DIY Catering?

Justus2Plus2

Does anyone have any easy recipes that you can do yourself for appetizers or desserts that are easy on the budget?

LondonLisa

If this is for your wedding, I would strongly encourage you to not DIY your own catering. How many people are going to your wedding? It is often a false economy to cook yourself and you end up spending more money and being frazzled for time.  Just some things to remember about DIY food for events:

1.) Who is going to serve the food, clean up, refill the food? You don't want to have to do that in your wedding gown and certainly cannot ask anyone of your guests or family members to do it. 

2.) Are you licensed and inspected by the health department to serve food to this large amount of people? You are legally responsible if food poisoning happens and will have to get appropriate insurance.

3.) Who keeps hot food hot and cold food cold to prevent contamination?

4.) who is transporting the food to the venue?

5.) do you have a large enough kitchen to cook for this many people? Access to an industrial oven? fridge? Display plattters, serveware, bain maries, etc? 

The only thing I could think that could work for this is casual desserts, such as brownies, cupcakes and cookies. You would still have to pay someone to transport this and set it up (don't force this duty on a BM or family member). Do you really want to be stuck in a kitchen the day before your wedding doing all of this?

Also, often grocery stores and costco do platters of nibbles (cheeses, cold meats, fruit and veg, etc) and desserts for very reasonable prices that will save so much hassle, time and money!

LondonLisa

Also, some grocery stores will deliver the platters directly to your venue, saving you time and stress!

ElcaB

Here are a few easy options that are great to make ahead of time & pop in the refrigerator until it's time to serve:

• Caprese skewers
• Hummus & pita chips (I love this option because there are so many different flavors of hummus you can make)
• Spinach & artichoke dip
• Cucumber rolls
  

For desserts, cookies are great to pair with ice cream. The cookie dough can be made far ahead and frozen until your ready to bake. 

emmyg65

How many people are you planning to feed?

lyndausvi

what time is your wedding?

How many people are coming?

Justus2Plus2

I didn't quite explain this right. We are only doing appetizers and it is for 60 people. We are looking at Chik Fil A. We are wanting platters, not actually done ourselves, but something more simple than an actual catering company because we aren't going to be eating really. FI and I will be going out for dinner after the wedding, or ordering in, whichever we decide.

We are not doing it this way because of money, but only because we want to be more hands on, and we want to have a bigger selection as to what we have. So instead of chicken or fish, we can have a wide variety of appetizers and little finger food ideas.

lyndausvi

The problem with apps is they are often time consuming to prepare.  That is often what drives the costs up.  Where is the reception being held?  Do you have access to heating the food and/or keeping it at the correct temperature?

Easy things are 

various breads/crackers

various cheeses

Dips:spinach/artichoke, ranch or blue cheese, hummus,bean, guacamole,  etc

veggie tray

fruit tray  or even fruit kabobs with yogurt dip.

Costco has frozen beef and chicken satays you can heat up

stuffed mushrooms

mini-meatballs or roast beef  in crock-pots to make mini-sandwiches

sandwich trays from a deli/grocery store

manateehugger

Wait - I'm confused...you want to be hands on, but you are looking at Chik-Fil-A for catering??

Have you even talked to any caterers? Some of the ones we talked to specialize in small plate or appetizer receptions and had hundreds of options. It might be worth talking to a couple just for some comparison. In no way did they only offer us chicken and fish...Even with our dinner meal, we have about 10 different appetizers that will be passed around. I think you're confused about what caterers can do for you. 

That being said, I second the recommendation to look at grocery stores like Costco or an upscale local chain. Grocery stores can do amazing catering. 

Justus2Plus2

I have spoken to several caterers. None of them have what I want. We are wanting to do Chik-Fil-A or something similar for part of it, and then hands on for the other parts, so that it isn't quite so much work and we have different options. I am going to look at the grocery stores though.

lyndausvi

My DH is a chef by profession.  He does events for up to 1500 people.  Many, many weddings.   The last thing he wanted to be was "hands on" for the wedding.  Hell-to-the-no.  he knows all the work it entails and wanted to actually enjoy his wedding , not worrying about the food.

