how much - The PASH Wedding Forums and Message Boards

Jacqueline · #1 01-26-2006, 09:08 PM

how much should you spend on a buffet?

we are having a running buffet for about 200 people from 7pm till 9pm

my dad said he would pay £300 and my FMIL then said she would also pay £300, so now we have £600

on food, i dont think we need that much

what do you all think?

i have no idea what it is in $ sorry

cru5h · #2 01-26-2006, 09:11 PM

Google says the pound to dollar conversion is:
1 British pound = 1.7868 U.S. dollar

So like...
$537 + $537 = $1074
I have no idea how much food will cost you though. It doesn't sound like a whole lot of money for 200 people though.

Marge129 · #3 01-26-2006, 09:14 PM

According to Yahoo Finance
1 pound = $1.78

so... 300 pounds = $534

Marge129 · #4 01-26-2006, 09:15 PM

LOL, Vic, we must have been checking on that at the same time!

Back to the question, I had a sit-down dinner, so I have no idea how much a buffet runs. Sorry.

syringa · #5 01-26-2006, 09:19 PM

I agree with Crush. In the U.S., you would expect to pay at least $12 or more per person for a modest buffet. Plan on double that if you have a carving station. Without knowing what you plan to serve and the cost of food in your area, it would be hard to judge whether that is a reasonable amount to pay. $1074 divided by 200 guests equals $5.37 per person. In the U.S. you might serve a couple of hors d'oeuvres for that. Once you obtain catering menus, you will have a better idea of costs.

Jacqueline · #6 01-26-2006, 09:22 PM

the prob i have is we are doing the food our self

we are not having anything fancy just party food really as thats what both me and dave like and we have a few kids there as well

maybe 600 just seams alot to me as the most i hvae aranged is kids party for 20 people

ladedah · #7 01-26-2006, 10:10 PM

We hired a caterer, who happens to be a friend of ours who is kind of starting out in the business (but so yummy)..and it's going to be $7 a person.

(we have about 200 guests as well)

ARISMOM · #8 01-26-2006, 10:23 PM

Funny, because I was just discussing that w/ my FFIL (he's a chef). He said If we get it catered from where he works, for 200 people, we can look to spend about $1300. (about $6.50 per person) and that's a good deal! but if he makes the food we can spend about $600.
I think It's the area where you live.

can you use the extra money for something else in your wedding?

-Irma

Jacqueline · #9 01-26-2006, 11:14 PM

our wedding is on a tight budget as we dont have alot of money with 3 kids

plus my FIL so far have not come accross with any money so it have fallen on to me and my dad both next to know money

i am in the UK so i am not sure weather what your FFIL has said to you is a good deal or not

Kim&Bob2004 · #10 01-26-2006, 11:30 PM

Since you are doing the food yourselves, I would think you could have a nice buffet for the 1000 bucks or 600 pounds. You will have to have dinner items though becuase of the time frame. A lunch buffet, like what Bob and I had ran us cheaper. BTW we did the food ourselves too. Just hired someone to keep everything full.

Marrying_the_Good_Husband · #11 01-26-2006, 11:34 PM

What the--?!? I'm moving!!

In NJ a buffet would cost at least $70 per person. But that would include an open bar and cocktail hour hors d'ouevres. A sit-down dinner would be $80 to $120 per person (I've seen some places up to $280 per person--I haven't BEEN to those places, but I've seen the brochures

). I can't even IMAGINE a place where you could get food for $6 or $7 per person. I mean, you go to a restaurant here and ONE DRINK is $12!! But that's why I'm not doing a catering hall this time around. I did the "wedding" thing the first time. Now I'm just doing a cocktail party at home and making all the food myself. I was looking around at caterers and a really measly hors d'ouerves only package is $30 per person--and that only includes like 5 things, no drinks. I figure making it myself I will still spend that much, but I'll have a lot more food.

whiddle · #12 01-27-2006, 12:16 AM

I had my reception during luch hours and I think that the were charging 12.00 for it but you had to buy ALL of your own drinks except for tea or coffee. I had a sit down. I think that you could prepare your own food with that much money but how do you plan on doing it? I mean preparing a buffet for 200 people is not a small task on any day let alone your wedding day.

