When you choose to cater your own wedding meal, you’re not just saving money; you’re also taking control of the menu, and ensuring that you craft a mouthwatering creation that your guests will love.
This is also an opportunity for personalization; something that caterers can’t always provide. With all of the great local stores and resources available today, it’s becoming easier than ever to DIY your own wedding menu.
Although self-catering your wedding food can be an intimidating task, there are many ways to make it manageable – while still having fun and creating something special for everyone to enjoy!
In this article, we’ll look at some tips and tricks on how to self-cater your wedding successfully and leave a lasting impression on all who share in your first meal as a married couple.
What is A Self-Catered Wedding?
A self-catered wedding will look different for every couple, depending on your venue and budget.
Generally, it involves you, your partner, and a team of willing volunteers taking on the responsibility of providing food for your guests.
This could mean anything from cooking the food yourself to ordering takeout or catering from a local restaurant.
There are also different types of wedding menus, including an appetizer-only or dessert-only wedding reception, or a full-course meal. You can also choose to provide a buffet or family-style meal, which allows your guests to serve themselves.
Why Self-Cater Your Wedding?
There are several benefits to choosing to self-cater your wedding, and these include:
- Cost Savings
One of the main appeals of going the DIY route is that it is good for your budget.
Self-catering your wedding can save you a lot of money, as catering services can be expensive. By taking on the task yourself, you can control how much you spend and make sure that your budget is not exceeded.
- Personalization
Another major perk is the customization options and flexibility that come with catering your own wedding. When you self-cater, you have complete control over the menu and flavors.
You can choose dishes that reflect your personalities and tastes, as well as those of your guests, and ensure that any dietary requirements are met.
- Time Management
It might seem like an extra headache, but self-catering can help you to manage your time and wedding planning more effectively.
Rather than have to worry about coordinating with a caterer or third party to manage any last-minute changes, you can have the flexibility and freedom to make last-minute changes as and when you choose, helping you to feel more in control, and offering greater freedom.
- It Can Be Fun!
Finally, self-catering your wedding can be a fun and rewarding experience. You get to be creative and put your own spin on the food that you serve, as well as enjoy the satisfaction of seeing it all come together.
Tips for Self-Catering Your Wedding
Now that you know why self-catering your wedding is a great idea, here are some tips to help you make it a success:
- Plan Ahead
The key to successful self-catering is planning ahead. Make sure that you have enough time to shop for ingredients, prepare the food, and set up the buffet or family-style meal, depending on your preferences.
You should also consider any dietary restrictions of your guests and plan accordingly.
- Delegate Tasks
Don’t try to do everything yourself! Delegate tasks to family and friends who can help you with the preparations. This will make the process much easier and more enjoyable for everyone involved.
- Choose Simple Dishes
When it comes to choosing dishes, opt for simple recipes that don’t require too much time or effort. You want to be able to enjoy your wedding day, not spend all of your time in the kitchen!
- Set Up a Buffet or Family-Style Meal
A buffet or family-style meal is the perfect way to serve your guests. This allows them to serve themselves and choose what they want, while also giving you more time to mingle with your guests.
- Pick Something You Are Good At
Finally, make sure to pick dishes that you are comfortable with. If you’re not a great cook, don’t try to tackle complicated recipes; stick to simple dishes that you know how to make. This will help ensure that your food is delicious and reduce the risk of a kitchen disaster.
Sticking to what you know will leave you feeling confident and proud of your efforts, rather than stressed and overwhelmed on your wedding day.
- Order From A Restaurant
If you don’t have the time or energy to cook for your wedding, another option is to order pre-prepared dishes from a local restaurant.
This is a great way to get delicious food without having to do all of the work yourself and often works out cheaper than a professional caterer.
If you choose this option, just make sure that you give the restaurant plenty of notice so they can prepare enough food for your guests.
You can also ask them to provide plates, utensils, and other items that you may need – this can be a great time saver, and will also reduce stress and anxiety, allowing you to focus on your wedding.
What You Will Need To Self-Cater Your Wedding
To self-cater your wedding, you will need to have the following items:
- Ingredients
The most important thing you will need to self-cater your wedding is ingredients. Make sure to plan and shop for all of the ingredients you will need for your dishes and, as we mentioned, keep an eye out for any bulk-buy deals or discounts that you may be able to grab to save costs.
- Cooking Equipment
You will also need to have the right cooking equipment, such as pots, pans, baking sheets, and utensils. If you don’t have these items already, make sure to purchase them before your wedding day, or look into hiring the items that you need.
As we mentioned, another option is to use the services and equipment of a restaurant, as this will save you time and money.
- Serving Dishes
You will also need to have the right serving dishes for your food. Make sure to pick dishes that are large enough to accommodate all of your guests, as well as any side dishes or accompaniments that you plan to serve.
- Tableware
Finally, make sure to have enough tableware for your guests. This includes plates, bowls, utensils, and cups. You can either purchase these items or rent them from a catering company.
The Steps To Self-Catering A Wedding
Self-catering your wedding can be a great way to save money, and take total charge of the menu and food that you and your guests enjoy on the big day.
Above, we have looked at a few of the essential considerations, including the must-dos and the benefits of this option. Now, it is time to make life even more simple with our step-by-step guide to self-catering your wedding!
- Plan
Start planning your menu at least a few months in advance. This will give you enough time to shop for ingredients, hire any necessary equipment, and make sure that everything is ready for the big day.