ETA 

Maggie0829

Justus2Plus2 said:

I didn't quite explain this right. We are only doing appetizers and it is for 60 people. We are looking at Chik Fil A. We are wanting platters, not actually done ourselves, but something more simple than an actual catering company because we aren't going to be eating really. FI and I will be going out for dinner after the wedding, or ordering in, whichever we decide.

We are not doing it this way because of money, but only because we want to be more hands on, and we want to have a bigger selection as to what we have. So instead of chicken or fish, we can have a wide variety of appetizers and little finger food ideas.

So just because you and your FI won't really be eating, that means to cut back on food for your guests?

And being hands on, meaning making your own apps for your wedding, would be a huge headache and something that is really involved.  Do you really want to be spending the week leading up to your wedding in the kitchen?

theartistformerlyknownas

I'm generally hands-on, DIY with almost everything. I love to cook, love to host parties, etc. (26 people for post-Thanksgiving brunch!). I made all the food - apps, finger foods, small sandwiches, cake pops, etc. - for my sister's 30-person baby shower and it was a logistical nightmare. I spent 2 weeks prior prepping and cooking and skewering and freezing and dipping as much as I could in advance, left the house the night before (sis is out of town; I stayed with her to save time the next morning) and turned around 4 times before I actually remembered everything, scrambled the whole next morning to get everything appropriately thawed/heated/cooked/assembled, still had to get myself dressed and to the venue on time to decorate, set everything up without spilling food on myself, ACK! I think I'm getting hives just remembering it all. To do double that number for a wedding would just be way too much stress. I highly recommend you rethink this.

Justus2Plus2

Yes, I really do want to do this. My FI and I want to do this together. None of the guests are going to be eating really because they are doing a big meal before and then having an after party at my MIL's house with tons and tons of food.

manateehugger

Justus2Plus2 said:

Yes, I really do want to do this. My FI and I want to do this together. None of the guests are going to be eating really because they are doing a big meal before and then having an after party at my MIL's house with tons and tons of food.

Wait, what? Are you feeding people a meal before your wedding? What's your timeline?

JoanE2012

Justus2Plus2 said:

I didn't quite explain this right. We are only doing appetizers and it is for 60 people. We are looking at Chik Fil A. We are wanting platters, not actually done ourselves, but something more simple than an actual catering company because we aren't going to be eating really. FI and I will be going out for dinner after the wedding, or ordering in, whichever we decide.

We are not doing it this way because of money, but only because we want to be more hands on, and we want to have a bigger selection as to what we have. So instead of chicken or fish, we can have a wide variety of appetizers and little finger food ideas.

If you have to ask for recipes and DIY catering advice, I think it's probably safe to say that you should not attempt this for the first time for your own wedding!  Leave this to the experts.  You say money is not an issue......well, there are plenty of caterers that specialize in appetizers and cocktail receptions.  Keep looking.

PrettyGirlLost

I don't understand this timeline at all. . .

Your guests are going to be eating before the wedding and reception, then going to an after party, and you are going out to eat with your FI?

What if some of the guests don't go to this pre-wedding dinner and/or don't go to the after party?  The reception is where you are supposed to feed your guests.

What time is your reception?

Maggie0829

Justus2Plus2 said:

Yes, I really do want to do this. My FI and I want to do this together. None of the guests are going to be eating really because they are doing a big meal before and then having an after party at my MIL's house with tons and tons of food.

Who is doing a big meal?  You and your FI or are you just assuming that your guests are going to eat a big meal beforehand?

I am so confused on your timeline and what you are and are not hosting.

Justus2Plus2

My MIL is hosting an after party, and my aunt is hosting a lunch before hand. This will help keep entertainment for the out of town guests, which is basically the whole guest list. 

manateehugger

Justus2Plus2 said:

My MIL is hosting an after party, and my aunt is hosting a lunch before hand. This will help keep entertainment for the out of town guests, which is basically the whole guest list. 

I'm not trying to be critical here, but this sounds logistically a nightmare - for you and your guests. Where in the middle of these three events are you going to find time to make and display food? What if your guests choose to not drive to three separate locations?

