Potluck wedding reception

To be totally honest, it truly is tacky. I was invited to a wedding that had a potluck. Yes, it's cost effective, but every single guest really disliked the idea. I didn't go to that wedding, but I heard nobody brought anything except the bride's mom. The reception became something to avoid talking about. Definitely get a caterer! Yes they can be spendy, but it's worth the cost.

If I showed up at a wedding that was a potluck, I'd be on the phone ordering a pizza or Chinese takeout to my table and I would not feel one bit sorry about it.

I would not want to attend a wedding if I were asked to bring a dish.

You're hosting your guests that you invited. I feel like it would be awkward and embarrassing to ask them to bring food for the reception.

The only "good" thing about this is you get to save money. But if you don't want to spend money on food, don't have a wedding with guests.

No. As the bride, you are the host of your guests. That means providing them food and beverage. It doesn't have to be fancy food or beverage. As others have said, it can even be Olive Garden and beer/wine, but you can't make them bring the food.

An alternative to catering is to do a cake and punch reception. You just do a short 2 hour party in the mid-afternoon (after lunch but before dinner) and provide cake and punch ... literally.

OP, with the influx of cons, lemme give you some pros.

1) You get to educate us WW users about your family's signature wedding dishes, like the crockpot weenie.

2) Your BAM will be filled with family and friends in aprons over their best attire, flour-smeared cheeks, and either food-covered hands or, if you're ~*fancy*~, glove-covered hands. Category is: Baking Maid Couture! Ooo-la-la!

3) Hey, who doesn't love making other people spend money on you? And who doesn't like making people work for you? And who doesn't like making a day of celebration and fun as stressful as humanly possible?

This has got to be your first day

How is this a real thing?

My God why do people even consider this anymore

I honestly had no idea that self catering or a wedding potluck was a thing until I joined WW .... even before I realized this, work potlucks freaked me out, I can't even imagine doing either of these for a wedding. I will never forget the day that I begrudgingly agreed to a work potluck and I helped a employee carry a few dishes from her car - cat hair EVERYWHERE. I made a plate and pretended to eat it, it found it's way into the trash when people weren't looking. I can't even imagine why people think these are viable options - it is tacky, gross, and rude.

I can tell you, if I was invited to a self catered or potluck wedding ... they'd be getting a big fat check mark in the "NO" box. I am not sure that it would matter who they are in relation to me, I don't think I would attend. Please, please listen to what 95% of the people on this thread are telling you, they aren't telling you not to do it to be mean, they are giving you feedback to protect you (your pocketbook and image), your guests (their health), and the family members that should be enjoying your big day - not working it.

Who the hell posts a thread, gets over 100 comments, and never comes back FOR 2 DAYS?!?! so rude!

@GlitterBomb, ALL. DAY. ERRRRDAY.

ETA: AKA Post n ghost

What everyone has said.

Me, personally, I don't eat everyone's food/cooking. So, it would be a fail for me.

So lammmme.

I'm still waiting Glitter lol

This is your wedding day. Imagine people lined up for green bean casserole, Aunt Fluffy's disgusting pink jello, cold fried chicken, bean dip. UGH.

It's tacky. This isn't an office lunch, it's your wedding.

@Glitter my guess is that OP didn't get the validation that she was hoping for.

Pros:

1. You make your family work for their right to eat

2. Show off your families' cooking skills to your guests

3. Don't forget to have guests bring a dish too!

4. It will give people a chance to throw up after they leave the reception (woohoo! Zero calories from your wedding meal)

That's all I could think of

Pros: you save money

Cons: you spend more money compensating your guests for the good poisoning you gave them.

There are plenty of cheaper catering options out there! I second those who have said that Italian food is cheap to get catering for . If you have one in your area, Old Spagetti Factory has really reasonable catering prices. Even chipotle caters weddings, I'm always getting Facebook ads for it. Just serve something! Your guests will be spending a lot of time and money getting to your wedding and you shouldn't add an extra expense. Plus food poisoning sucks.