Wedding for 300
Susan Schindler
01/28/12 		For an appetizer only afternoon wedding how many pieces do you estimate? I was thinking 4 per person? It will be about 2 hours and then they will have cake. Wedding is at 2:00 p.m. so before dinner. Thanks.
ellen
01/29/12 		About 10-12 pieces per person.
Gwen
02/25/12 		We are planning a September wedding buffet (self -serve) and dance 6-12PM for 300 guests. I would appreciate any help or suggestions that you can provide. This list is my best guess. If you can suggest adjustments it would be great.
Thanks in advance for your help.

Green bean casserole: 60(15oz) cans green beans, 15 (10.75oz) cans soup, 15 (6oz) cans French onions, 20 cups milk
Baked beans: 6 gallons
Frozen corn: 20 lbs. 10 sticks butter
Fluff salad: 5 cans (21oz) cherry pie filling, 5cans (20oz) crushed pineapple, 5 (14oz) cans sweetened condensed milk, 10 (8oz) containers cool whip
Cheesy potatoes: 40 lbs. hash browns, 20 (10.75) cans soup, 40 cups cheese, 320 oz. sour cream, 10 sticks butter, 30 cups corn flakes.
Oriental coleslaw 5 gallons: 10 heads of cabbage, 20 pkg. ramen noodles, 5 cups oil, 10 cups almonds, 5 cups sunflower seeds, 3 cups vinegar, 5 bunches green onions, 5 cups sugar.
2”hard rolls: 27 dozen.
Pickles: 6 quarts.
Vegetable trays: 3 lbs. broccoli, 4 lbs. carrots, 3 lbs. cauliflower, 3 heads celery, 4 large cucumbers, 2 pounds mushrooms, 4 green and 4 red peppers, 4 pints grape tomatoes, 8 (6oz) cans olives, 28 pints thick dip.
Cheese trays: 6 lbs. pepper jack, 6 lbs. Colby, 6 lbs. cheddar. (? 3 cheese balls)
Crackers: 9 boxes (648 crackers)
BBQ sauce: 3 gallons
Chicken legs (350 legs)
Pulled pork: 85 lbs. uncooked
Briskets: 85 lbs. uncooked
Ice: 300lbs
Soda: 60 - 2 liter bottles (I will also have tea)
4 cases white wine
3 cases white zinfandel
4 cases red wine
3 cases mascato
Beer: 18 – 24 packs

ellen
02/25/12 		You will need at least 4 people in the kitchen and about 15 servers to set up, serve and clean up. Local churches can be good sources, or diners that close after lunch.

Since this is a long party, I would break up the food into appetizers, dinner, and dessert phases.

Appetizer areas (you need 3 similar for 300 people):

Vegetable trays: 3 lbs. broccoli, 4 lbs. carrots, 3 lbs. cauliflower, 3 heads celery, 4 large cucumbers, 2 pounds mushrooms, 4 green and 4 red peppers, 4 pints grape tomatoes, 8 (6oz) cans olives, 28 pints thick dip. Light, I would increase the carrots, tomatoes, cauliflower. At least 3 quarts of olives; I usually allow 2 quarts per 100.
Cheese trays: 6 lbs. pepper jack, 6 lbs. Colby, 6 lbs. cheddar. (? 3 cheese balls) I allow 18 pounds PER 100 for this type event.
Crackers: 9 boxes (648 crackers); I allow 6 pounds per 100 for this.
Add fruit trays (see fruit tray page) or one other choice. 2-3 ounces or items per person
Have lemonade or another non-alcoholic punch- 10 gallons, and since this is a drinking crowd, consider 10 gallons my High Wire Gallery white wine sangria, or another alcoholic punch

Dinner:
Chicken legs (350 legs)
Pulled pork: 85 lbs. uncooked
Briskets: 85 lbs. uncooked- at least 100 pounds raw
Green bean casserole: 60(15oz) cans green beans, 15 (10.75oz) cans soup, 15 (6oz) cans French onions, 20 cups milk- OK. Get #10 cans of beans and family size soup- or switch to my "Better green bean casserole" on the Big pots page (top section) and make 5 times the recipe
Baked beans: 6 gallons- OK if they are not heavy bean eaters; I usually do 3 gallons per 100
Frozen corn: 20 lbs. 10 sticks butter- I would do at least 50 pounds- 22-24 per 100

Cheesy potatoes: 40 lbs. hash browns, 20 (10.75) cans soup, 40 cups cheese, 320 oz. sour cream, 10 sticks butter, 30 cups corn flakes. OK

Oriental coleslaw 5 gallons: 10 heads of cabbage, 20 pkg. ramen noodles, 5 cups oil, 10 cups almonds, 5 cups sunflower seeds, 3 cups vinegar, 5 bunches green onions, 5 cups sugar.
Since this is your green salad, do at least 6

Fluff salad: 5 cans (21oz) cherry pie filling, 5cans (20oz) crushed pineapple, 5 (14oz) cans sweetened condensed milk, 10 (8oz) containers cool whip Not enough. You need about 250 1/2 cup servings to serve 300.

2”hard rolls: 27 dozen. I would do 37 dozen for 300. Butter 6-8 pounds

Pickles: 6 quarts.I usually allow 1 gallon per 100, and make some bread and butter or sweet.

Beverages:
Ice: 300lbs
Soda: 60 - 2 liter bottles (I will also have tea)OK see beverage planning page for assortment
4 cases white wine
3 cases white zinfandel
4 cases red wine
3 cases moscato
If you are going to drink a toast, 1 regular bottle pours 5-6 glasses. You have enough for about 2 glasses per person

Beer: 18 – 24 packs OK
Add: dinner level coffee at cake time- see beverage planning page

Gwen
02/26/12 		You are awesome!
Thanks for the quick response.

I will add fruit trays: 3 (18 lbs.) watermelons, 4 pineapples, 3 cantaloupes, 3 honey dew, 4 lbs. strawberries, 4 lbs. green grapes, and 4 lbs. red grapes with 7 quarts dip. Do you think this will be enough?

I would love to prepare and freeze the green bean casserole and the cheesy potatoes ahead of time and then bake them the morning of the wedding. Along with freezing the prepared smoked meat and rewarming it. I am renting warmers to hold the food. Do I bake or do anything to my recipes differently knowing that they will be in a warmer for a while (I don’t want them to dry out)
How much ahead of time can I bake the dishes? How long can these foods sit in a warmer and still be safe?
How long do you usually bake a casserole in a 12x20x41/2pan? (I will have 4 9x13 recipes in each pan)

ellen
02/26/12 		If you use the canned beans, it is awfully easy to do the green beans day of, and no refrigeration. And the potatoes cook quickly if the potatoes have been thawed in the refrigerator.

Ok to freeze the smoked meats, best less than 1 month.

It helps to sauce the brisket as well as the pork to hold without drying out. Aim for 2 hours or less for holding-

Those larger pans when full of cold food take at least an hour and a half in preheated ovens. Use a thermometer to check they reach 180 in the middle before transferring to warmers.