Nontraditional catering

I would not rule out a neighborhood restaurant yet. We have actually been considering going to a restaurant where we love the food and asking them to do. It most likely would save you money VS going to someone who does wedding dinners all the time. Anything with "wedding" in front of it will make the price jump! lol.

Just make sure to ask if they could do the food at the venue and IF NOT then find out -

1. Would they deliver to the venue or will you need someone to pick it up?

2. Do they supply those big food warmer things?

3. If they don't then can you afford to buy or rent them?

Also to consider is do you want buffet or sit down? If buffet then your okay but if you are thinking of sit down - can you afford to hire servers and such? What about plates and such? What do you plan to do for those?

Usually restaurants will cater your wedding or party and will be cheaper than a caterer, but I don't think (NOT SURE) if they will supply you with plates, silverware, servers

Thanks, Kristina! Good tips to consider We are 100% doing a buffet. I saw your message but I haven't gotten a chance to reading it yet - I get so distracted!

Crystal, that is interesting that you mention that servers should be at the buffet. Every buffet wedding I've been to had no attendee's, just a couple of runners to re-fill empty stations. I personally had no problems with it, but I wonder if any other guests might have....

We're having a fairly casual event, and I am very aware of at least 3 different types of food allergies/preferences that I was planning to accommodate for (gluten free for my cousin, vegetarian for some others, I am allergic to shellfish as is my FFIL).

I'll make sure to get clarification on their clean up policies and supplying the plates/glasses/etc. If there is anything else you think of, please let me know. Thanks again!

There is no difference between a traditional caterer and a restaurant that does catering.

Just take to heart the advice given already- about providing plates, clean up, etc.

Thanks, Meghan

If I use a restaurant, I don't really need any servers or whatever. I am actually thinking about using a nice and very hard plastic plates and such so no washing will need to be done. Just throw away. Also am wanting to the do the buffet / self-serve. I have been to weddings where they did buffet and everyone got their own food and nobody was greedy about the food. We, the guests, knew that it wasn't an all you can eat buffet and that the food was there for other people as well. I do plan to post on our website what we will be serving when we decide.

I actually want Olive Garden to caterer our wedding because I LOVE LOVE LOVE their Stuffed Chicken Marcilla (? excuse spelling), their breadsticks and their salad.. Yummy yum yums, haha.. But we have also discussed BBQ food as well as Chinese food (we both love Chinese food) or doing Mexican food is another fave of ours - Fajitas, tacos, etc. Have all the fixings and everyone can put on what they want, etc.

But look into the food warmers, I am sure you can rent them from somewhere if the place doesn't offer them. Even wedding caterers put their food in these whether they cook at the venue or not if it is a buffet. We are going to be living closeto each other in the near future and since you are planning your wedding down this way (unless you went with another venue), when I find stuff like this - if you want, I will facebook it to you

Thanks! Our (hopeful) vendor has a specific rental company they use, but they will let us use any company to cater. When I have used places to cater events in the past, they usually supplied their own heating option if it was appropriate. I'll definitely look into all of those aspects

At a family wedding, they did a kind-of finger food buffet? It was just a whole mess of different options from the grocery store and even from their garden. They just hired two people they knew from around town to restock things and clean up for a couple of hours, instead of going through one company. ... I mean, they even called it their "Redneck Wedding," so I'm not sure that all brides would be comfortable following that example but I figure I'd throw it out there and let people take it or leave it.