Cater For Your Own Wedding
Weddings are meant to be filled with peaceful celebrations, fun times, and great memories with all our loved ones. Let's be honest though, wedding receptions are too expensive. Costs of food, all your guests, and of course, the venue is pricey. Stress is the order of the day for most couples that are about to say 'I do'. Get the fairytale ending you've always wanted with these tips and guidelines to catering your own wedding.
Have a Plan
Start by planning your menu. Once that's sorted out, think about everything that you need to serve what's on your menu and write everything down. Then consider the equipment you need to prepare your menu items and again, write that down. Create lists, check them over and over again. Get help from a close friend or family member to help with the organization and delegation of tasks. Creating the menu, always remember that you have to prepare all the food yourself. Assess your resources, the number of guests, and your budget to come up with an affordable menu that you feel you can achieve. Once you've come up with a plan, be sure to test each of your recipes before the big day so you know if you need to make any adjustments to the recipes or if you need to make any additions to the menu.
Keep it Simple with the Food
While having exotic ingredients and intricate dishes is attractive for such a special occasion, it's best to keep it simple when catering your own wedding. Keep in mind that you'll be serving a significant number of guests, so now is not the time to try something new. Don't feel pressured to provide several hors d'oeuvres, three main entrees, and four side dishes if you don't think you can pull it off. A simple menu with just a few crowd-pleasing options can save you stress and help ensure that your food comes out well on the day of the event. Consider these wedding menu ideas that are easy to make in bulk:
- Rice
- Pasta
- Roasted Chicken
- Dumpling
- Beef Stew
- Roasted Vegetables
- Garden Salad
Buy in Bulk Save Money
To help you stay within your budget and financial constraints, buying in bulk is the key. You will be buying larger quantities of ingredients than you usually do, as you will be cooking for more people on your wedding day. Ingredients like spices and sauces could add up very quickly at a grocery store. In the same way, disposables and dinnerware are essential to serving your meal, but they may take up a large portion of your budget. It's best to look for the best deal. If you're certain that you need large quantities of some items, buying them in bulk is an excellent way to find the best price point. To buy or to hire, buying wholesale catering supplies is a better option and could be much more affordable and would save you the trouble of returning them the day after the wedding. Once your wedding is over, you can pack all the supplies and keep them in storage for the next big occasion or sell them to other people hosting a similar event. You can find catering supplies such as the chinaware, flatware, and glassware you need at wholesale prices and save money.