Cook Talk

Wedding
Carmen
08/11/13 		Overwhelmed - daughters wedding - she wants a "grazing" type atmosphere. Menu - Swedish meatballs, chicken dummies, smoked salmon, chicken wraps, brisket, smoked turkey, fruit & veggie trays, pickles & olives, deviled eggs, pinwheels, cheese cubes & crackers, hot cheese dip, artichoke dip - help I'm not sure of how much food to prepare for 140 guests
ellen
08/12/13 		Carmen,

This is a long party (most last 3-4 hours) and thus requires a different approach than a shorter party. Also, since it is over a meal time, you need to end up with at least 1 1/2 pounds of food per adult guest, even if it is all noshes and bites.

A party this size takes 3 people not in the wedding party in the kitchen and at least 8 people not in the wedding party to set up, serve and clean up on the day of the party. You and the rest of the wedding party will be too busy to do this job, and badly done, it can ruin the day. So line up the help now.

For this size party, you need at least 2 serving lines and 3 is better. Where will you be serving? Are there tables and chairs for all the guests? How many are children?

Are you doing this at home or in a hired kitchen?
Do you have any prior experience with this size party?
What is your budget? Even self catered, the menu above is about $30 per person.

Write back and I will try to help.

Carmen
08/12/13 		I have lined up plenty of help with family members. I have helped with weddings before, but it is usually been a sit-down dinner type. Basically what is happening here is a cocktail party and a 10 minute ceremony interrupts the party. I have plenty of eating tables, but this group will be standing around eating, drinking, and dancing. There is no wedding party per say, only her sister. I plan on doing some food myself and order some from a caterer. I have a layout of 3 huge round tables full of food, already planned how to organize it on tables and a full kitchen with many roaster pans to keep the food warm. We were trying to stay away from "lines" and have a "grazing" type of thing. There will only be about 10 kids there. I just don't know how much food to get. My goal was to have a nice variety, but with so many choices, I wasn't sure how much to get. Soo this is my problem. Guests arriving at 4:15 and told to immediately partake of food & drink with Michele Buble music. Bride and father walk into venue at 5:03 with everyone standing or sitting, (no isle) short ceremony by judge (grooms uncle), then cut cake! Soo focus will be on food, drinks & dancing for this wedding, not dresses, shoes, & tuxes. So I want the food to be good :)
ellen
08/13/13 		OK, that is helpful. You need about 10 bites the first hour, 6 each following, so about 6 hours, looking at 40 or so "bites". A bite is one deviled egg half, 1 pinwheel, 1 ounce meat/meatballs, 1 drummie, and so on.

Swedish meatballs, 10 pounds per 100, about 3 quarts sauce per 100,
drummies, 2-3 per person. Real legs are often cheaper, 2 per person
smoked salmon, 1 pound per 6
need 1 ounce cream cheese1 teaspoon capers, 1 ounce bagel crisps or similar crackers per person,
brisket, at least 1/4 pound raw per person and 1/3 would not be too much, minimum. Cook low and slow to reduce shrinkage, cook ahead and slice cold, then reheat tightly wrapped in foil with some broth.
need mustard, slider rolls, 2 per person
smoked turkey, 1 pound per 6-8

chicken wraps, 2-3 bites per person
pinwheels, 3 per person

fruit trays- 1 1/2 the deluxe tray for 100 on the fruit tray page

veggie trays,
pickles & olives,
consider doing 2 of the classic relish trays on the veggie tray page. Otherwise, about 1 gallon each pickles and olives, and see veggie tray page for veggies and dip

deviled eggs, I do 4 1/2 dozen eggs to get 100 pieces, would do at least 9 dozen for this party

cheese cubes & crackers, 1 pound cheese per 10, some can be logs or spreads, 6-8 pounds crackers per 100

hot cheese dip, 1 cup per 4
artichoke dip, 1 cup per 4
dippers- at least 2 ounces, some could be chips, some bread bites

If this saves you time, trouble or money, please make a donation, maybe a dime per person, to support this site. Thanks.

Re:
Name:
E-Mail: (optional)
 
Message
Body