Catering Your Own Wedding: Is It Worthwhile?

Self-catering your wedding can be a great way to save money, but it's not for the faint-hearted. It takes a lot of planning and preparation, and you'll need to make sure you have enough help on the day. The number of guests you're inviting will also make a big difference in how feasible it is to cater your own wedding. If you're only feeding 10 people, it's definitely doable, but catering for 250 guests by yourself would be crazy.

There are lots of ways to keep costs down if you're catering your own wedding. You can set up food stations, cook or order food for a buffet, or even just serve appetizers and drinks. Keeping the menu simple and preparing food in advance are also key to successfully catering your wedding.

Pros and cons of DIY catering

Pros of DIY Catering:

Cost-Effectiveness:

By opting for DIY catering, you can save a significant amount of money on catering expenses. Professional catering services can be costly, with prices varying based on factors such as the type of food, the number of guests, location, and service style.

Personal Touch and Control:

DIY catering allows you to add a personal touch and have greater control over the food. You have the freedom to tailor the menu to your preferences and your guests' tastes, control portion sizes, and choose ingredients to align with your vision for the event.

Flexibility in Menu Selection:

You have the flexibility to choose from a wide range of dishes and cuisines, including homemade favorites, family recipes, or unique creations. This flexibility can accommodate diverse dietary preferences and restrictions, ensuring that all your guests are catered to.

Cons of DIY Catering:

Time-Consuming and Stressful:

Planning, shopping for ingredients, and preparing food for a large event is time-consuming and stressful. It requires significant effort and can add to the overall stress of wedding planning. Managing food preparation alongside other wedding logistics can be challenging and overwhelming.

Lack of Professional Expertise:

Unlike professional caterers, you may lack the culinary skills and experience to ensure consistent food quality, presentation, and timing. This could negatively impact the overall guest experience.

Limited Resources and Equipment:

Your home kitchen or outdoor cooking facilities may not have the same capacity or capabilities as a professional kitchen, leading to challenges in efficiently preparing and serving food. Additionally, you may need to invest in or rent equipment and serving utensils, increasing the overall cost and complexity of DIY catering.

Additional Considerations:

Number of Guests:

Catering for a small, intimate wedding is more feasible than catering for a large guest list. A plated meal for a smaller group can be easier and less expensive to manage than a buffet for a larger number of people.

Reception Location:

The choice between a backyard wedding or a banquet venue can impact your catering options. A banquet hall may offer more storage space for food, but it could also increase your costs.

Planning and Timing:

DIY catering requires careful planning and timing. It's essential to create a detailed timeline, plan the menu, and consider the equipment needed for preparation and serving. Cooking and preparing food ahead of time, such as two days before the wedding, can help reduce stress on the wedding day.

Health and Safety:

To ensure proper hygiene practices, consider taking temperatures, limiting the number of people handling food, avoiding buffets, and using single-use utensils.

How to save money

Catering your own wedding can be a great way to save money, but it requires careful planning and consideration. Here are some tips to help you save money on catering for your big day:

• Reduce your guest list: One of the most effective ways to reduce catering costs is to invite fewer people to your wedding. A smaller guest list means less food to prepare and lower overall expenses.
• Choose affordable ingredients: Opt for less expensive ingredients such as chicken, beef, pork, and vegetables. Avoid luxurious or high-end dishes like filet mignon. Pasta is also a great option as it is inexpensive and filling.
• Limit the amount of meat: Meat is typically the most expensive ingredient. Consider serving vegetarian options or dishes with smaller portions of meat, such as tacos, barbecue sandwiches, or pizza.
• Serve fruits and vegetables: Salads and fruit salads are relatively inexpensive to make and can feed a large number of guests. They are also a healthy option for your guests.
• Buffet-style service: Serving food buffet-style is generally more affordable than a sit-down meal. It allows guests to serve themselves and reduces the need for additional servers or waitstaff.
• Choose affordable beverages: Opt for less expensive beverage options. Stock your bar with lower-priced items or choose to serve only wine, beer, soda, and water. This can significantly reduce costs.
• Source affordable tableware: Instead of renting tableware, consider purchasing disposable paper or plastic plates, cutlery, and glasses from stores like Amazon or the dollar store. This can be more cost-effective and eco-friendly.
• Buy wholesale or second-hand: Look for deals on tableware, glassware, cutlery, and serving ware. Consider buying used or second-hand items from Facebook, garage sales, or thrift stores.
• Prepare food in advance: Most dishes can be made ahead of time and frozen or refrigerated. This will save you time and reduce stress on the day of the wedding.
• Enlist help: Don't try to do everything yourself. Delegate tasks to family and friends, such as food preparation, setting up the buffet, and cleaning up. This will make the process more manageable and enjoyable.
• Simplify your menu: Opt for a simpler menu with fewer dishes. Choose recipes that are easy to prepare and don't require complex ingredients or time-consuming techniques.
• Consider a potluck: Ask your guests to bring a dish or contribute to the food instead of giving gifts. This can reduce your costs and involve your guests in the celebration.

