Quick background since I'm fairly new...FI and I are having a laid-back casual BBQ 'reception' the day after our wedding. Due to it being a 2nd marriage for both, we're having a small, family-only ceremony the prior day.
We're paying for everything ourselves, so keeping costs down is key. We know we want to have BBQ themed food and will likely hire someone to roast a pig, prepare it, dish it up, etc. The thing I'm struggling with are sides. In theory, it would be nice to "assign" a side dish to family/friends who have already offered to help, but on the other hand, cooking a dish for 130+ people isn't a small feat. We'd be willing to pay for the cost of ingredients, but I can't help but wonder if it's cheaper to buy the side dishes from a caterer.
Anyway..I need help with my menu choices. This may aid in my decision to DIY the sides or order them through a caterer. Here's what I have so far. Do I have too many options? Do I need more hot dishes?
Mac & Cheese
Baked Beans
Cole slaw
Macaroni Salad
Pasta salad
Broccoli & bacon salad
Fruit salad
Kettle chips
For dessert we're doing cupcakes and maybe some other things like strawberry shortcake skewers w/ whipped cream toppings or a mini-fruit pizza station.
If anyone has ever ordered sides in bulk, is there a way of knowing how much I'll need to order per person? This could aid me in pricing things out and figuring out if it'll work into my food budget.