Wedding buffet make-ahead dishes ideas please

*debbie*

Hi I've just been asked to do a wedding buffet for my friends do in February (ages away but I'm worrying already!). I've got a lot of ideas, as I've catered for lots of parties of 40 or so, but I've never done for so many before.

Basically, I'd love any ideas on how to work out quantities for this many people. The food I'm preparing is for a lunch do and the cake will be cut and served at this time. The close family etc are staying for a sit dowm meal 4 hours later, so probably don't need too much to eat.

Help!!

Thanks
Debbie

Addiscomber

I have various articles saved from Woman's Weekly from years ago (but after freezers were invented ) that cover this sort of topic. We are going out shortly, and have to buy a new oven this afternoon :mad: :mad: :mad: (since when did ovens only last 5 years or so???) but I will look them out for you in the next day or so and let you have some information. Feel free to PM me to remind me if you don't see anything by Wednesday evening.

*debbie*

Thanks Addiscomber, aren't you amazing to know what was in the magazines, AND to know where to lay your hand on them now! :T I know what you mean about the ovens, my last one (7 years old) died a memorable death the day of my mother-in-law's birthday meal (at our house!!) when the glass fell out of the door. :mad:

gingin_2

With regards to quantities it is very difficult but at a buffet I would tend to assume that people will eat more than they would do at a regular meal, if it were me I would assume that each person would consume a large plate and a further half plate of foods for seconds.

For example if you were serving chicken pieces and salmon, I would assume that each person would try one piece of each.

Maybe it is just me and my family of greedy guts but I would assume that most people would eat more than usual at these events as it's free and a good excuse to let you hair down.

*debbie*

It is a cold buffet I'm doing, I thought I'd put in the ideas I have, obviously I'm not thinking of doing ALL of these!!

Open sandwiches fillings: ham and mustard
Egg mayonaisse
Prawn mayonaisse
Cream cheese and smoked salmon
Beef and horseradish

Green salad – lettuce, cucumber, green pepper, spring onion
French dressing served separately.
Mini sausages / sausage rolls
Nice crisps eg tortillas,
Whole poached salmon ?too expensive?
Coleslaw
Potato salad
Rice salad
Tuna pasta salad
French bread and butter served separately
Mini quiches
Cold meats
? crudites and dips – these sometimes look a mess after a few people have had some.

thanks for the help so far... anyone fancy coming to cook in February!!:D

dolly_day_dream

*debbie* wrote:

I know what you mean about the ovens, my last one (7 years old) died a memorable death the day of my mother-in-law's birthday meal (at our house!!) when the glass fell out of the door. :mad:

:rotfl: :T :rotfl: thank you so much for cheering me up on such a rainy day

gingin_2

*debbie* wrote:

Whole poached salmon ?too expensive?

I think poached salmon for 150 could be very expensive, if you were to do it I would cut it into small slices before hand as people could take too much. If you are looking for a cold protein you could roast some chicken pieces beforehand and serve those cold, they would be much better value.

shell2001

When we got married we had a whole salmon but for some reason I think it discoloured slighty (or something like that - was 13 years ago and thanks to 2 kids memory is not what is was) so DH turned it into a salmon mouse, looked fab and went much further.

BLACKHURSTM

I usually start by working out a rough menu.
Then you need to do 1 to 1 1/4 plates of food per person
Therefore if you do 150 chicken portions it would be equivilant to 15 plates of food
225 slices of various meats would be equal to 15 plates of food
50 eggs would be 5 plates
50 sandwiches 15 plates
1 large bowl of salad would be equal to 3 plates of food
large bowl of coleslaw 3 plates of food
so as long as you have a selection it would balance out ok
etc etc
So the total amount of food needs to be the equivelent of 150 plates of food.sorry if it's not too clear,but hopefully you get the drift.
If you have the right foods you can hold some in reserve and add to the buffet as you go,eg if you do things like pork pies you can put out 4 and if they are moving open a couple more,if you have over purched they can stay in the fridge and no doubt get used at A later date.best if you have someone filling up as you go along,as done in hotels that way the table always looks tidy and full.The less you put uot the more left in the fridge in the correct storagew temp.As a rule only 50% of people will have a dessert.So to be on the safe side have enough for most but sellect desserts that can go back in the freezer.Keep it as simple. as you can. Fresh fruit salad suits all diets and especially diabetics leave out the sugar.
3 golden rule
planning
planning
planning
You are on the right track you have already started rules 1 to 3 good luck
Oh I have catered for upto 7500 people so I have a little experiance.

nickyc_2

hi, we catered my sister's wedding (can't think why now!) and had a sit down cold buffet for about 120..can't remember quanties etc but the way we laid it out may help..

It was a kind of fish bone layout, so really long table down the middle for the food and then tables for people to sit down at along each side. The food was "repeated" down the centre table with enough in each "repeat" for the tables on either side. So for example plate of salmon, plate of chicken, salad, bread and then repeat salmon, chicken, salad, bread. That way each pair of tables (on either side of the main one) had enough food and didn't have to wander around looking for something else or worry about being at the end of the queue and not getting something.

It was handy for us as well so work out how much we need of each food.

Hope this makes sense.

*debbie*

I can't believe how many responses I've had, you are all so helpful, I'm really grateful. Just a little nervous...! I'm very flattered to be asked of course, but I just keep thinking of all these important details I need to sort out!:eek:
Keep the great ideas rolling in, I need all the help I can get!