Catering Your Chicago Wedding

 

~ Winning at Weddings ~

by Chef Michael Flowers

It's finally happened -- you're engaged. You've been dreaming of this day since you were a little girl. If "excitement" were measured in minutes, you'd be an hour! Immediately, you can think of 400 friends you're going to invite to the reception. After meeting with several caterers, reality starts to sink in -- BAM! "$50.00 per person? Are you out of your mind? That's $20,000!!!"

 

Like it or not, 35% to 50% of your total wedding budget will be driven by food and beverage requirements. If you can afford it, great! If not, let's explore some simple yet effective ways to trim your catering costs without sacrificing any of the style and elegance you want.

 

Time of Day
Do not have your celebration at a standard mealtime. Mid-afternoon receptions do not require tons of food. Your guests will have already eaten lunch and will be just as content on having light hors d'oeuvres.

 

How Many Guests will Actually Attend the Reception?
Take the total number of people you have invited and multiply that number by .66, and then multiply that number by 1.15. Example: 300 invited guests x .66 = 198 x 1.15 = 228 people expected. This formula has worked well for me over the past twenty-five years. You don't want to pay for 300 guests when only 228 are going to actually attend. Based on $50.00 per person, this is a $3,600.00 savings to you!

 

Cocktail Reception versus Sit-Down Reception
No bones about it -- the cocktail reception is the way to go, for two reasons. First, in most circumstances, the caterer makes more profit on a cocktail reception -- they're happy. Secondly, in most cases, it's cheaper "per person" to have a cocktail reception -- you're happy. Everybody's happy!

 

The Menu
Start with the basics and work your way up as far as your pocketbook will allow. The following items are required for a basic cocktail-type reception. Some suggestions are included as a starting point for planning your menu.

 

	Items	Suggestions
1.	Meat Item	Deli Tray (Ham, Turkey and Roast Beef) w/ Assorted Cocktail Breads & Condiments Assorted Finger Sandwiches (Ham, Tuna & Chicken Salad) on White, Wheat & Rye Breads Miniature Ham Biscuits Sausage Balls wrapped in Puff Pastry
2.	Cheese Item	Assorted Domestic Cheese Tray w/ Assorted Crackers Pineapple-Olive Cheese Ball w/ Assorted Crackers Cheese Straws Cheese Canapés
3.	Vegetable Item	Fresh Vegetable Tray w/ Ranch-style Dressing Miniature Vegetable Quiche Marinated Vegetables Artichoke Bottoms stuffed with Julienne Vegetables
4.	Fruit Item	Fresh Fruit Tray w/ Fruit Sauce Miniature Fresh Fruit Skewers Chocolate Covered Strawberries Pineapple/Waterchestnut Roll-Ups
5.	Salty Item	Mixed Nuts Traditional or Homemade Snack Mix Tortilla Chips w/ Picante Sauce Toasted Onion Sticks
6.	Beverage	Any type of punch. Offering your guests punch beverages will save you a boatload of bucks by eliminating that costly bar tab. Simply offer your guests an alcoholic and non-alcoholic punch as their beverage choice.

The above listed suggestions are inexpensive, yet when properly displayed -- spectacular! Now, if you still have money left over, add an additional meat item, or raise the bar with a seafood offering. This is YOUR day, YOUR moment and let's not forget -- YOUR money! Enjoy it!