Quick question as i am highly stressed at the moment and starting to doubt everything!
We have 50 guests during the day and will be having a 3 course meal but in the eve the numbers will be made up to approximately 140. Now, the package we have has a food buffet for 75 people, do you think this will be enough or should we cater for say 100?? Just means we have to spend an extra £437.50 on food!
any help would be great
Thanks
CommentAuthorInDreamland
Hi Mrs B2B.
Our venue is suggesting we cater for 75% of all guests so I'd suggest catering for 100 xxx
Married the love of my life on Saturday 11th May 2013 xxx
Had our dream perfect honeymoon in Hawaii!
CommentAuthorMrs B
I did think that but i guess im almost scared of buying too much and loads being wasted like there usually is! The wedding we went to last weekend had loads of food but they had 80 for the day and 120 for the eve and they over ran into the eve so it wasnt long after we'd eaten that the buffet came so there was just so much food lying around that it didnt all get eaten but ours is the other way round and we will be eating earlier!
CommentAuthorTsukijin
It would be more embarrassing if people were standing around hungry because there wasn't enough :P so I'd also cater for about 100 as some people don't eat much really, some don't eat at all. Whatever you do don't let kids help themselves or you'll end up with half eaten sausage rolls all over the place lol x
eru, shiteiru ka? shinigami wa ringo shika tabenai?
^_^
CommentAuthorInDreamland
edited
I agree, it's more embarrassing if people are left hungry because there isn't enough food left. Men eat a lot, especially up to their 40's so they will have room for the evening buffet after the main meal.
At a wedding H2B and I went to, I was sat between H2B and his best man (that was the first time I'd actually met his best man as we'd only been together about 8 months), I only ate half my main meal as I was really full but H2B and his best man helped themselves to my plate and polished it all off! Without even asking me, it was like this, John looked at me, looked at my plate then looked at H2B at exactly the same time as H2B was doing the same, John says to H2B "she's your girlfriend so you get first dibs", H2B says "halves?", John "ok" and they both just dived in ................I was like erm..............would you like to ask me if I had actually finished and wasn't just taking a break before attacking again?!! Lol.
So I would suggest, if you have a good number of men at the day and evening you cater for 100 xx
Married the love of my life on Saturday 11th May 2013 xxx
Had our dream perfect honeymoon in Hawaii!
lol that sounds like typical men style! I just mentioned it to h2b and he wasnt happy, i also mentioned about us buying additional wine for the day as i dont think theres enough and again moaning about the cost
I wouldnt mind so much but its not as though we dont have the money! he keeps saying lets see what happens to my job next week (have to interview due to re-structure) which is fine i get that but even still we have more than enough in our savings to cover it! and if i were made redundant we have insurance to cover the mortgage and bills etc
I just feel so poo about it and feel like having the knee jerk reaction of 'sod it then, if its not going to be right because people will be hungry and thirsty then we'll just call it all off lol' i know it sounds silly, but i just want it to be right! And like you say, how embarrassing if people are walking around hungry!!! and thirsty!!!!
CommentAuthorInDreamland
Is there a bar there hun that guest can pay for their own drinks in the evening? We're providing drink for the drinks reception, wedding breakfast and toast (all included in the package) but guests will have to pay for their own drinks after that.
If it works out expensive for extra food could you ask your venue/caterer for cheaper food options?
Lol - men I think are like this ................hungry, food, eat! xx
Married the love of my life on Saturday 11th May 2013 xxx
Had our dream perfect honeymoon in Hawaii!
CommentAuthorMrsE 2b
Could you supplement the buffet with, for e.g., a sweet table? (Sugar is an appetite suppressant so they won't get as hungry lol and it will be a lot cheaper than over 400!). Also, will 140 definitely turn up - or is this just the number invited for the evening? If you haven't got all the rvsps back yet, maybe wait to see?
CommentAuthorElle23
I agree that its better to have more than not enough x
To be wed on our 10 year anniversary! 23.08.2013
CommentAuthorMrs B
we havent sent out invites yet so this is really what we are guessing on at the minute but i think a majority will come as there are people such as cousins etc that we couldnt invite to the day as we have kept it very small
A sweety table is a good idea but i honestly dont think a lot of my guests have a sweet tooth, more savoury! If i had a chance id bring a load of food myself and solve the problem but unfortunately we cant do that lol
CommentAuthorInDreamland
My sisters wedding there was loads of hog roast left, the venue kept it in stored in the kitchen for us and we took it all home, was delicious and we just put it all in portions in the freezer, delicious in noodles! ;) Don't worry about left overs xxx
Married the love of my life on Saturday 11th May 2013 xxx
Had our dream perfect honeymoon in Hawaii!
CommentAuthorMrs B
in dreamland, yes there is a bar and eve guests will be expected to pay, the more drinks were aimed at the day guests as they currently have; 1 drink for drinks reception 1 glass of wine with dinner 1 glass of cava for toast Which i didnt think was much, correct me if im wrong?! So i was thinking of buying maybe some more pimms and some bottles of wine for the tables - we are having 6 tables of 8 so was thinking 4 bottles per table plus what they already have would be better?
