Food for wedding ideas
Discussion
Well, I proposed to my wonderful ginger partner recently (can't remember when, think it's on a calander somewhere) and we're starting to plan our wedding. She's not the "typical girlie girl" so we're a bit stumped when it's making arrangements for table cloths and other pretty pointless themes based around weddings, people feel they have to do - but we'll give it a shot.
We've got money to spend on the wedding, but honestly don't think it's justifyable to spend 5figures. It should in theory be around the £6000 mark for the entire thing. She chose her dress in 2hours of shopping, we've already got 90% of the booze (she worked as a manager for an OddBins before becoming a music teacher)...so music is sorted. I'm using my dads TR6 as the wedding car...found the venue, she knows the vicar at the local church...it's all coming together nicely.
We both love food, we've discussed it and ideally if we had the disposeable cash we would have steak (probably with the hot stones like that restaurant near the nurburgring). But we haven't...with 120 guests, it seems the biggest outlay will actually be the food and, we're not too happy about being "expected" to pay around £15 per head for food we don't REALLY like anyway. So we've looked at the cheaper idea's...
How about all in £650 for jacket potatoes? Just wondering how offended people would be if they found out they were getting a jacket potato at a wedding? £650 all in...it wouldn't be the only food, there'd be other side dishes like tomato and mozzarella, salad, breads, olives and more hot finger food in the evening - but it comes with 'unlimited 12 fillings' and you can have as many fillings as you want.
Neither of us like professional food, just lots and lots of tasty fuel/food. Our favourite foods, other than steak - is chilli con carne, pizza, spag bol, chorizo frittata, curries, sausage and mash...nearly everything from the "dirty take-away thread"...just not that retched oyster sauce pic that keeps popping up. DARK! (you get the idea). Generally at weddings I've found the best bit is just everyone having a good time. If other people want posh food, they can pay for themselves to go out for a meal!
Any other good, cheap suggestions are very welcome. We've heard of people doing a deal with Domino's, also fish and chips etc...but not heard anyone doing jacket potatoes and a jacket stuffed full of cheesey beans, with chilli and tuna mayo on the side with a dollop of soured cream sounds excellently sobering to me. Roll on August next year
/Hides a bit.
We've got money to spend on the wedding, but honestly don't think it's justifyable to spend 5figures. It should in theory be around the £6000 mark for the entire thing. She chose her dress in 2hours of shopping, we've already got 90% of the booze (she worked as a manager for an OddBins before becoming a music teacher)...so music is sorted. I'm using my dads TR6 as the wedding car...found the venue, she knows the vicar at the local church...it's all coming together nicely.
We both love food, we've discussed it and ideally if we had the disposeable cash we would have steak (probably with the hot stones like that restaurant near the nurburgring). But we haven't...with 120 guests, it seems the biggest outlay will actually be the food and, we're not too happy about being "expected" to pay around £15 per head for food we don't REALLY like anyway. So we've looked at the cheaper idea's...
How about all in £650 for jacket potatoes? Just wondering how offended people would be if they found out they were getting a jacket potato at a wedding? £650 all in...it wouldn't be the only food, there'd be other side dishes like tomato and mozzarella, salad, breads, olives and more hot finger food in the evening - but it comes with 'unlimited 12 fillings' and you can have as many fillings as you want.
Neither of us like professional food, just lots and lots of tasty fuel/food. Our favourite foods, other than steak - is chilli con carne, pizza, spag bol, chorizo frittata, curries, sausage and mash...nearly everything from the "dirty take-away thread"...just not that retched oyster sauce pic that keeps popping up. DARK! (you get the idea). Generally at weddings I've found the best bit is just everyone having a good time. If other people want posh food, they can pay for themselves to go out for a meal!
Any other good, cheap suggestions are very welcome. We've heard of people doing a deal with Domino's, also fish and chips etc...but not heard anyone doing jacket potatoes and a jacket stuffed full of cheesey beans, with chilli and tuna mayo on the side with a dollop of soured cream sounds excellently sobering to me. Roll on August next year
/Hides a bit.
Tumbler said:
What about a hog roast, will feed 120 guests, you can add salads etc.
