Budget Catering Ideas
Without a doubt, one of your largest invoices for your wedding or event will be for catering. Feeding people is just expensive, full stop. Eating and drinking at weddings and events go hand in hand! Guests arrive and they’re almost instantly looking for food and water!
In addition, you know what’s more expensive than feeding a few people? It’s feeding a lot of people! The average wedding guest list is approximately one hundred people. Imagine if each guests takes three canapés – that’s a bill for 300 canapés. You can see how costs can add up quickly.
Today on the blog we’re looking at the best ideas we’ve seen for keeping catering within budget. With some small sacrifices, you can keep your catering bill under control and guests’ bellies full too. Remember to Google suppliers in your local area to keep delivery costs down and support your local small businesses!
Wood-fired Pizza
Pizza is a fantastic catering option for feeding a crowd on a limited budget. Most pizza trucks will keep making pizza until your crowd stops eating. Some even offer dessert pizza options so you can kill two birds with one stone. All you’ll need is some outside space for the crew to set up. Don’t forget your guests will need to visit the pizza truck themselves to be served so just allow time for this in your evening’s schedule.
BBQ Buffet
A BBQ buffet can cut down on costs but keep bellies full. Most BBQ offerings will involve a buffet where the food keeps coming out and guests can visit the buffet to serve themselves. Just remember to chat about the details such as serving ware and table clearing. You may be able to hire additional wait staff to clear tables but just remember this may not be included. Cleaning up after buffet can be a task in itself so you may require extra helpers.
Taco Bar
Mad about Mexican? You and most people! A taco bar is an easy and inexpensive way to feed your mob. Chicken, beef or pork fillings can be kept warm in slow cookers for guests to serve themselves into warmed taco shells or wraps. Other items for your tacos such as cheese and lettuce are budget friendly and can be bought in bulk cheaply at places like Costco. A taco bar gives an interactive buffet vibe. A few corn chips on the side and – ole!
Grazing Table
Grazing tables can be a fantastic way to feed your crowd. Guests can pick and choose their favourites and there’s way more variety than “chicken or fish”. Grazing tables are fantastic as a substitute entree or dessert. There’s so many ways they can be themed to suit. From cheese to cannoli there’s literally endless ways to create a delicious grazing table that will keep guests coming back for more.
Dessert Night
If your budget is tight, consider starting your event a little later. Clearly communicate on your invitation that the event is for dessert only. Dessert is such a fun way to spoil your guests without the expense of a full sit down meal. DIY a pavlova bar or gelato station. If dessert only has opened up your budget, splurge on an ice cream truck or other dessert supplier to do the worrying for you!
Soup Buffet
There’s nothing better to fill people up and keep things under budget than some delicious soups. This is a great option especially if your event is in winter. Put out some bowls, spoons and baskets piled high with crusty bread and let your guests go to town! There’s so many options for soups available or ask your friends and family to pot luck and bring their favourite along in a slow cooker.
