Inexpensive Wedding catering tips and Self Catering Ideas

Catering tip #1

Wedding receptions and parties in a restaurant generally cost less because you don't pay to rent a hall or party equipment. Many restaurants close down for a wedding or other event so you will have the whole place to yourself.

Catering Tip #6

How Much Alcohol to Buy for a Wedding:

The following is enough for 100 wedding guests:

Two hundred 12-oz. bottles of beer

Twenty 750 ml bottles of wine

Six 750 ml bottles of spirits

Catering Tip #4

Try a fake rental wedding cake. It comes with one real slice of cake for the bride and groom. You can buy a separate Costco cake for the the guests

The cakes below costs $100 to rent from cakerental.com. Servers can bring slices of a Costco cake from the kitchen.

Catering Tip #3

Cupcakes for weddings are now popular for weddings. Cupcakes cost about $2 a person, compared to $5 a person for wedding cake and they are a lot more fun. You even incorporate cupcakes at centerpieces by purchasing tiered cupcake stands.

(www.mainecakesandcookies.com)

Catering Tip #5

A Candy Buffet for Your Wedding an be very inexpensive. Stock up on candy after holidays, especially Valentines Day. Find interesting candy buffet containers around the house, at the 99 cents, or at thrift stores. You can also save big by ordering wholesale candy online. In addition, there are many people who design candy buffets for weddings and other events. The custom candy buffets below are by (Candy-So-Suave.com)

Catering Tip #10

Don’t Forget the Catering Service Charge

When you get a catering quote, look at the fine print. There is often an 18% or 20% service charge for the staff. If you have ever worked in a restaurant, you know how hard they work. But, you have to figure that into your catering costs.

Catering Tip #9

Magic Words to Lower Your Catering Costs

When your caterer gives you a quote that you can’t afford, say “It’s out of my price range.” Often, the first price they give is what they hope you pay for catering your wedding, not their lowest offer. Let’s say that you can afford their first offer, but you think that it should include more menu items, some heat lamps, non-alcoholic drinks etc. Ask for it. Do not be shy to keep asking for whatever you can get, but without saying anything negative about them or their catering services.

Catering Tip #8

Secret Hotel Wedding Discounts

Many hotel chains offer discounts on catered events if you book rooms in their hotel. Some also offer rewards points that help pay for your honeymoon!

Catering Tip #7

Fast Food Wedding Catering

Here is a crazy idea: use Panda Express as your wedding caterer at $6 a person. For an international buffet, you could also get the pasta plates from Pizza Hut, burritos for El Pollo Loco, or even fried chicken and biscuits. You can even get those $5 large pizzas from Little Caesars and cut the slices into smaller triangles or square with toothpicks. Buy big bags of salad along with some huge bottles of salad dressing at Costco. Throw in some grape tomatoes and you have a salad!

Hire two or three people to man the buffet table and kitchen. Rent heated metal serving dishes you see at buffets. Instruct the staff to never bring restaurant containers and bags into the reception hall. Instead, bring the trays back into the kitchen to be refilled.

Catering Tip #2

You can also rent community party rooms and public park buildings and gardens. Have someone pick up food from a restaurant and bring it to the community room. You would have to rent food-warming trays and hire servers for your party. Order main courses and bring bread from the bakery or grocery store and make your own salad. Does the banquet hall include everything you will need for the party or do you have to rent party equipment? Many caterers and hotels allow you to sample their food at someone else's wedding.

Asian restaurants are generally pretty affordable with great food and decor that matches an Asian theme wedding perfectly. Read below for more tips on everything from setting up a candy buffet to negotiating with your caterer.

Save on Wedding Catering

Imitation Wedding Cakes

Secrets to an Inexpensive Wedding Candy Buffet