Good suggestion.I went to a wedding recently and they had rural types serving a huge stew from a vast vat. We queued to get it from a buffet type arrangement. Delicious.
Lots of wine and cheese afterwards. It was a first class meal.
I've been to others where tens of thousands have been spent and the grub was entirely forgettable.
We did away with the formal sit down dinner at our wedding for a couple of reasons.
1) I didn't want to spend two or three hours sitting next to relatives that I can see any time when there were people at the wedding that had travelled thousands od miles to be there.
2) You almost be definition have to ruin someone's day by sitting them next to someone they don't like in the case of relatives or just sit people next to people they don't know.
So we had I think what is known in the catering trade as "substantial canapes" which there were plenty of with good variety throughout the day. There was also a massive table of cheese which got absolutely decimated. Later on we also had bacon rolls which went down very well.
It was a bit of a risk but it worked really,really well especially in the venue we chose which was an old house with several rooms and a garden/grounds for people to mix in. We could tell when we told people before the wedding that some were sceptical about it....but people really enjoyed themselves and also drank a lot more than normal
because it was more of a party than a dinner.
1) I didn't want to spend two or three hours sitting next to relatives that I can see any time when there were people at the wedding that had travelled thousands od miles to be there.
2) You almost be definition have to ruin someone's day by sitting them next to someone they don't like in the case of relatives or just sit people next to people they don't know.
So we had I think what is known in the catering trade as "substantial canapes" which there were plenty of with good variety throughout the day. There was also a massive table of cheese which got absolutely decimated. Later on we also had bacon rolls which went down very well.
It was a bit of a risk but it worked really,really well especially in the venue we chose which was an old house with several rooms and a garden/grounds for people to mix in. We could tell when we told people before the wedding that some were sceptical about it....but people really enjoyed themselves and also drank a lot more than normal
because it was more of a party than a dinner.NDA said:
Tumbler said:
What about a hog roast, will feed 120 guests, you can add salads etc.
Good suggestion.I went to a wedding recently and they had rural types serving a huge stew from a vast vat. We queued to get it from a buffet type arrangement. Delicious.
Lots of wine and cheese afterwards. It was a first class meal.
I've been to others where tens of thousands have been spent and the grub was entirely forgettable.
Another wedding we went to last year had a large cheese board selection as a buffet in the evening, with good cheese this was wonderful - I think it worked out quite reasnobly priced as well.
Hog roast is great, but I doubt 1 beastie will do 120 as the main event. I've seen a similar number get through nigh on a whole pig just for late snacks...
Ox roast is the way forward. There are companies out there who advertise online but local abattoir probably also has a few leads, especially if you've a lot of farmers round your way.
Make it clear to whoever does the food that they are doing the food. No need for them to touch any alcohol. Otherwise expect further pain for corkage fees.
Ox roast is the way forward.
There are companies out there who advertise online but local abattoir probably also has a few leads, especially if you've a lot of farmers round your way.Make it clear to whoever does the food that they are doing the food. No need for them to touch any alcohol. Otherwise expect further pain for corkage fees.
My partner wouldn't mind a hog roast, but I wouldn't fancy it and they're actually surprisingly expensive! Still the baked spud route seems the best for the cash...
Sausage and mash is the only other option I seem to like the idea of, but the problem will be everyone knows sausage and mash and if it's bad mash, or bad sausages - game over.
We should be getting our local landlord to come and "work" at the bar in the evening, for payment and we should also be getting him to do a "pub quiz" for us while we're sat at the tables. But it's all our own booze and we're not selling the alcohol. Corkage charge is a complete con!
It's a village hall for the venue, just going to tart it up with big posters of motorsport, family guy, star wars and have an orange theme by the sounds of it.
Sausage and mash is the only other option I seem to like the idea of, but the problem will be everyone knows sausage and mash and if it's bad mash, or bad sausages - game over.
We should be getting our local landlord to come and "work" at the bar in the evening, for payment and we should also be getting him to do a "pub quiz" for us while we're sat at the tables. But it's all our own booze and we're not selling the alcohol. Corkage charge is a complete con!