555Ann555 · #13 01-27-2006, 01:24 AM

I might be able to help...

Our buffet is £6 per person but that's for about 6 different things. The hotel offered sandwiches and little things from £4 per head. Doing it yourself you should be able to spend less than that and have plenty of food

Are you having the meal before this and the buffet after or the buffet on it's own? That will kind of dictate how much food everyone will need.

We're having a meal a few hours before so although we'll have 100 evening guests we're catering the buffet with the bigger range but for less people. I mean we'll go for the £6 per head choice but only get it for 50-60 people. That will be more than enough, I know how it always goes at weddings over here and there is always loads left.

I have an idea if you want to look into it. Do you have Iceland where you are? They have fantastic party food for brilliant prices and most of it is pre-cooked then frozen so all you have to do is chuck it in the oven. I'm pretty sure that range has a lot of buy one get one free offers and 3 for £5 that sort of thing.

I think Asda does some party rages too but I think Iceland has the biggest choice. M&S does glorious party food but it's *really* expensive. It'd be fine if you were having a small party but I'd not be able to afford it for 200!

Give me a shout if you want any help looking around.

cru5h · #14 01-27-2006, 02:43 AM

Ohhh if you're doing it yourself, that's doable. I'm in a touristy everyone-get-married-on-the-beach-and-party-like-rockstars area myself. It's hard to get a good deal when there are so many yuppies around.

Complicated Woman · #15 01-27-2006, 02:10 PM

Around here, if you're getting it catered, there's NO way that would be enough $ and if you were DIY, you might squeak by if you really pinched. I'm so moving to Scotland and having yummy lamb and minted pears and a $7.33 US dollars a head buffet!

ARISMOM · #16 01-27-2006, 02:26 PM

Actually that price is for catering. but even so I guess it is cheaper here in chicago. because if we rent the banquet hall w/ food & open bar. well, the cheapest I have seen is $30 per person. a really nice & elegant one will probably be about $50 per person. and thats also a family-style dinner.

Complicated Woman · #17 01-27-2006, 02:36 PM

The least expensive one I can find here is $65 a person! It's not unusual to pay $80+ a head. Stinking influx of people from NYC, raising the prices of everything up here...

:

Complicated Woman · #18 01-27-2006, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marrying_the_Good_Husband

I was looking around at caterers and a really measly hors d'ouerves only package is $30 per person--and that only includes like 5 things, no drinks. I figure making it myself I will still spend that much, but I'll have a lot more food.

Jen, I highly recommend that Trader Joe's place that the girls were talking about -- I was able to get some really nice food for my birthday. We had a cheese tray -- like, serious cheese (I'm crazy like that) -- nice olives, fresh mozzarella, yummy little mini quiches, these awesome chocolate ganache/raspberry tarts, breads, cured salami in cracked black pepper, a tarte al arasce (sp? Its the French version of pizza), baked brie, whole fruit preserves, drinks and other little things I can't recall -- and I spent about $60 for ten of us to eat like kings. I would have absolutely spent twice as much for food like that anywhere else. If you have one near you, it's worth the trip!

Marrying_the_Good_Husband · #19 01-27-2006, 03:16 PM

Yes! I will ABSOLUTELY go to Trader Joes!

Thanks! I figure between that and my mom's Price Club membership I'll be able to make out really well.

Cirig · #20 01-27-2006, 09:13 PM

MMMMM.... Trader Joe's... OH- they have the best Sushi!!!

And I don't even like the stuff! I just love all of their food. I'm getting hungry.

Back to the topic at hand.. it's hard to say because we don't know the prices around you. Like CW said- it might be doable around here, making everything yourself. But personally I doubt it.

555Ann555 · #21 01-27-2006, 10:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Complicated Woman

Around here, if you're getting it catered, there's NO way that would be enough $ and if you were DIY, you might squeak by if you really pinched. I'm so moving to Scotland and having yummy lamb and minted pears and a $7.33 US dollars a head buffet!

Lol! That's not the buffet! Wish it was

The lamb is from the meal we have for our guests after the wedding ceremony, the buffet is for everyone later at night!
I'm afraid the meal is £25 per head and that wes a *really* good price