DIY evening buffet. How much per head?

costcutterkaz

Now I'm panicing!

My friend is a caterer and is preparing, serving etc. all for free but I'll be paying for the actual food, as it's her job she must have some sort ofbooker/ cash & carry card, but it's still looking expensive as there are certain family you must invite or upset and also we are on a small budget, trying for a very MSE wedding!

jojitsui

It's so hard trying to do it on a budget trying not to upset aunty flo who you haven't seen for a year and friends of the MIL and ..... well the list just goes on

nearlyrich

You would be amazed how little you can spend to put on a great spread at a buffet, I have done loads over the years from wedding night do's to christenings etc and all points between. Forget Tesco for cutlery, watch the £1 shops poundstretcher etc you can get some bargains, watch you don't get plates that are too big it encourages greed but do make sure they are sturdy or the floor will get more than it's fair share when they bend.

I have just been sorting out my food for my upcoming big birthday I have picked a venue where you have to use their caterer but he does a lot of food for not a lot of money which is very MSE, I think I deserve a catered do this time LOL.

MrsDrink

Now I don't know if I dare ask this

Do you think the following sounds about right in terms of plates (i.e. will they be piled too high). Plates are normal dinner sized, and bowls are normal breakfast bowls.

1 plate of ham and tomato on white bread triangle sandwiches (made using 1 loaf of bread).
1 plate of ham and tomato on brown bread triangle sandwiches (made using 1 loaf of bread).
1 plate of turkey and salad on white bread triangle sandwiches (made using 1 loaf of bread).
1 plate of turkey and salad on brown bread triangle sandwiches (made using 1 loaf of bread).
1 plate of tuna mayo and cucumber on white bread triangle sandwiches (made using 1 loaf of bread).
1 plate of tuna mayo and cucumber on brown bread triangle sandwiches (made using 1 loaf of bread).
1 plate of cheese and pickle on white bread triangle sandwiches (made using 1 loaf of bread).
1 plate of cheese and pickle on brown bread triangle sandwiches (made using 1 loaf of bread).
3 bowls of coleslaw (each one containing 1000g -just over 1.5 large tubs).
3 bowls of potato salad (each one containing 1000g - just over 1.5 large tubs).
3 bowls of couscous (each one containing 1000g - just over 1.5 large tubs).
2 plate of porkpies (660g on each - about 1.5 large porkpie).
4 plates of party sausage rolls (each one having 75 on - 1.5 bags of frozen sausage rolls on each one).
2 plates of spring rolls (72 on each one).
3 plates of cocktail sausages (67 on each one).
3 plates of chicken nuggets (67 on each one).
4 plates of quiche (1 400g on each one cut up).
2 plate of mini scotch rolls (60 on each)

I'm trying to get a gauge of how many plates etc I'll be having spread out to see if our work tops are big enough for it all.

TheSeventh

I'd imagine that possible sandwiches made with a whole loaf of bread may be piled a bit precariously on a normal dinner plate, but i'm only guessing.
Perhaps you could have three: cheese-on-white, cheese-on-brown and any cheese plates?
I suppose it depends on how you stack them!

In the past, when my family's done buffet spreads, we've used coloured napkins to indicate what food is what.
Our family has a lot of vegetarians and pescetarians so we put meat foods on red napkins, fish foods on blue, veggie foods on green and sweet foods on yellow or white.

Makes it much simpler for everyone to know what's in what, particularly potentially ambiguous things such as the quiches.