can have if we want

We don't get to keep the leftovers. Although, it would be awesome if we did.

My venue is allowing us to take leftovers. I asked our coordinator if people don't show up can we take their cooked meal with us at the end of the night and she said yes. Our banquet hall is attached to a hotel and a bunch of us are staying there the night of, so it will be a late night snack. It wasn't in the contract but I just asked. I have to pay for 150 meals regardless. so if we are a few people short, they're ok with me taking the leftovers.

At a restaurant, it's made, you get it, you leave. It's not sitting around for hours.

There is a caterer in my area who does not let you keep the extra food, but then she sells it to people at some workplaces she caters. I think that's really weird.

I'm not sure if it's normal, but my venue won't allow us to take the extra food home. We get the cake, but not the leftovers from dinner.