Need wedding venue that allows me to bring our own food.

View Quoted Comment There has to be another way to get the food you want without self catering. Honestly, self-catering is difficult and dangerous. If that is the most important aspect of your day (which I get) I would find your caterer first and then find a venue that will accommodate them. It's not about being "fancy" it's about making sure your friends and family aren't working on your day and making sure your guests don't get sick. How are you going to find the time to prep, cook, and keep the food at safe temperatures on your wedding day?

If your guests are coming from Puerto Rico, where do you expect them to cook for your wedding? If they needed money during the hurricane, which was devastating, asking them to pay for, and make your wedding food doesn’t seem like it makes a whole lot of financial sense and is transferring your costs onto them, which is rude

We are in MD and looked at basically every waterfront venue (either online or in person). Some venues will allow you to bring in your own caterer, but looking at the caliber and cost of venues, I doubt any of them will allow you to bring in your own food mainly for the reasons PPs stated.

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Bland, unseasoned chicken breasts?

View Quoted Comment You forgot mashed potatoes and unseasoned green beans

View Quoted Comment I'e actually found a few willing, they'e just completely out of my price range or don't even have a pond. I am looking into parks. If you happen on any leads, I'd love to hear them.

View Quoted Comment Many parks require event insurance. No insurance company covers any self-catered event. Good luck tho

View Quoted Comment I didn't list the assortment of caterers I've found but if you really want to know what I mean, I'm not saying unseasoned chicken. I'm food primarily made or originate from Europe or American white influenced food. It could be German, it could be Spain, it could be Italian even, French, English, Irish, honestly Google caterer, I promised most will be "white" cuisine. Not saying I haven't fell upon Japanese or Hawaiian Caterers. I have also found Puerto Rican Caterers with bland generic Puerto Rican food I do not like.

View Quoted Comment Look we have all had to make sacrifices for our wedding, that doesn't mean the solution is to self-cater. If the cuisine is the most important thing to you, I would look into venues that aren't waterfront or cut your guest list in order to make it fit your budget. If someone gets sick at your event that you self-catered, you are going to be looking at much bigger financial issues than this.

Lucky for me, so far the parks I've spoken to require no such thing. Only issue is that the shelters aren' enclosed. I may very well settle for one of the parks I've found. I'm just looking around for other options. If you have an real lead I'll be happy to hear them.

I was also on the hunt for a water front property we could afford!

I recommend looking at parks that may have buildings. Often city parks have converted bathhouses, or other event spaces, and they don't care what you do, as long as you leave the space how you found it. I think you said you were in MD? I don't know any specifics, but I know a LOT of the places I found in Washington had that option.

Also, I'm usually a proponent of higher a caterer, BUT it truly sounds like you are the exception to the rule, if this is what your family does at weddings please don't let everyone get you down about it.

View Quoted Comment Yes I do:
Food trucks can be often accepted by any site that requires a caterer. You may have issues with wait time but you'll be able to use one of your venues who requires a caterer.

https://m.yelp.com/biz/borinquen-lunch-box-washington?osq=Puerto+Rican+Food

Otherwise, you should speak to the venues about your family cooking. Perhaps if you sign a Hold Harmless and a Release of Liability (paralegal school was a lifetime ago so not sure if that's the right term) basically stating you and your FS will take complete personal liability (depending on the size of event it could be as little as $1M...) for their food, they may be willing to let you bring your own. You may need to show that you have collateral for this such as income and assets. Also, be prepared to be shot down with that request if they have all exclusive caterers. Those contracts may barr them from allowing *anyone* in the kitchen or to use the equipment that is not catering staff.

Good luck.

View Quoted Comment We're taking care of that. How were etting the good really isn' an issue, I promise. I' looking for a place. If you have a lead thanks, if not, well figure it out.

View Quoted Comment Those are great ideas! Thank you so much.

View Quoted Comment That's a great idea

Community center halls may allow you to bring your own food. Look at PG county and Montgomery county community centers. Mid county community center in Montgomery County MD has a very nice and large hall for events.

Would do Puerto Rican food for the rehearsal dinner be an option, and then do more “white” food for the actual wedding? It may give you more options

View Quoted Comment Oh that's another good idea!

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I knew I forgot something, lol!

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Food from Latin based countries are definitely not "white". But it seems the joke may have gone over your head.