Thank You
Kathy
03/17/06 		I just wanted to thank you for all your help in helping with the portions, etc. for my daughter's reception. We couldn't have asked for a more gorgeous spring day - the wedding was outside at the bayside and the reception was indoors with beer and wine set up inside screened porch areas at the bayside. The food was wonderful and there was plenty. I had so many compliments on the pasta salad (one from your big pots section), and the black eyed pea salad still has people asking for the recipe. Your help with portions was invaluable. Also your advice on how to budget time etc. was great. We did have a couple of amusing happenings - one being a guest decided to have a look see at just what someone really wears under a kilt (we had a bagpiper) - I can now say with exact certainty that a Scotlander wears shoes and socks under the kilt and nothing more. It was a sight I could have done without. Next, there was a very large, well attended arts and craft festival going on at the art center and outdoor park located just next door to the wedding. We wondered why we had so many more guest than anticipated. We were expecting no more than 150. We sat out 150 chairs and every chair was filled and there were more people standing than sitting. Our best count was over 300 present and they began arriving before noon for a 4:00 wedding. We assumed it was the grooms family and friends because they were all from out of town and we hadn't met them. We spoke to them, mingled, etc. When all was said and done, we finally realized that neither the grooms family nor us knew more than 100 of these people. They thought the tables and food were set up as a part of a free activity by the city for the arts festival next door. Since our flowers and chairs were set up outside they didn't realize it was a wedding. They heard the music from the Dj and saw wine and beer and meandered on in. Fortunately we had plenty of food - they were all pleasant and after many realized their mistake quite a few of them signed the guest book wishing my daughter and her new husband well and many left them a cash gift since they had inadvertently attended their wedding. Our univited guest left more than $1500.00. It was actually amusing and we didn't expect anyone to give them anything - it was an honest mistake, but it sure added to the honeymoon funds. It was definitely not a boring wedding. Again thank you so much for your help. I could have never figured out a complete menu and amounts to serve without your help. One thing I did learn though is - the more alcohol you serve - the less food you need. You wre definitely right about help - you need a lot of people to help serve and help clean up. THANK YOU.
ellen
03/18/06 		What a story! Sounds like you got a lot of use out of my tendency toward generous portions! Thank you very much for taking the time to report your results.
Susan
05/26/06 		Need to echo thanks for this great site, which was invaluable in planning a meal for 180 for my parents' anniversary - I had only cooked for about 20-25 people before. Thankfully I had lots of help. I also used the pasta salad recipe, though made it vegetarian, and the guidelines for portioning and amounts were very helpful. We received many good comments from the guests.