Can anyone help with my wedding food and wine?

[delmonton]

We're getting married week after next and I'm in a slight flap over the food and drink.

It's at our house, but we are having too many people to attempt any sort of food requiring plates so I am in the process of booking canapés. Have found a really great chef who will be cooking out of our kitchen and agreed the menu.

BUT I'm clueless about quantities. Apparently the canapés are a big bite size, not titchy. Maybe two mouthfuls. Quite rich (lots of duck, tuna, etc.)

We are expecting 70 adults plus about 10 children old enough to eat the food. I've suggested 810 canapés - 1 sushi, 5 savoury and 2 sweet on the basis of 90 people. Does that sound like loads or not enough? There is wedding cake too. Guests arrived at 3pm and can stay as long as they like. I will also put out cheese and pate and bread etc. in the evening, for those who stay very late.

Also, we were going to have prosecco and wine but I would like the prosecco to last a good few hours. How many bottles should I get? Plus I was going to fill the fridge with kid options for food and drink, as there will be some who won't like the food. Beer? A non-alcoholic punch?

Sorry to be so clueless, I would really appreciate opinions

[fl0b0t]

Congratulations! Sounds lovely and don't worry whatever happens, it's your wedding and it will be amazing, whether the food and drink are 100% perfect or not!

For the prosecco- think 6 that there's (champagne size) glasses to a bottle. I'd allocate at least half a bottle per adult if you can afford it- remember if there's any leftover that's great! Not everyone will be drinking, not everyone likes prosecco- so that's a good start. If you can afford it- go for 3/4 bottle per adult guest. Any leftover can be enjoyed by you and husband at your own pace after the wedding.

Canape's sound great- again not everyone will eat the same amount, you'd rather have too much than too little!

In terms of other drinks- I think at our wedding (which we catered outselves) there was red and white wine, and some beer, pimms & lemonade as it was summer and then apple juice/ extra lemonade for non-drinkers. Nothing needs to be fancy, but if you can keep it all cold (you can get massive cool boxes from a company called Igloo) and have sliced lemon and lime in bowls of cold water if can hide a multitude of sins!

Keep nibbles for kids simple (kids have simple tastes on the whole!)- so sausages, sausage rolls, bread, breadsticks, vegetable sticks (probably without dip as that spells messy trouble) and things like that! Twiglets/ snacky nibbles also good!

Let us know how it all goes! Our wedding was very "self done" so please feel free to PM if you need any last minute advice!

[couldtryharder]

In a previous life I was an events manager and we would generally allow for 5 canapes per person for a function. But it might depend on how long the do goes on for, or more importantly how much cash you have to spend on it.

In terms of drinks, we would allow for a bottle of wine to give us 5 glasses and fizz to give us six glasses per bottle. Pretty sure places like Majestic do cases and bottles on sale or return, so any you don't get through (and don't want to keep) can be taken back. You should also be able to get glasses from them too. If you don't have one on your doorstep, I've got a feeling that they will still do glasses and deliver up to 10 miles away from one of their shops so might be worth checking on their website.

Have fun!

[delmonton]

Thanks so much for posting Flobot and Could!

I will let you know how it goes, feeling pretty relaxed about the whole thing now!

I love the lemon and lime in cold water idea.

I might try and hunt down a nice non-alcoholic winter cocktail recipe. Any excuse to dust off the punch bowl...

I catered my parents golden wedding earlier this year, that was 50 people, but a much tighter budget.

[Iheartcrunchiebars]

Hi Delmonton

Congratulations for next week! We self catered our wedding so understand the flap! We worried about half a bottle each and went for a whole bottle. We got through most of it but everyone was hammered! (Classy!) half a bottle will be fine if its more of a family/afternoon wedding. A big cheese board will be great for people in the evening.

I got our wine from waitrose online which you'd think would be expensive but it was much cheaper than Tesco etc and I think they delivered for free.

Good luck and have a brilliant day!

[fl0b0t]

Yes, forgot to say that majestic are a great call-in sale or return and real quality wine!

[fl0b0t]

How did it go?!

[delmonton]

Flob thanks so much for checking back on me!

Wedding was totally amazingly brilliant! Well, we thought so.

We got a chef in to make canapés. Worked out comparatively cheap, food was delicious. Bought enormous amount of champagne and wine at Majestic. Drank pretty much all of it.

It was very relaxed, and we both really enjoyed it.

[fl0b0t]

Hurrah good news! And congrats x