Food and drink ideas

If you're catering your own wedding, it's important to keep the menu simple and easy to prepare. Here are some ideas for food and drinks that you can serve:

• Salads: Garden salad, potato salad, coleslaw, traditional salad, and fruit salad are all good options. These can be made ahead of time and are inexpensive to make.
• Appetizers: Cold trays like cheese boards, bread, veggies, and dip are easy to assemble and serve. Hot appetizers can be prepared ahead of time and frozen, then heated up before serving.
• Main Course: Roast beef, chicken, or turkey are good options for the main course. These can be cooked a few days in advance and reheated on the wedding day. For a more casual option, consider a taco bar, pasta bar, or burger bar.
• Sides: Roasted red potatoes, steamed green beans, and other vegetable side dishes are easy to prepare and can be served at room temperature.
• Dessert: Instead of a traditional wedding cake, consider serving pie or other make-ahead desserts and cakes. You can also set up a dessert buffet with a variety of treats.
• Drinks: Wine, beer, and soft drinks are typical beverage options. If you want to serve cocktails, you can set up a DIY bar with alcohol and mixers. Boxed wine is a cost-effective option for a sit-down meal.

When planning your menu, consider the number of guests you'll be serving and any dietary restrictions they may have. It's also important to have enough help on the day of the wedding to ensure that the food is prepared and served smoothly.

Sample Menu Ideas

• Garden salad, cornbread, roasted turkey, roasted red potatoes, steamed green beans, and pie for dessert.
• Cheese boards, bread, veggie dips, grilled chicken breasts, marinara sauce, pasta, roast beef with gravy, and cookies for dessert.
• Salads, mezze-type dips, roasted beef tenderloin with arugula pesto, lentil-walnut salad, and pie for dessert.

Remember to choose dishes that can be prepared in advance and don't require a lot of last-minute preparation or reheating. This will make your wedding day less stressful and more enjoyable.

Finding a venue

When it comes to finding a venue for your wedding, there are a few things to keep in mind. Firstly, decide on the location that you would like to get married in. Do you want to get married close to home, or are you open to a destination wedding? Once you have a general idea of the location, you can start researching specific venues.

If you plan on catering your own wedding, it is important to choose a venue that allows external caterers. Some venues have exclusive catering partnerships and may not allow external caterers, so this is a crucial factor to consider. You can start your search by using keywords such as "BYO Catering" or "external caterers" along with your desired location. This will help you find venues that specifically allow you to bring your own caterers.

• North England: The National Museum of Scotland, in Edinburgh, is a versatile venue that can accommodate both intimate rooftop ceremonies and large receptions of up to 500 people. The Assembly Rooms in Edinburgh is another impressive multi-purpose space that can accommodate various events, including weddings.
• South England: The 1st Central County Ground in Sussex is an excellent choice for external catering weddings, with extensive grounds and idyllic buildings. The Athenaeum, nestled in Bury St Mary's just outside London, is an 18th-century venue with a rich history of celebrations. The National Gallery in London is another sought-after location that can accommodate up to 310 guests and offers a range of private hire rooms and dining halls for external caterers.
• International: Mas Torroella, located on the coast of north-eastern Catalonia, Spain, is a luxurious destination with experience in hosting weddings. Le Grand Banc, nestled in the heart of Provence, France, offers an enchanting setting for your special day.
• United States: If you're looking for venues in Southern California that allow outside catering, you can consider places like The Event Center of Agoura Hills.

When considering venues, it is important to create a shortlist and contact each site with specific questions regarding their policies on external catering. Ask about setup fees, waitstaff options, tableware availability, and access to kitchen facilities for storing and warming food.

Remember to read reviews, compare prices, and ask all the necessary questions before making your final venue selection. Good luck with your wedding planning!

How much help you'll need

The amount of help you'll require will depend on your guest count, the number of dishes you're preparing, and the complexity of your menu. It's recommended to have one helper for every 20 guests to ensure the food is arranged, the buffet tables are set up, beverages are prepared, and other necessary tasks are completed.

If you're cooking and catering yourself, you can prepare certain dishes ahead of time and freeze them. Some dishes can be cooked two to four days in advance and then reheated on the wedding day. This approach will reduce the workload on the day, but you'll still need help with setting up the tables, buffet, and drinks, as well as clearing away leftovers and cleaning up.

Consider delegating tasks to friends and family. You could ask a friend to oversee the setup, another to manage the reception, and a third to supervise the cleanup. It's also a good idea to ask for volunteers to help with cooking, especially if they have culinary skills.

If your budget allows, hiring extra servers or waitstaff can be beneficial, especially for plated meals and during cocktail hour. This will ensure that you and your bridal party can relax and enjoy the day without being burdened by catering responsibilities.

Remember to factor in the cost of any hired help when creating your budget. While DIY catering can save money, it's important to balance the savings with the added responsibility and stress of self-catering.

Frequently asked questions