I need help with wedding food and drinks for my wedding...?

Question

I'm really on a tight budget.. so.. I don't want to hire a caterer... and wont.. lol
My problem is.. what is an appropriate meal for a smaller wedding of about 60 people? I want a real meal.. like.. full course.. :D

Oh and What is a good drink I could make? Achoholic, of course? Do you know where I could get a recipe? I dont want to make individual glasses... pretty much a pitcher. Ive heard 'mojito's' are good but.. i wouldnt know.. help please!!!

Well.. the main reason i dont want a caterer is so that i can save some of that money and use it on achohol, so dont try & talk me out of it.. lol
Half of my family doesnt drink, not including the kids, and same thing with his family, so that would leave about 30 or less people to serve achohol to, aaaand... his mom, dad, and friend are going to end up bringing more than enough tequila and vodka, etc. so i dont have to worry about the drinks anymore soooo... Food?

Answer 1

I know where you are coming from, i was on an extremely tight budget. We didn't have money for caters so we got some of my sisters friends to serve the food. Just make sure you don't have anyone serve food who will be taking pictures!! have some teenagers do it, just show them ahead of time what the portions should look like. As for food suggestions, we did barbeque, my father barbecued chicken, sausage, and brisket. Chicken and sausauge is really cheap. we cut the sausage in small pieces we did not leave them whole since we served brisket and chicken. The brisket can be a little costly but use an electric knife to cut it and it will be reall thin and stretch a long way. just serve like two slices since you have the other two types of meat. We also served pinto beans, my mom started them the night before in her crock pot (more like two crock pots). We had about 50 people at our wedding and just bought one huge bag of beans and one huge bag of rice... we made spanish rice...we put some tomatoes and onions with comino and garlic..after you make the rice and beans keep them in crock pots and they will stay warm. the meat can be put in aluminum pans and kept on warm in the oven. we also had potato salad... just simple with egg, potato, mayo and a hint of mustard... for drinks we served koolaid, water and tea....and we had alcoholic drinks as well. we made a punch with grapejuice, 7up and cans of fruitpunch and i spiked it with vodka for a simple alcoholic drink....i would not recomend a buffet style where people can serve themselves.. the food will run out quicker....who ever serves the food have them use an ice cream scoop for the beans, rice and potato salad, that way you won't run out, already have the sausage pre-cut, and tell them only two slices of brisket and a piece of chicken... also have a desert platter...we went to a mexican bakery and bought some wedding cookies, my mother in law, sister n law and some friends also baked a couple dozen each of different cookies and we put those out..

Answer 2

Someone mentioned tacos, in a similar category, I suggest fajitas and margaritas, our family does that for thanksgiving some years and it's pretty fantastic. If you had someone there to cook them on spot that would be best, but it also depends on your kitchen situation. They're relativley cheap, just peppers, onions and chicken of steak with tortillas, you could serve spanish rice and salad or black beans also. Just an idea. As far as the person who mantioned the cash bar goes, don't do it. Your guests are essentialy giving you the gift of their presence and probably a wedding gift, don't make them pay for alcohol. I'm getting married in September, my parents are paying for beer, wine and champagne and my fiance and I are buying bottles of hard stuff every time we have some extra cash. At the wedding we plan to have a cocktail hour type deal and when the liqour is gone, then it's gone and people can drink beer or wine. For the most part, people will be happy to be there on your day and not care nearly as much as you do what they're fed, but I understand your stress. Good luck.

Answer 3

Instead of hiring a professional caterer, get food from a restaurant, like Olive Garden or something. You would be able to get the food much cheaper...the only catch is you'd have to have someone pick it up and arrange it at your reception for you. Yes, mojitos are fantastic! Where I live (in NE Ohio) you can go to Linens and Things or Bed Bath & Beyond and buy a party bucket of different drinks...mojitos, sangria, margaritas and you don't have to have a recipe, you just add liquor and water and freeze it overnight. Good luck!!

Answer 4

I cant help with the drinks (alcoholic) but I can help a little with the food situation. It will take some work on your part and you WILL need to enlist some help (friends or family?) and get a few very large crock-pots or roasters (these can generally be rented for fairly cheap).