Edit - chose vs. choose

lyndausvi

so basically the whole, but not actually the whole, guest list is invited to a lunch, then they have to go somewhere else for the ceremony and I'm assuming the reception also, then they go off to another place for another party?     You are only going to the ceremony and light reception (which you plan on catering yourself)  then go off with your husband for dinner?

Why even bother inviting the OOT guests if you don't even plan on spending time with them?  If aunt and MIL were planning on hosting these events I'm not sure why you could not have joined them together for 1 event and then call it a day?     So strange.

Anyway, good luck.  I'm not sure I would want to attend 3 different events on the same day for the same life-event.

PrettyGirlLost

Justus2Plus2 said:

My MIL is hosting an after party, and my aunt is hosting a lunch before hand. This will help keep entertainment for the out of town guests, which is basically the whole guest list. 

While it is nice that these ladies have offered to host these events, just because they are hosting them doesn't mean that every guest will attend them.

So if guests do not attend the pre-wedding lunch, and your reception is going to occur during a meal time, then you need to make sure you have enough food to properly feed them a full meal during the reception.  Likewise, if they opt not to attend the after party.

It is your responsibility to your guests to properly host them at your reception, regardless of what events will precede or follow your wedding and reception.

Justus2Plus2

The schedule is done this way because of his culture. This is their tradition, and about 80% of the guest list is his family because they are so large of a group.

PrettyGirlLost

Justus2Plus2 said:

The schedule is done this way because of his culture. This is their tradition, and about 80% of the guest list is his family because they are so large of a group.

What culture, just curious? And what is his tradition, the pre wedding lunch?

Jen4948

Justus2Plus2 said:

The schedule is done this way because of his culture. This is their tradition, and about 80% of the guest list is his family because they are so large of a group.

And what about the other 20%, including local guests?  Are you telling them, "Sorry, go fend for yourselves, we don't think it's our responsibility to host you after the ceremony?"  If so, that's incredibly rude, and the "it's his cultural tradition" doesn't cut it. 

Sorry, but you need to properly host everyone after the wedding, not expect them to fend for themselves.

AddieCake

I, too, am curious about the 20% not in his family. Are they invited to all the events? Do they know there are 3 events?

Justus2Plus2

Okay, this has gotten out of hand and very demeaning. All I wanted was suggestions about food ideas, not rude comments or degrading posts. The timing is not the point in question here. The question was if someone had some easy ideas for appetizers. That is it.

KatWAG

Word to the wise, OP. Dont post anything on the internet that you arent completely okay with receiving a wide range of comments on.

Maggie0829

Okay, this has gotten out of hand and very demeaning. All I wanted was suggestions about food ideas, not rude comments or degrading posts. The timing is not the point in question here. The question was if someone had some easy ideas for appetizers. That is it.

How has it gotten demeaning? People are asking questions. And those answers could better help us to give you advice on how to plan your wedding so that everyone is hosted properly and fully.

STARMOON44

If you're serving chick-fil-a, I'd go with queso, chips, salsa, potato chips, maybe those microwave pizza rolls. You obviously don't care about the food if you're serving a random chick-fil-a snack hour between 2 mysterious cultural meals, so just dump a bunch of cheap snacks in a bowl and call it a day.

Maggie0829

shrekspeare said:

Maggie0829 said:

Okay, this has gotten out of hand and very demeaning. All I wanted was suggestions about food ideas, not rude comments or degrading posts. The timing is not the point in question here. The question was if someone had some easy ideas for appetizers. That is it.

How has it gotten demeaning? People are asking questions. And those answers could better help us to give you advice on how to plan your wedding so that everyone is hosted properly and fully.

This is the same poster who was upset when everyone didn't absolutely LOVE her Disneyworld HM idea. Then proceeded to complain about people thinking they were too young to get married, even though no one said that. I was surprised this board stayed up as long as it has.

And it is also the same one who is not a fan of the fact that people aren't liking her teal fake flowers and wired covered stems and is only listening to the posters that tell her to do whatever she wants because it is her wedding.