Didn’t you know the Bride doesn’t eat?? She is an ephemeral creature who exists on fairy dust and childhood dreams. She doesn’t do anything as mundane as eating. All that is left to her accessory, the groom.
(Actually, no bride I know has ever had time to eat at her wedding. I highly recommend a picnic basket. I sure beats the heck out of the 2 am Taco Bell run I went on.)
There’s a Jewish custom that allows the bride and groom to go into a secluded room for a few minutes to eat (and smooch). A few quiet moments might be a really good idea on such a stressful day.
I’m sorry to hear your caterers are being such thimble-headed gherkins.
I had scary experiences trying to find a caterer for our recent wedding. The companies were just as you described, didn’t call back, or fax menus when they said they would…many problems. I worried about the problems extending to the wedding.
We ended up hiring a woman out of the phone book. I imagine she was a “company” (if you know what I mean) but she was also an individual, and she ended up being perfect. Her photo is included in our wedding album because the food was delicious and her attitude and staff were great.
Good Luck!
We had a potluck.
My South Dakota Lutherna ancestors would have been proud.
We had a potluck.
My South Dakota Lutheran ancestors would have been proud.
My sister is having her wedding catered by a grocery store–fried chicken and stuff. We currently expect 140 people or so and about $900 for everything.
What we have done is said ‘fuck it’ and we’re going to do it ourselves. My mom and dad, as well as sister, niece, Dave’s bio-mom, saph and the two of us will do it all. We will rent the linens and hire the bartender and someone to cover the food-type concerns during the reception. It’s just ridiculous - the first caterer quoted $30/head and came to $50. The second I spoke with was going to fax me a menu ten days ago. The third was supposed to have a menu and contract to me on Friday - I have received neither.
I am never, ever going to plan another wedding. The last one I planned was my sister’s, in Yellowknife - my boyfriend and I catered that one and it was an astounding success.
Good luck, featherlou. It is incredibly frustrating and expensive and I’ve just come from the florist’s this morning - have you been THAT route yet?
My wife and I had the reception at a golf course. The cost per meal was VERY reasonable, they didn’t even charge for the room and the guests loved the food. Plus, there was plenty of space outside to take pictures, talk and not feel crowded.
Compare this to some hotels that wanted $2000 plus $100 per plate…
Check around at the places that people don’t normally think of for weddings but would like to have your business like, say, golf courses.
Every single time I read anything about wedding planning I gain more resolve to throw a beach party and not tell anyone what I’m up to. If my SO is lucky I’ll tell him he might want to wear the swim trunks that aren’t holed in the croch.
Catering? Well if everyone works hard, we can keep the sand out of the Dorito bag. Since it’s supposed to be fancy I’ll make sure people don’t have to share hot dog sticks.
Feather - have you tried SAIT? The hospitality program there is awesome, and sometimes grads have small catering businesses that they are trying to launch. Mr. Gretch and I did that when we got hitched (Five years on Friday! Holy Cow) and they did a fantastic job at a really reasonable rate. I’m so sorry but I lost their contact info, otherwise I’d definitely forward it to you. You might try calling the department at SAIT and asking if they can recommend any recent grads?
When I was at Sbarro’s still, a lady came in one day and asked if we did catering. I aid yes, and asked what she was intrested in. 30 chicken parmaseans, 30 chicken franceses, and about 25 meatballs. No spaghetti.
I asked if she was hosting a luncheon or something, and she looked at me like I was crazy. “Oh no. I’m getting married.”
Anyone who would have Sbarro’s cater their wedding would have to be desperate.
Folks, I was married once to the wrong woman, but it was a good wedding. The bridal bouquet and bridesmaids’ bouquets came from the Florist at Bi-Lo (grocery store with extra stuff). The florist was so freakin’ happy to be doing something really nice instead of impulse purchases, it was gorgeous. Cake was from the same store (we did Wedding and Groom’s cakes). Catering was the one mistake, we went with a caterer. Anyone who has been in the South for more than ten minutes knows the difference between ham and Virginia Ham. Except our caterer. This time around, when I marry the RIGHT woman, we will be much better. We have not chosen everything, but we ain’t gonna feed that industry a ton of money.
This thread is making me hungry. 
If I ever get married, I am so eloping.
Miss Gretchen, I tried to get a grad from SAIT, but an instructor who caters on the side intercepted me, and he was one of the ones who never got around to faxing a quote. I should have gone back and tried to get a student. The whole problem with this wedding planning is that I’ve never done it before, and I’m more hesitant than I should be at times.
Ginger, I think I lucked out with the flowers. I went to Grower Direct first, and the lady there was dangerously close to rude (you know the type, very busy telling me why she can’t do anything for me). Then I went to Panda Flowers, and the people there were very welcoming and helpful even though they already had a huge wedding booked for that day. So they got my business, and I get some nice, simple rose bouquets.
I ate at my wedding and the food was nummy!!
We’re in a very small place here - it’s like the whole county is one big town, really - and a caterer that we’re not using recommended the florist. It’s local, and it’s nice, and we’re also doing very simple roses.
Just know that I feel your pain, featherlou. Today we go searching out a cake - OHMYGOSH. Go to a grocery store bakery - Safeway or something - we’re going to a grocery in Aberdeen (next town over) and a cake to feed 60 is $81. It was highly recommended, too.
Yup, Safeway’s getting my business for the cake. We tried the cakes of all the grocery stores (Co-op, IGA, SuperStore, and Safeway - that was tough research, let me tell you :D), and Safeway actually had the best tasting cake and icing. Since we’re not going frou-frou in any way, a nicely decorated sheet cake will do just fine.
Airman and I had no caterer. We got married by a judge in a treehouse. After the wedding, we went to the Beau Rivage hotel and took lots of pictures – their landscaping is gorgeous. Then, we had dinner at the buffet inside. As expensive as the buffet was (I think it was about fifteen bucks a person), it was still cheaper than a caterer, and there was a lot of variety, more than there would be from a caterer.
The next morning, his family and mine met at Brennan’s Restaurant in New Orleans for breakfast. Then, we went our separate ways for the weekend.
The whole wedding and weekend were very nice. 
Robin
Featherlou, you’re smart to buy the cake from Safeway. Last year, we (my two sisters and two brothers) gave my parents a 50th anniversary celebration at Morton’s of Chicago in Tysons Corner, limousine ride, and cake. It was my job to get the cake. I went to a couple of expensive bakeries who wanted big bucks for a small cake and wouldn’t put a picture of my mom and dad at their reception on top of the cake. Finally, I went to Giant’s ( a supermarket in the Washington D.C. area) and got the cake. They agreed to copy the picture on top of the cake. The decorations were beautiful and the cake and frosting were fresh and delicious. Sometimes, the ordinary supermarkets do better than the exclusive bakeries. They’re certainly less pretentious.