It's a village hall for the venue, just going to tart it up with big posters of motorsport, family guy, star wars and have an orange theme by the sounds of it.
Some friends of ours had a village hall wedding, with home-made bunting and labels tied to chairs with hairy string, in a sort of 'potting shed chic' style. It worked very well indeed and more my sort of thing than an over the top, bling do in a hotel. For the food they did roast beef, with the groom, best man and one of the ushers donning aprons and carving the joints. Veg prepared by friends in the village hall kitchen.
Failing that then I would go for sausage and mash. Audition a variety of sausages from local butchers and get a good price for a bulk order.
Failing that then I would go for sausage and mash. Audition a variety of sausages from local butchers and get a good price for a bulk order.
HenryRoyce said:
Some friends of ours had a village hall wedding, with home-made bunting and labels tied to chairs with hairy string, in a sort of 'potting shed chic' style. It worked very well indeed and more my sort of thing than an over the top, bling do in a hotel. For the food they did roast beef, with the groom, best man and one of the ushers donning aprons and carving the joints. Veg prepared by friends in the village hall kitchen.
Failing that then I would go for sausage and mash. Audition a variety of sausages from local butchers and get a good price for a bulk order.
That would be my suggestion too. Fun and informal.Failing that then I would go for sausage and mash. Audition a variety of sausages from local butchers and get a good price for a bulk order.
Lots of ideas for decoration on - dare I say it - Kirstie's Handmade Britain.
My sister did curry at her wedding. We did bangers and mash at ours.
It doesn't have to be gourmet, but please remember that it's rarely a low cost activity going to a wedding - £100 for a hotel, £50-100 for a gift, fuel, clothes, drinks...
I don't accept a wedding invitation if I'd begrudge that investment in supporting them. If you begrudge £15 a head to feed your guests, consider inviting fewer people. If all your guests live within 10 miles, that's a different prospect.
The other thing to consider is that a lot of booze without anything adequate to soak it up is a sure recipe for a memorable wedding, though possibly not the kind of memories you want to hang on to! Keep the nibbles coming -a load of cheese and crackers will cost next to nothing.
It doesn't have to be gourmet, but please remember that it's rarely a low cost activity going to a wedding - £100 for a hotel, £50-100 for a gift, fuel, clothes, drinks...
I don't accept a wedding invitation if I'd begrudge that investment in supporting them. If you begrudge £15 a head to feed your guests, consider inviting fewer people. If all your guests live within 10 miles, that's a different prospect.
The other thing to consider is that a lot of booze without anything adequate to soak it up is a sure recipe for a memorable wedding, though possibly not the kind of memories you want to hang on to! Keep the nibbles coming -a load of cheese and crackers will cost next to nothing.
One of the most memorable wedding receptions I've been to was in a family run italian restaurant in the city where we live. The couple saved a considerable amount of money choosing this slightly unusual path but it was genius. The food was superb - it always had been when we had eaten there in more conventional dining numbers. The owner of the restaurant and the staff were brilliant: service was excellent, the atmosphere was chilled and it sounded like it was was a breeze to organise. The price was very much in the bride and grooms control as it was a truly bespoke wedding. There was plant of room for a dance floor afterwards. Cozy and fun rather than cramped!
If you two haven't got your hearts set on a venue already I'd highly recommend it and I know the bride and groom would too. I'll be doing the same thing if/when it's my turn.
p.s. and it's easy to find a good restaurant in a good location. If it's in a town/city the guests can then choose where to sleep depending on their own tastes. No one's staying at the venue, so your less cash-rich pals won't feel they're missing out by taxiing home or sneaking to the Travel Lodge at the end of the night.
If you two haven't got your hearts set on a venue already I'd highly recommend it and I know the bride and groom would too. I'll be doing the same thing if/when it's my turn.
p.s. and it's easy to find a good restaurant in a good location. If it's in a town/city the guests can then choose where to sleep depending on their own tastes. No one's staying at the venue, so your less cash-rich pals won't feel they're missing out by taxiing home or sneaking to the Travel Lodge at the end of the night.
Edited by swd on Saturday 10th December 22:49
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