Finger-food buffet - keeping the cost down

weebit

Hello,

I'm getting married in June 2013 in London. I've been looking at various caterers for a finger-food cold buffet for our wedding for apx 120 guests, but I can't believe the prices some caterers charge! In my original plan, I budgeted £1000 for food, but some quotes I've got back are around the £3000+VAT mark!

Can anyone recommend ways to cutting down the cost of this short of going to Asda the day before and making it all ourselves! Also, any good but cheap caterer recommendations are welcome.

Thanks.

HappyMJ

weebit wrote: »

Hello,

I'm getting married in June 2013 in London. I've been looking at various caterers for a finger-food cold buffet for our wedding for apx 120 guests, but I can't believe the prices some caterers charge! In my original plan, I budgeted £1000 for food, but some quotes I've got back are around the £3000+VAT mark!

Can anyone recommend ways to cutting down the cost of this short of going to Asda the day before and making it all ourselves! Also, any good but cheap caterer recommendations are welcome.

Thanks.

Get a friend who isn't too close to you and the proceedings to do it for you and pay them a little for their time and effort.

jenhug

get a pizza place to do you a deal?
Local chippy?

penguingirl

My neighbours did a chippy tea at their wedding and it was fab!

johannalf88

Wow that is a lot! Even for London!

We did an afternoon tea (so basically finger food) at £12 a person. We then did fish and chips in the evening at roughly £5 pp. This was on the South Coast, so I expect the price to be a little less than London for the afternoon tea (I know how much fish n chips can be in London !! :eek: )

I think if I got an afternoon tea with service, vintage tea cups etc for that price your budget is not too unreasonable! Maybe try looking for smaller caterers in the nearby counties?? Try going in to individual cafes nearby? The place I used to work in now has a side catering business, so you may be lucky??

PixieDust

Is there a pub in the area that serves food? You could ask around and see if any of them will provide a buffet

Scotsbride

What!!! ours cost £6 per head including VAT for 53 people. I get some other quotes remember your cake can do dessert and we had far to much food at our wedding 80% was wasted afternoon tea or canapays will probably work out cheaper hot food usuall cost more than cold too.

weebit

I think I'm probably going for the wrong caliber of caterer! We haven't confirmed our venue yet, i'm just trying to get ahead of the game on it really. i'll see when we have our venue confirmed what our options are

random132

We have the same problem for the evening. Probably a bit too DIY from your original post but considering getting some platters from Sainsburys

http://www2.sainsburys.co.uk/food/delipartyplatter/platters/instore-party-platter-service.htm