Surf City Brides

shigaites

So who all is using the Surf City Surfside Center?  When's your wedding date?

Our wedding will be there May 7th, 2011

ktyd8

me! May 22, 2010

shigaites

haha I love that we're both using it in May but different years!

How many guests are you having?  I'm kind of worried about it being a little small but FI says I'm just being a worrywart.

ktyd8

right now our guest list is about 75. I think it seats about 88 comfortably. I know the website says more but it also says you can fit 6 people at a table, when really you can only comfortably fit 4. I think it will be fine size wise. Do you know who you are using for your caterer? I'm thinking of changing mine.

shigaites

haha yeah no freaking way can those tables seat the number of people they claim.  I actually went to tour the place while a birthday party was going on and got to see the tables in action.

We're using Catering by Design.  They're based out of Cary but travel.  Their food is amazing!  The owner trained at the Culinary Institute of America but their food is still really reasonably priced

http://www.catering-by-design.com/

ktyd8

we are doing bbq, fried chicken, potatoes, slaw, and some sort of pinto beans that comes with their package plus salad and some like cheese/crackers, fruit/veggie trays while we get pictures taken. its costing about $12/person. i really want to do something nicer but i'm having such a hard time!

shigaites

What's your budget per person on catering?  $12/head sounds like an amazing deal!  My friend who did basically the exact same spread for her wedding in Durham paid over $20/head and personally I think Smithfield's tastes better than what her company served lol.

ktyd8

Our budget is probably $14/person at the most. I've tasted the bbq we are having and I like Smithfields much better but I don't really want to serve Smithfields either.

shigaites

Aww, why not?  Not like your guests will know!  Seriously!  You can pick up a 50 person pack there for I think $300 if I remember correctly.  That's only $6/person!  And it comes with an insane amount of food. Make up your own cheese, fruit, and cracker platters from Whole Foods or Trader Joe's or something, then hire some people to serve everything up the day of.  You'll know the food is delicious and you got your money's worth that way

Honestly, if FI wasn't so insistent about doing Mexican that's probably what we'd be doing instead haha.

ktyd8

It's really that cheap? I'm looking into that tomorrow!!! Any way we can save money is a huge plus!!

shigaites

Yeah, amazingly cheap!  I went to Smithfield's while I was home in September and saw the sign for it and was thinking, "Wait, why are we doing Mexican!?" lol

If I remember correctly it comes with BBQ, slaw, potato salad, hushpuppies, sweet tea, chicken, and paper plates and stuff (though I doubt you'll use those at the wedding haha).  They also had a 30-person pack and a 20-person pack, so you could mix and match for however much food you think you would need.

shigaites

As far as getting people to serve, maybe ask around and see if a friend of a friend has worked as a catering server or a waitress.  My friend that worked at Chili's in college would also do private serving like weddings on the side for various people and catering companies that needed temp help.  Who knows, you might even end up with volunteers that way

ktyd8

Thanks! I'm having a day-of-coordinator who has offered to do things like this. We'll just set it up as a buffet! Well I'm off to bed. Only a few more days til vacation is over and it's back to student teaching!!

shigaites

Oh who are you using as your DOC?  I'm still debating hiring one.  Is it expensive?

ktyd8

She is also doing our cake and her prices are very reasonable. Send me an email and I'll send you her info. She is super nice and we met with her at her home. My email is futuremrstickle at yahoo dot com

shigaites

YGM

alliegator8

Hey ladies,

Sorry to jump on here late.  My mom and I worked out a seating chart that will sit 100 people even with our band and the buffet inside.  We are using long rec tables that seat 10 instead of the rounds.  The rounds just take up way too much room.

We're having between 110-120 people there.  I'm expecting people will be up moving around, out on the deck, etc.  Having a buffet instead of a plated meal will helpwith that.

I'm getting married on the beach there on Sept. 19.

ktyd8

Our guest list is only at 75 now and I'm not really expecting all of them to come. I really wish the round tables sat more people, but I'm not about to rent different ones when some already come with the place.

I think using the rectangle tables is a good idea and can't wait to see how it turns out!

alliegator8

I think they had 8 or 10 rect. tables at the center already.  That's what we are using.  I am renting a couple extra for the the band to set up stuff.