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What is a practical catering budget?

LlikotdesserdLlikotdesserd member
First Anniversary First Comment 5 Love Its Name Dropper
in Connecticut
Hi everyone!
Ok, so we're about to start contacting caterers to start the process of booking one for the wedding. I know there's all sorts of "Rules of thumb" about what percentage of your budget should be catering and blah blah, but as people actually planning a CT Wedding, how much should I expect to be budgeting for? We don't want anything extreme as far as food goes, pretty basic, for about 120 people.I'm open to a buffet OR plated, doesn't really matter to me. Anybody feel comfortable sharing what their menus are/were and how much they are paying/paid? I have a mental number of what I think I would be paying, but I'd like to hear other people's thoughts.

Thanks ladies!
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Re: What is a practical catering budget?

  • charlotteetiercharlotteetier member
    First Comment 5 Love Its Name Dropper

    I'll share. My fiancee and I were on a strict budget so we tried to realistically look at our friends past weddings (plated, buffet, etc.), our venue, etc.

    This is what we are getting with the price:

    Bar: We will have open bar for 4 hours. We are only offering beer and wine (we realized when we go out many of our friends only get beer/wine and the only REAL reason we get liquor at a wedding is because it's there).

    Cocktail hour: We will have four passed hor d'oeuvres.

    Reception: We will have three stations that are pretty substantial (pulled pork sliders/ribs/sides, a flat bread pizza spread, and we are deciding on the third) and two different passed hors d'oeuvres.

    Our caterer is calling our menu "heavy hors d'oeuvres" but the stations give it a buffet feel.

    Our cost: $50/pp with tax/tip (we got a discount for paying cash).
    Of our total budget this will be approx 20%.
    We are getting married in Central CT.

    I hope this helps!

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  • charlotteetiercharlotteetier member
    First Comment 5 Love Its Name Dropper

    *I will also say that most of the plated options, full bar options, actual buffet options we looked into were no less than $100/pp and averaged $125/pp + tax/tip.

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  • sheslikeasunburnsheslikeasunburn member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its First Comment Name Dropper
    I spoke to a few caterers that can accommodate $75++, so that is doable.  I agree that most are over $100. Ours is about $150 pp but we went all out.
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  • hyechica81hyechica81 member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its First Comment First Answer
    75 pp full open bar for for 4/12 hours full sit down dinner, 5 passed appz a cheese and veg table,
    also included in that price was the cake dj and centerpeices

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  • Almie425Almie425 member
    First Anniversary First Comment 5 Love Its Name Dropper
    I agree that $100 pp is a pretty strong and accurate estimate. That will be around what we spend, with full open bar.
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  • LlikotdesserdLlikotdesserd member
    First Anniversary First Comment 5 Love Its Name Dropper
    Thanks everyone! I appreciate you sharing your prices with me!
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  • kendel99kendel99 member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    I would go with $100/person (adult) + gratuity + tax
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  • GosiaWed2016GosiaWed2016 member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    I hear $110 very often but ours is around $80/85/person.
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  • Jessie42613Jessie42613 member
    First Anniversary First Answer 5 Love Its Name Dropper
    We were around $120/pp all inclusive
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