[*vi]

I've been thinking about what we want to do for the food at our wedding and unfortunately the caterer we wanted is booked and I don't really know anyone else that I want...

So I'm just curious, what did you all do for food at your wedding? My mom and I have been toying with the idea of doing the cooking ourselves (mostly) and then hiring someone to heat and serve everything. Or even doing a buffet... Any suggestions or tips you ladies can share with me would be great. maybe even just what you liked best, what you had and would you have the same thing if you could do it again, etc...

Thanks ladies!

[~*Bethy*~]

one of the ladies at my dad's church gave us the entire food and drinks for our wedding present. She is a caterer and it was really nice to have that special touch, but not have to pay for it

Have you thought about just doing a light lunch? I personally would cook then hire someone to heat and serve.

~Beth

[midnight_starr]

We had buffet style food by a caterer.. Honestly I wouldn't want my family to have to take care of putting the food together.. That last week before the wedding will be hectic enough to have to worry about cooking food! You want your family to relax and enjoy themselves!! I would keep looking for a caterer.

[soImarriedAnerd]

Depends on the wedding itself. Tell us more about it?! hehehe Most of the ones I have been to are buffett style (doing it yourself would be a little crazy! so much comes up last minute).
We did a formal sit down and be served dinner (first time I had ever had one at a wedding! LOL), it was DH's choice because everyone was flying/driving a long way to come to the wedding so he wanted to treat them to a nice meal. (DH did most the planning for our wedding though).

[♥Ashley♥]

Well, really you can do anything you want! My FAVORITE food is chicked fettucine alfredo. So we are having that (the noodles will be bow ties though instead of fettucine noodles so that its not messy or annoying to eat) along with a roast beef and a chicken. Then there are some au gratin type potatoes, salad, cheese and veggies trays, fresh fruit trays, rolls and I think thats it. My grandma and aunt (my aunt was an actual caterer back in the day) were going to do our food but when our guest list topped over 250 i felt really bad and decided to have a professional do it. But I definitely think it can be done, especially if you have a smaller wedding!

ETA: Were doing it buffet style too! We want more time for dancing and having fun instead of everyone sitting waiting for their food. I just like buffet style more so that they can get more food if they want, too. Also, if you want to do it yourself I would really really really recommend not you yourself doing it, give the task to someone else like your mom and an aunt or something (if they are willing of course) I cant imagine going through the stress of cooking right before my wedding! Theres no way I could handle that!

[freesiangel]

I would recommend you NOT try and do the cooking yourself. You will be so so so so busy and that would probably put a lot of unnecessary stress on you and your family...

I just used the catering that came w/ our reception hall - but we used a hotel with a really nice restaurant in it. We went that route on purpose to make it easier on ourselves... I guess I'd set up a few appointments with different caterers to sample their food and go from there.

[*vi]

well i figure since we're only having about 80 people (if everyone comes) it won't be too hard to cook. and since my aunt will be coming into town a couple weeks before to visit and help out (plus she's making our cake). I know it will be a lot of work, but we did a similar thing at my uncle's funeral in September and that was for about double the people, although it was all cold foods and desserts. I think if we were to cook and slice a couple chickens and some roast beef, roast some potatoes, cook up some pasta dishes, and do veggie trays, that would be fine. this way, if we don't find a caterer we like, then we have other options. we'll see what happens I guess.

[Frozendesire]

At our wedding my MIL and close family friends all pitched in and made finger foods and salads. It was buffet style. My MIL lives for things like that though. She helped me organize everything and I could fully depend on her and not worry about a thing!! We had our wedding in a church and we used their kitchen. We also made our own cake I think it turned out great but MIL does things like that for a living! She was an event coordinator at the time.

It CAN be done. We had a smallerish wedding (150 guests) and had lots of people help. I didn't worry about a thing, I wouldn't be able to do it myself haha.

[Mars]

I had a brunch wedding and it was buffet style. It consisted of bagels, sausages, muffins, eggs, some Carribean foods like bul jol and pickled breadfruit, etc.

[*krista*]

We tossed around several ideas. We thought about having the reception at my Dad's house and just doing a BBQ ourselves, which we thought would be a lot of fun. Then we decided to have it in San Antonio so we started looking at other sources. I decided to do it at a restaurant with private dining because it is already decorated and you don't have to rent any equipment (tables, silverware, chairs, linens, etc.). So, I looked up a bunch of restaurants with private dining available, checked their reviews, then took a trip to San Antonio to decide which one.

Anyway, I don't know if that helped or not! I'm not real sure what you are looking for in the replies.

ETA: Oh, and as for the food! We are having your basic chicken or beef pick. It is beef tenderloin and some kind of chicken dish. The place you pick should have a banquet menu that limits your choices, which can be a good thing.

[peaches84]

I totally think you and some family/friends can pull that off especially for like 80 people. depending on the style of your wedding some pulled beef sandwiches and salads and potatoes veggie trays and fruit salad would be a cinch. the beef (or whatever) you could cook and freeze ahead of time. the rest leave till the day before and have family members do it and in your minute of spare time go ahead and help.

[JediRach]

We are having a seated menu. We chose a place with in house catering.

Our menu is
Appetizers:

* Blackened Shrimp with Garlic cream cheese on Asiago Crostini
* Scallop and Tiger Shrimp Brochette
* Crab Cakes with Lime and Ginger
* Artichoke Hearts with Boursin Cheese and Toasted Pecans

Salad:

* Baby Spinach Salad with Sun Dried Cranberries and Almonds in a Raspberry Vinaigrette

Dinner:

* Baked Breast of Chicken with Pomegranate Glaze
* Filet Mignon with Cabernet Sauce
* Whipped Garlic Mashed Potatoes
* Steamed Vegetables

[*vi]

Thanks ladies! all very helpful so far.

we were originally going to be having the reception at the same place we're having the ceremony (my parent's back yard) but then we thought about, what if it rains? So I'm looking into renting the hall at my grandparents co-op. I've been to a wedding there once and it was really nice. the other good thing is that we could go there the night before and set almost everything up and get ahead of the game. also, it comes with tables and chairs so that's one less thing we have to worry about. it also has a kitchen, and a nice outside area for if it is sunny out. plus BBQs if we decide to go that way. Hopefully they aren't booked up yet... I'll have to send off an e-mail the the chair of the co-op soon and see if we can book that day.

[♥Ashley♥]

Now that I know you are only having 80 people at the MAX I definitely think its do-able!!!! I hope you get it figured out!!! It would be nice because you can have exactly what you want instead of having limited options!