Food Expenses

We’re getting married in New Orleans and about 40% of our budget (strictly wedding budget, not counting travelling expenses like flights & hotel for a week) is food & booze.

The general rule is 50-60% of your overall budget should go to venue, food, alcohol. Our catering was thru our venue and we paid around $22k for food for 165 people.

We spent A LOT on food lol. I think about $7k of our 17k budget. Then $2.5k on alcohol. Feeding our guests well was one of our priorities... it was REALLY good food.

I am going with an alternative catering option. Tacos from Gringos Locos here in Orlando. Buffet with 3 appetizers and a server for set up and taketown. $765.

Honestly food was most of my budget aha but that's because I kind of hardly spent on anything else and food was important to me

We actually won’t be spending as much on food as PP. it will be $2600 for a high end dinner buffet including cocktail hour appetizers and plates/silverware etc. and $2000 for full 4 hour open bar for 75 people. So about 25-30% of our total budget

We are not spending as much, we have appetizers, plates, we have salad, 2 meats, 2 vegetables, mac and cheese, cornbread. We are paying $2500 and we have 130 ppl

Food was the biggest part of our budget. Our budget was $1,500 and food was $922 of that. We went with a restaurant reception so it was all inclusive of decor. We had an afternoon tea vibe going on with quiche, sandwiches, salad, and 3 deserts.

I would say you're looking at at least 50% of your budget for food/alcohol.

Have you booked your venue yet? i find it easier to book a venue that does the catering there. The prices tend to be a little cheaper (because staff and food is already there) and you don't have to worry about it arriving. We paid $80 pp ($25 for kids) for 4 hour reception and that included beer wine champagne, 2 choices of plated dinners, salad, rolls and 7 passed apps during cocktail hour.

50-55% of our budget id going towards food and alcohol. But that is because both of us are MAJOR foodies and it is important to us to have good food and fun drinks at our ceremony. We are paying $155 per adult $130 for Young Adults (12-20) and $80 for kids, this covers 5 hour bar, 5 hors d'oeuvres ( 2 stationed 3 passed), salads, plated dinner, custom cake & desserts, and late night snacks and a champagne wall, but again we are going ALL out on food.

I would talk to your venue to see what the average catering runs them there. They can be very helpful on suggesting caterers who they work with often and like who may fit into your budget.

Well be spending about $4 grand for about 140 ppl. That's plus 20% service charge. Not bad at all.

We will spend 8k on food and drink which is our minimum.

View Quoted Comment Hello Chrysta - I am recently engaged and planning a destination wedding in NOLA in January 2021. If you don’t mind me asking, where are you having your reception? Is it a plated dinner? I’m struggling to find options for a plated dinner at the reception. Also, if you happen to know a good planner, please let me know. I’m going to need all the help I can get. Lol! Thank you, and Happy New Year!

View Quoted Comment Sure, I would love to help! I’ve done A LOT of researching venues LOL Are you planning on having your event in the French Quarter? And if so, how many people are you having?

View Quoted Comment I’m in the VERY early planning stages. Only been engaged for 2 weeks and just beginning to do a little research. Yes, I’m looking at the French Quarter (Westin, Doubletree, Hilton because of city and river views) and I’m thinking about 300 people. Yikes!! 😬

View Quoted Comment Oh wow, you are having a big wedding! We are only having a max of 50. Most of the info I have is for small weddings. I will go through my emails and see if I have any info for larger weddings with plated meals.

View Quoted Comment Ok. Thank you so much. I appreciate it, and Happy New Year!!

View Quoted Comment How did this turn out for you? I am planning my event for next January and Gringos is one of my top contenders. Do you mind me asking how many guests you had for that cost?

It all depends on your budget I'm having a destination wedding so i'm paying $45 per person for food alone. Includes cocktail hour, dinner, dessert bar.

View Quoted Comment Who did you order from??