First, if you have ever heard of "freezer cooking" this will not be too hard for you. About a month ahead of schedule set aside a weekend to cook your heart out. Get all the supplies you will need for your meal as well as the supplies to store it safely (freezer bags, a vacuum sealer, etc)
Pick some recipe you like from a "once a month cooking" or "freezer cooking" site or cookbook (these will freeze well so that you don't end up with something wrong at the last minute). I have found most ham or chicken dishes work well for this and so does meatloaf. Avoid most pastas, however, as they get "thick". If you are looking for a starch for your meal think roasted, baked, or fried potatoes or plain dinner rolls. Cook your meals on an "attendees expected" basis (so if you are having 60 guests cook 60+ servings) make sure you make a little more than the amount you expect.... better to have leftovers than to not have enough. If you plan to do a buffet type serving setup then you can freeze them in bulk bags (10 meat servings to a bag for example). If you are planning to serve plates already set up it will take a little more inventiveness and freezer space... you can make up a plate and then seal the plate and the meal in the vacuum bags so that all you have to do is microwave each bagged meal... you will however have to have people served at varying times this way.... much harder to have a meal for multitudes this way. I suggest the bulk packaging... it is much easier, especially if you have (or rent) some large rectangular crock-pots or roasters for the buffet.

For drinks (non-alcoholic) you can mix equal parts sprite and fruit punch drink for an inexpensive sparkling punch... tea (hot or cold) and coffee are also always big hits. (You could rent the large coffee "dispensers" at the same place you rent large crockpots or roasters.) Then for toasting drinks you would only need place a couple of bottles of champagne into ice buckets at the center of each table (which could even be worked into the centerpiece to make it look decorative.) The other alcoholic drinks you will have to work in yourself.

EARLY on the morning of your wedding set up the crock-pots or roasters at the reception venue and put the meal items in them (out of the packaging but still frozen) add a little water (2 cups or so for meat and veggies, be sure if using a roaster that liquids are ok, some are dry roast only) and then set them cooking at low or medium heat. By the time your reception rolls around (assuming a typical early evening reception) your food should be thawed and hot and ready to serve. You will need to enlist family or friends to help you with the cooking, the freezer space, and the transportation of the food on the wedding day, you will also have to have someone do cleanup (as this is usually something the caterers do, and NOT something you will want to be doing on your wedding day)
Tips for easy cleanup... 1. Use REALLY nice clear plastic plates and silverware for serving as they are disposable as well. It can look nice without having to be china. You can get these at Sam's club, or any party store or craft store generally... Sam's club is the least expensive Ive run across by far though.
2. Get yourself some nice table cloths that are disposable (these can also be found at Sam's club. This way all your recruits will have to do is to take your centerpieces off the tables and grab the corners of the cloths and gather to clear. Then all that will be left is packing up anything that needs transported (gifts, leftover food, decorations/centerpieces you are keeping, etc) and sweeping or vacuuming, etc.

If you need further assistance with this email me and I will do my best to assist you.

Answer 5

Hi, Congratulations on your wedding. I got married this past summer and had about 100 guests and I was on a very tight budget and wanted to have a meal and do it myself. We went to a local butcher ordered precooked and sliced ham about 1/4" thick slices. Then with the ham we served green beans and augratin potatoes (these were the box mixes). We put everything in the oven and roasters the morning of the wedding and let it cook on low most of the day and had dinner served at 6pm in the evening and it was wonderful. Dinner rolls were served with dinner with coffee and punch. Everyone said it was a wonderful dinner and I served 100 people under 150 dollars. So with 60 people I bet you could do it for about 80.00.

Answer 6

Some kind of a chicken dish. With veggies and fruit. You could do fried chicken, potato salad, macaroni salad, green salad, veggies, and dessert-your wedding cake. As for non-alcoholic drinks-martineli's sparkling apple cider, or a fruit punch with sprite or 7 up combined. Take care.

Answer 7

My best friend got married a few months back on a budget and they had a cold buffet,it consisted of: cold roasted chicken, cold ham, salads (green salad, pasta salad,rice salad) and fresh buns..you could also have a cheese platter with some crackers,and of course dessert is easy, whatever cakes, scones brownies you like! It was summer, and we ate outdoors,it was really nice.Hope this helps. Oh,and for drinks, they always have lots of ideas at the liquor store,all kinds of punches and stuff.

Answer 8

60 people? You're better off just getting a cash bar then making the drinks yourself. You'd need a lot of pitchers! Of course you could just buy A LOT of beers and vodka coolers and let people help themselves.

Answer 9

food ideas..if it is a full course dinner you want it to be filling and not portions limited because..well just because lol
you can do something fun..and different like..tacos (im doing a full taco bar for my wedding in may)
pot roast..spaghetti..lasanga..a turkey dinner?
for drinks theres a lot you can do..beer and other malt beverages work just fine.. and are budget friendly

Answer 10

Do a buffet selection. They are cheaper and people can porportion their own foods which they love!