wedding caterers....?

Question

we would like to do our own catering for a wedding...any ideas and is it worth the trouble?? caterers seem awfully expensive...what is a good price per head? the wedding is in charleston, sc.

Answer 1

I'm getting mine catered from a resturant. It's a small local resturant were paying $8pp thats for 2sides 2 meats and salad. We did also hire servers which in total came out to $600 for a party of 250. What you can do is ask some one you know who cooks really good if they'd be willing to cook the dinner and you can hire waiters??? It may be kinda aggervating to pull off, that's why I just did the professional thing,

Answer 2

We did most of the food for my wedding and served over 400 people. My sister had her wedding catered last year and paid $17 a head, which was upper range in my area. We did most of the sides and had baked chicken catered in. We also got the serving stuff from a rental company and hired a few waitresses to serve at the reception. The hall we used had a big kitchen and we were able to use their kitchen for much of the preperation. Make sure you weigh things out evenly. My sister's wedding for example, she paid the per plate and paid no hall rental. Make sure to account for all the costs that might come up and decide whether it is worth the head ache. Good luck.

Answer 3

WOW, that's ALOT of work, unless you're keeping it very simple, and I mean, VERY simple (like nothing to cook simple). The price per head is so very individual, it depends on what you're wanting. For example, a buffet dinner is going to be cheaper per person than a plated, sit down dinner. Steak and seafood will be more expensive than chicken. Asparagus will be more expensive than green beans. And so on and so on. And unless you're familiar with catering (as in you do it as a business), it's going to be an inordinate amount of stress, unless your wedding is being kept very small. I'd reccommend shopping caterers, but have a firm budget in mind. A good catererer will be able to work within the confines of your budget, and make things really lovely for you. Also, remember, professional caterers have access to wholesale groceries and such and can get food for cheaper than you could, even at your local Sam's or Costco. Good luck!

Answer 4

Don't do please! My cousin tried this and it was a complete disaster and her mom is a culinary schooled chef. It's so much work and the costs usually end up being more then if you would have hired a caterer not to mention the added stress to an already stressful situation. You will already have so much going on that if you try this you may end up missing some memorable moments. Just be sure to weigh all your options and every cost before you make decision.

Answer 5

wow - you seem really ambitious! you can try to cater your own wedding, but maybe ask a friend or relative to do it instead - you are both going to have waaaaaay too much on your own plate to add "cook a meal for XXX people" to your to do list for that day.

try going to a banquet facility for your reception. most of them offer catering and bar services, and even DJ or Band options, all in one place. and, because they are set up basically for wedding receptions, etc... and that is all they do, they will be a little lower on price than a private caterer. and, definitely ask about buffet service vs sit-down-dinners, as buffet is much less expensive. you can even do a appetizer only (like a cocktail party) reception if you think your guests would be up for it. then you can have pricier food items (beef tenderloin, shrimp, etc...) in appetizer bite-size portions, and that might end up being "classy on a budget."

i don't know about pricing in Charleston, SC, but here you can find a nice facility that will cater (buffet style) for about $20/head plus bar tab (or, you can do a cash bar & let guests pay their own tab) & space rental fees.

and, congratulations on your impending nuptuals! May the sun shine always upon you, and the earth rise to meet you as you walk upon the path of life your way, and may you always love each other as much as on your wedding day!

Answer 6

i might want to position an advert contained in the community college newspaper and word in case you may employ a pair of youngsters for the day to act as "busboys", have them gown in black pants and white shirts, in case you compensate properly, I wager you receives 2 or 3 which will be prepared to do it for you. i might want to also seem into renting plates and silverware from a celebration agency. Its your wedding ceremony, you dont want to have human beings eating off paper plates. Its going to be an more advantageous price, yet you'd be at liberty that you probably did it contained sooner or later. strong success, i recognize you need to be freaking out. probable, once you telephone the caterers to speak to them you should have your mom do it, moms are in many cases very strong at that type of stuff and he or she has the existence journey to cope with this correct with no need insane.

Answer 7

My best gf catered her own wedding and did it beautifully. Just be very organized and enlist lots of help and try to choose things that can be easily made ahead!

Good Luck

Answer 8

It would be an enormous amount of work, and I don't reccomend it. You will be under a lot of stress, and why add that to it all? If you can't afford to have it totally catered, then maybe cut back and do just appetizers or something.

Answer 9

honey I'm getting married to a mexican and thats how they do it..the family will decide who is going to cook the food, its normally done the night before and then brought to the reception area and warmed up or they finish cooking it..I think its cheaper, and this way you know your guest will be eatting something they like lol. Good luck on whatever you decide though

Answer 10

One idea is to have your close (but not too close) family members, friends of the family prepare a dish for the reception dinner. One of them doing the ham, turkey or whatever.
Ask cousins to be a waitress, so the head table doesn't need to be running around the reception hall.

Good Luck!