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Lobster bake reception.

philbrickraphilbrickra
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in Maine
Has anyone done this? Was it catered and by whom?

We would like to do a lobsterbake for the reception (yes, I realize it's messy and people will be in their finest...but the bib should be a laugh and practical right?)

I'm looking at getting Foster's to do it for us. It's only like $42pp but I feel like it would be cheaper if we did it ourselves. FI has several relatives who are lobstermen, and my mother works with someone who does it for fun on the weekends...so in that case we would need to rent lobsterbake equipment but I have no idea WHAT that would be and WHERE I would rent it. 

Advice??
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Re: Lobster bake reception.

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    jena.n.rossjena.n.ross member
    Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I'm sure you could do it for cheaper yourselves, but remember to factor in how much your time and stress will cost!  And factor in the cost of renting everything you'll need (tent, tables, chairs, linens. plates, on top of the clambake equipment).  You'll need to designate people to do food prep, and people to man the food during the whole reception.  You could designate a friend/family member that doesn't mind, or you could try hiring a local seafood restaurant employee (or two).

    FI's sister did a clambake at Foster's when she got married two summers ago.  Lots of fun.  Clam chowder, steamers, and a lobster.  I think they paid $20pp, but this was two years ago.  Their outdoor photo opportunities are great, the pond with the fountain was especially amazing.  The place photographs pretty well, I did b&w for her, and the lights they have strung up all over the place looked beautiful.  

    The food was great and the servers were attentive without being pushy.  As a side note, it's appropriate to tip the servers yourself, at the end of the reception (or designate a family member/ wedding party member).  Weddings are kind of a p.i.t.a. to work.

    As a picky point, you and your guests have to walk through the public part (kind of a takeout style area) to get to the restrooms.  Talk about getting stared at.


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    philbrickraphilbrickra
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    edited December 2011
    It would be cheaper per person to do it at Fosters. Unless you factor in the fee for exclusive use of the pavilion, and the alcohol. I don't want my guests to pay for anything since most of them are coming from so far away. And I don't want to pick up a $5 per beer bar tab. It's only a few dollars more per person to have it catered by them, at my parents house - where I can provide the booze for free (and hire a bartender to work for tips). Fosters is literally 2 miles away - I just think $40 pp is a lot for a lobster and some clams...but I've been so good about saving $$ that I guess I could splurge on this and reduce my stress by a lot....I don't know. I keep going back and forth....
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    jena.n.rossjena.n.ross member
    Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Are they cooking them at Foster's and bringing them to your house?  Or are they setting up the equipment and someone is staying there (a Fosters employee) to cook?

    If they're just dropping them off, I would shop around.  There's a Weathervane in Kittery, local seafood wholesale places (some of them offer already cooked food).  


    ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

    **Current VistaPrint Groupon - $17 gets you $70(good 'til 11/8)**

    **New project in the works: Follow my Twitter for more Groupon (etc) deals!**

    ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

    Bio ~ A Bride's Guide to VistaPrint * www.vistaprint-goddess.weebly.com

    "In my book you're a VistaPrint goddess" --Hannah

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    philbrickraphilbrickra
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    That's a good question....I didn't ask if they would be cooking it there or just dropping it off....
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    MiniMin20MiniMin20
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    How many guests are you having? Cooking lobster en masse is not an easy thing to do. We do a family lobster bake every year but usually it's just 20 people or so, and it's still a lot of work! Unless you have a lot of equipment and people to cook, getting that many lobsters cooked at once would be tricky. We've found that coolers actually do a good job at keeping the lobsters hot until everything is ready. Good luck!
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    mikell22mikell22 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I am having my wedding at Fosters this June and so far they have been awesome!!  They have answered every e-mail very promptly and provide a lot of service for what you pay!!  All in all with 90 guests the food, venue and bar including gratuity will be about $7000.  We were thinking of just having it catered as well at my mom's propety, but it turned out to about the same cost to have Fosters do it right there at Fosters, plus less stress and no tent rentals to stress over!!  I highly recommend Fosters!!
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    bethanyasquithbethanyasquith
    First Anniversary First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I looked into having a lobster bake on Peak's Island at the Lion's Club.  They have a big barn that you can use and an outdoor area with picnic tables that overlooks the ocean.  It isn't your fancy high class venue, but it would be really fun and casual- and cheap.  The bake would be about $40pp I think, but they waive the fee for the rental and you can bring in your own booze.  Just a thought!
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