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UKbride Member Request 16 Aug 2017

My partner and I aren't big party people so for our wedding reception we...

My partner and I aren't big party people so for our wedding reception we want to make it comfortable and more casual so we are planning on catering it ourselves, buffet style. Has anyone else planned on catering their own wedding, tips?

23 Comments
E Wilson
E Wilson 16 Aug 2017

When my Dad got married the reception was at his home. They order a full Buffet from Marks and Spacers which was delivered on the morning of the wedding. Less stress than doing it all yourself

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 17 Aug 2017

You can order buffet packages from M&S, Tesco and Asda x

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 17 Aug 2017

I was planning on doing the buffet myself but you have to keep it fresh and refrigerated as to not make your guests sick, you will have to cook and prep food on the morning of your wedding which isn't ideal and then set up in your wedding clothes as it can't just be sitting around all day x

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 17 Aug 2017

Make friends with someone who has a card for Bookers! Anyone eith their own business can get one.

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 17 Aug 2017

We went with m&s and had someone set it up for us just before the ceremony

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 17 Aug 2017

we had afternoon tea and then buffet in evening my mum did most of it with help from a few friends x

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 17 Aug 2017

Can order from Sainsburys too. It might also be worth looking at local sandwich shops and seeing whether they offer buffet food x

Debbie Watt
Debbie Watt 17 Aug 2017

We are doing the wedding buffet for the evening guests ourselves I'm even baking my own wedding cake. .just get your friends and family to help out and serve it out on the day I'm sure they would gladly help as it's your special day 😁

Emma Gibson
Emma Gibson 17 Aug 2017

For me it would be too much work and I'm looking forward to enjoy a day off doing anything apart from relaxing, getting married and enjoying my time with everyone x

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 17 Aug 2017

We did our own buffet! (For the evening - we had pizzas delivered for our 'wedding breakfast')) My parents cooked some things on the morning of our wedding and kept everything is cool bags until we needed it in the evening. We also got a few platters of sandwiches and cakes from Sainsburys. Wasn't too expensive and everyone loved it!

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 17 Aug 2017

We ordered from Costco, great food, great choice and pretty good price. You will need peole to help you set up on the day though. Just make sure not to over cater, we had so much food left and a lot of it had to go to waste :(

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 17 Aug 2017

Doing it yourself might be stressful have you considered Morrisons buffet? They are brilliant and I'm using them for a birthday party x

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 17 Aug 2017

You could ask everyone to bring a dish - or ask a friend who isn't going to do it for you...as Angela Neill said - you have to keep it cool. I did my Mum's and my own birthday buffet but I had the fridge space then (and I liked doing it!) x

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 17 Aug 2017

My eldest son is the same. So he and his wife chose only very close family ( parents siblibgs snd their partners) and friends and had 26 people at their wedding.
They played background music during tbe reception meal (whichn was a sit down) that guests had chosen.
Then after we played quizes and games.
It was a very enjoyable day and evening. Everyone said they had the best time and it was fun and very relaxed

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 17 Aug 2017

We are doing this :)

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 17 Aug 2017

We did our own evening buffet. Bought a few sandwich/wrap platters from Sainsbury's & then cooked up sausage rolls, spring rolls, quiche etc the day before. We also did Eton messy for puddings along with summer fruit gateaus which we bought pre-cut. We were lucky enough to have our venue 5 mins away from where we live & had use of their huge kitchen the day before & day of the wedding which made things alot easier x

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 17 Aug 2017

We did this we went to Costco had sandwiches made bought big boxes of sweets and chicken made chilli in a slow cooker xx

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 17 Aug 2017

I organised a buffet from local Indian takeaway included a selection of curries rice nan bread, pizza and pakora it went down a storm

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 17 Aug 2017

Check with your venue, I had originally planned on a big roast but our venue didn't allow external catering. We had a sit down meal at the venue and it was excellent. You could always see if you can forgo the dance floor and have your reception in the lounge area if your venue has one with some soft background music. Xx

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 17 Aug 2017

And morrisons

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 17 Aug 2017

Dependant on where you are based my parents run a catering business which do excellent buffets and are much better value than those from supermarkets as you get a much bigger variety.

Classic Caterers of Mansfield

Just a thought xxx

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 18 Aug 2017

My husband is a chef and he did our own food for the wedding bufet food for when we arrived at 5 ish then hot food a bit later went down well x

UKbride Administrator
UKbride Administrator 18 Aug 2017

lists, lists, lists. i did it. it was manic and i forgot a couple of things on the day, (they were only jellies) don't be afraid to delegate. my family were awesome and helped a lot. the worst thing was the weather. it rained for a couple of days before so we couldn't set anything up in the garden until the night before or the morning. also use your calendar. don't laugh but i still have that year's calendar up with my jobs listed on it under my new calendars because i like to look back at how crazy that week was. use your freezer as much as possible. if you can bake ahead you should. it wasn't easy but if you are super organised it can be done. i do hope you have a wonderful day. i did!! xxx

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