One good way to get organized is to list all of the tasks that you have to consider, and then work backward to create a timeline.
Start with a blank piece of paper, and write absolutely everything you need to remember to self-cater your wedding – don’t forget to put down seemingly small jobs such as taking things out of the freezer or shopping for groceries.
Next, take another piece of paper and a calendar, and write down your wedding date – this is the ultimate deadline. Then, write down the months leading up to the wedding, and divide this into weeks.
You can then go through your list and allocate each task to the correct week or month – this will give you a checklist to ensure that absolutely everything is taken care of, and will take some of the stress out of the situation.
As we mentioned, make sure to delegate tasks to family and friends so that everyone is involved in the process. This will help make sure that everything runs smoothly on the big day. If someone has a specific skill or ability, make the most of this to help your wedding go off without a hitch.
As part of your prep, make sure you factor in the time to contact people and give them deadlines for their part of the process – your overall checklist can be a real help here.
- Decide On Your Menu
Next, decide on your menu – remember to keep this simple, and opt for something that you are confident preparing.
You should also choose something that allows the majority of the prep to be done in advance, leaving you to simply serve and enjoy – we have some inspiration for you in just a moment.
- Shop For Ingredients
The next step is to shop for all of the ingredients you need for your dishes, and look for discounts and sales to help you save money.
Some stores will offer discounts if you buy ingredients in bulk, so don’t be afraid to shop around and secure the best deal.
- Prepare The Food
Start preparing the food a few days before the wedding so that everything is ready on time.
There are many components of a number of dishes that can be prepared in advance, and getting as much of this out of the way as possible will reduce your workload on the big day, and increase your chance of a successful, stress-free wedding.
- Get Cooking
The next step is to start cooking! As we mentioned, it is a good idea to prepare as much as you can in advance, as this will save you time and stress.
If you are cooking on-site, make sure that you have the ingredients you need ready to go to make set-up and prep fast and easy.
- Get The Food To The Venue
Once the food is prepared, get it transported to the venue ahead of time – make sure you have a good storage option if you have pre-cooked the dishes.
For food being cooked on the day, get your equipment and ingredients in place.
- Serve The Food
When it comes time to serve the food, make sure that all of your dishes are hot and ready to go. You may want to hire a few servers or enlist family and friends to help out with this task.
- Enjoy The Day
Finally, make sure to enjoy the day and take a few moments to appreciate all of your hard work.
Self-catering your wedding can be a great way to save money and ensure that the food is exactly what you want – so make sure to savor every moment!
What Are The Downsides To Self-Catering Your Wedding?
Before you commit to self-catering your wedding, it is important to have a good understanding of some of the potential disadvantages that you may face, and these include
- Time and Stress
Self-catering your wedding can be a time-consuming and stressful process, especially if you are not used to cooking for large numbers of people.
You will need to plan and make sure that you have enough time to prepare all of the dishes before the big day.
- Cost
Although self-catering can save you money in the long run, it can be expensive to buy all of the ingredients you need for your dishes. You may also need to hire additional staff or equipment to help with the process.
- Quality
If you are not an experienced cook, it can be difficult to ensure that all of your dishes are cooked to perfection. This could lead to a less-than-satisfactory experience for your guests.
- Clean Up
Once the wedding is over, you will need to clean up all of the dishes and equipment that you used. This can be a time-consuming process, and it may be worth hiring a professional cleaning service to help with this task.
- Limited Options
When self-catering your wedding, you are limited to the dishes that you can prepare. If you want to offer a wider range of food, you may need to hire a caterer – particularly if your guests have specific dietary requirements or allergies that need to be catered for.
Top Self-Catered Dishes
Now that we have weighed up the pros and cons of self-catering your wedding, and put together the ultimate step-by-step guide to help you pull things off without a hitch, all that remains is to get your taste buds tingling with some inspiring self-catered dishes that are fast, easy and effortless – leaving you more time to socialize and enjoy the party!
- BBQ
If you are looking for super casual vibes for your wedding, then opting for a BBQ is the perfect choice for your menu.
All you need to do is choose a wide range of meats and veggie options for your guests to enjoy – BBQ classics such as burgers, sausages, and kebabs are always a hit, and you can opt for vegetable skewers and veggie options to ensure that everyone is catered for.
Then set up a selection of bread, salads, sauces, and sides, fire up the grill, and let everyone dig in!
- Tapas
Tapas is a great way to offer your guests a variety of flavors and textures in one meal. Choose from a selection of small dishes such as olives, cured meats, cheeses, patatas bravas, and croquettes – all of which can be prepared ahead of time and served at room temperature.
- Roast Dinners
A classic roast dinner is always a crowd-pleaser, and it can be easily adapted to suit different dietary requirements. Opt for a carvery-style set up for your guests to help themselves to, with a selection of meats, potatoes, vegetables, and sauces.
This means that you just have to get everything prepared, and then the rest is up to the guests, offering a tasty, low-effort option for self-catering.
Final Thoughts
Self-catering your wedding doesn’t have to be intimidating or overwhelming – our handy guide will help you to plan and prepare the perfect menu for your special day, ensuring that you can enjoy a mouth-watering, low-cost option that will leave your guests feeling full and satisfied.
My husband proposed to me in spring and it was a very lowkey setting, in our backyard without anyone else around to see it. It was a perfect proposal. But then everything got real, and I was suddenly thrust into planning mode.
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