CommentAuthorsuzky123
we have to cater for 100% of guests at our venue so see what your venue recommend as they know how much they normally put out per head. I think you need more than the venue package.
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CommentAuthorInDreamland
Hmmm, yeah I see what you mean. Our guests get two drinks at the reception, half a bottle of wine per person for the wedding breakfast (soft drinks for non-drinkers like juice) and then one glass of bubbly for the toasts and bottles of still and sparkling water on the tables too. xx
Married the love of my life on Saturday 11th May 2013 xxx
Had our dream perfect honeymoon in Hawaii!
CommentAuthorMrshb2b
I would cater for 100. Iv been to a race course for a wedding and there wasn't enough food put on , By midnight there was queues in the hotel at the vending machine lol. Most were the man and the rest were oap's oh and us. My bil/sil went back to the hotel early and got a chinese. And at there wedding some went and got burger and chips even the brides own sister was gone for an hour. But for an extra £400+ have u thought about a diy candy bar aswell or extra cupcakes chocolate fountain etc..
CommentAuthorPB
I would say for the evening buffet wait until you get the rsvps back and then cater for 75-80% of the total expected. will you be serving your cake then too? With regards to the wine we are having 1 reception drink,2 glasses of wine with the meal and 1 glass of cava for toasting so only 1 more glass than you.I prersonally think that is adequate for 'daytime drinking'.I know if i have any more than that i won't last til the evening lol! Will the bar be open during this period in case people want to purchase additional/alternative drinks? x
CommentAuthorMrs B
Id personally love a candy bar as i have a ridiculous sweet tooth but i dont think the same goes for our guests - i think they are more savory which is a shame as we cant provide a savory bar lol see i would be really embarrassed if people had to go out and buy food :(
Maybe i should re think having sweet stuff or just beg h2b lol
CommentAuthorMrs B
Hi Poulton
Yeah i think it will be, its not an exclusive bar for the wedding so i would have thought it would be open from around midday! That makes me feel better about the whole drinks scenario though i would still like to provide more than 1 glass of wine for the meal as i dont think it will be enough.... We do have an option to add on a second glass for £3.50 or provide our own bottles so i may think about this again!
CommentAuthorInDreamland
Savoury bar could be fun, huge bowls of crisps, nuts selection, Japanese rice crackers, breadsticks, Thai rice cakes mmmmmmm! xx
Married the love of my life on Saturday 11th May 2013 xxx
Had our dream perfect honeymoon in Hawaii!
CommentAuthorMrs B
Ooooooooo, i wonder if they would let me!? I might ask! But as it's a hotel, they may be funny about it?!
CommentAuthorInDreamland
Maybe ask them to do it for you, it might be cheaper than the extra £437.50.
You could have the buffet you've already got and have the savoury bar as an addition.
xx
Married the love of my life on Saturday 11th May 2013 xxx
Had our dream perfect honeymoon in Hawaii!
CommentAuthorKellyN29
i wouldn't get anything extra for the day, if they can get extra if they want it then that won't be a problem. I'm having about the same as you, or that's what is planned at the moment and i'll be catering for 100 on the night
CommentAuthorMrs B
cool, thanks everyone - at least i know im not going mad!
Thanks for all your help xx
CommentAuthorclive
Like in dreamland says, as far as buffets are concerned, always cater for less than you need. There will always be leftovers. Wer'e having 60, catering for 40 for example
CommentAuthorNicsquared
Do you/ your guests like cheese - you could have a cheese cake, ours is costing £!60 ish for 80 people, we have about 120 people but its in addition to something else so hoping it will be ok, you can get them cheaper but we I like expensive cheese :) We are in a pretty fussy hotel and they were fine with it
There are so many people out there who will tell you
what you can't do.
What you have to do is turn around and say, "watch me"!!
CommentAuthorLauraJo87
Personally, I don't think you will get away with only catering for 75 people - that's just over half of the number of guests that will be there... And according to some quarters, not having enough food is a major faux pas.
That said, you know your guests - are they likely to grumble if food runs out? The last thing you want is people heading off early to grab a takeaway or something. But if theyre not going to be too fussed about eating I wouldn't worry too much.
A lot of hotels will want you to cater for every guest and I hear that some can be very strict about it.
Also, try and find out what the hotel considers a portion 'per person'.
Could you maybe just add one or two items to the buffet menu to pad it out a bit? Or arrange for them to do a big pot of chilli or curry or something?
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30 August 2013
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CommentAuthorTsukijin
My man's logic - "I'm so full, but I'm so hungry!"
He is having 2 meals at the wedding because he eats SO much but he's 6ft and no fat on him
But yes, if there are lots of men you will need lots of food! No need to call it off! Just work with it like LauraJo87's idea about the big pot of food
eru, shiteiru ka? shinigami wa ringo shika tabenai?
^_^
