Reception Style - Food Related Q

There are several of us on here planning this type of reception right now (myself included).

You have PLENTY of budget to do so. You can do it for a lot less if you want. Or you can have a LOT of different food or some really nice options, or all of the above. You shouldn't have any problems. I also think people will be appreciate being able to eat what they want when they want. Sometimes you find that you don't like what you chose 2 months before the event.

We almost did this, but my mom really didn't like the idea and they're paying so we're having dinner. I'm in Philly too though and a lot of the places I got quotes from weren't as low as I thought they would be for a cocktail reception. You have a little over $133/pp though with that budget and guest list so you should be able to find plenty of caterers in that range for heavy apps or sit down dinner.

Thanks for the info & opinions, ladies! I'm just trying to feel out all my options at this point. I really like variety and want a "different" feel for my wedding which is why I considered the afternoon/apps situation. It's all still up in the air at this point.

Your catering alone is costing $10,000 for 75 people? Even without a sit down dinner? I would keep looking.

@Staci - that's just the number I would like to stay under. I am mostly looking into places where the venue and catering are the same company. Most venue fees in my area are in excess of $2,500.00 and catering companies that I am finding are usually not lower than $70.00/pp for dinner without the service charge/taxes. I would really prefer to use a venue that is "all-inclusive" (meaning I don't have to coordinate rentals, alcohol, etc.)

I am looking into a lot of different types of venues including restaurants, etc. So -- here's to hoping!

I LOVE this style of celebration! And though it's not usually cheaper than a sit down, it sure is more fun, IMHO.

Here are my tips;

1. word your invitation ' join us for fabulous, luscious, hearty hors d'oeuvres following the ceremony.

2. aim for a little bit of an off time; late afternoon is perfect; 4:00 invites with champagne, 4:30 ceremony, 5:00 reception.

3. mix it up with the 'agenda'; don't have everyone sit down after an hour and do intros; it's kind of short hand for 'dinner will start next" ....and it won't.

4. make sure you have loads of food; hearty stations like pasta, sliders/fries, stir fry, carving, mashed potato, mac and cheese (my personal fave....)

5. have enough seating, but mix it up; high boy tables, lounge seating, some bigger tables

6. do passed and stations

I totally, totally love this style of wedding, and with all the talk about 'how do I make my wedding unique?", I think this goes much farther than cute signs and burlap runners....

Where are you looking, regarding venues? Did you call Emily's Cafe Catering? They work at almost every cool venue we do, and I bet they'll have some great ideas. The first one that comes to mind is the Mountain Lake House, in Princeton, and it's perfect for what you describe.

@Celia - THANK YOU! Princeton is a little farther than I was imagining going but I will check it out. I will look into Emily's Cafe Catering, too, to see if they are at any venues closer to where I was thinking.

I had an early afternoon wedding and did different food stations. The food was great and people raved about it. We had enough stations that no one was standing in long lines.

Honestly, I think once you do the math you'll find you're not going to save much money going for heavy apps vs sit down dinner... strange but true. I considered it early in my planning and realized it would cost just as much, if not more. Apps get heavily marked up by caterers, for one reason or another, and most will have pretty strict minimums on how many different options you offer if you go the hors d'oeuvres only route, which gets pricey quick.

For us, going with a buffet style dinner saved a lot of money over plated. Also, avoiding pricey stuff like red meat and seafood is a cost saver as well. We're having a buffet that includes a salad bar, spinach lasagna rolls, grilled bruschetta chicken, garlic bread, and a chef attended pasta station that offers guests various different kinds of pasta, sauces, and sauteed chicken, veggies, or shrimp made to order.

It costs an absolute fraction of what plated dinners or carving stations would from the same caterer. Pasta and chicken entrees are huge money savers, and can def be made interesting - it doesnt have to be a sad, bland chicken breast floating around in a chafing dish.

@Celia - Thanks for the wording inspiration!

Keep Looking- My catering is $6k for 85 people with A full sit down dinner and heavy apps and open bar. Its $75 pp.

Thanks everyone! I'm afraid my initial post was a little muddled, so I updated it to be more clear.

The appetizer idea is more about style than money. But - I understand everyone's point about the quotes they are receiving being much lower than the ones I have received so far. I am looking for a particular feel and am not sure if I will be able to capture it for much less than $10k.

@sugarunicorn - Sometimes buffets are cheaper, other times they can be more expensive. Just depends on the caterer and what is served I imagine. With buffets I suppose they have to be prepared for guests to eat more than one serving, leading to higher costs? But that's awesome that it saved you money this time. I always seem to hear mixed things about buffet vs plated.

But in this case, the OP said she was interested in this type of catering for stylistic reasons, not cost savings. The other info was just in the spirit of full disclosure since she was seeking advice. I think she's just looking to do something different than a sit down dinner for her reception.

I have received quotes from about 10 different venues/caterers so far, and it's a mixed bag as far as the cost goes. Some are cheaper for buffet or sit down, some are the same price for buffet and sit down, and some offer station options that are cheaper or more expensive. It really depends on the caterer. I am just trying to get an idea of what people prefer, since I have never attended a station/appetizer only wedding.

Of the weddings I've been to recently, my favorite have been a small plates wedding (closest to the heavy apps) and a food truck wedding. I liked being able to taste everything, decide what I liked the most and pig out on those few things.

Thanks for your input, all. This has been really helpful, and thanks to @Celia, I'm starting to get a better idea of the type of reception I want!

Dear ELK,

Best wishes on your wedding planning. We have hosted many receptions like you describe, within your stated budget. With the ability to directly hire the vendors of your choosing, you will get to design the reception YOU want within YOUR budget. You will effectively eliminate the middle markup and have the ability to produce an event that will have all appearances of being far more costly than your actual expenditures.

GOOD LUCK!