Whether you’re having a backyard wedding or a formal seated arrangement in an event venue, one of the biggest decisions you’ll make for your wedding reception, wedding dinner, or any sort of wedding-related cocktail party is the type of food you will serve. There are endless possibilities when it comes to catering or providing sustenance yourselves, so today I wanted to quickly break down a few thoughts and things to consider to help you make your choice.

THERE IS NO WRONG CHOICE

The first comment I wanted to make is to remind all brides that there is no wrong choice in terms of what you choose to prepare or order for the wedding day. The most important things to remember are that your choice suits your wedding budget suits you as an individual, and will help you feel less stressed about the whole ordeal.

If asking a few aunts to prepare several pies for the dessert spread fits your wedding theme and budget better than outsourcing to a caterer, do it! The result is that the aunts will be prepping and delivering (and will likely help serve!) your pies and you can rest easy.

Alternatively, if you’d prefer to only rely on professionals and allow your guests to sit back and relax the entire day, then maybe outsourcing all dessert options to a caterer is a better option for you.

REMEMBER THE SETTING

When you’re choosing what food to serve, keep in mind how guests will be eating. If there aren’t many tables, don’t serve food that needs to be cut on your plate. If you’re celebrating open house-style, compile more appetizer-like food than entrees to suit the flow of the crowd — a.k.a., things that are easier to eat while walking or standing and don’t take very long to consume so the eating areas and lines don’t get held up.

Another consideration is your location. If you’re outside in summer, opt for some colder options, like ice cream and lots of refreshing beverages. If you’re all packed into a banquet hall with lots of dancing bodies, you still might want to opt for some more refreshing drinks and keep the food options light, like salads and small sandwiches.

HOMEMADE ISN’T ALWAYS CHEAPER

One of the biggest discoveries I’ve made in all my years assisting with and attending so many weddings is that when all is said and done, simply because you prepared the food from scratch at home doesn’t mean you spent less money, especially when the time and effort you invested are factored in. Professional caterers have the equipment and the orders to receive discounted goods and bulk prices on things that you can’t get. AND they have the processes and manpower to get everything prepped correctly and on-time because that’s their job. It’s something to consider when you’re weighing your options!

Ultimately, I want your wedding day to be a spectacularly joyful and stress-free day for you. If that can happen as a result of making your own food and using that budget to make the day even better in another way, then do it! Or if completely outsourcing all the food, set-up, and serving to a professional caterer feels less stressful, then I’m all for it.

I love answering questions about wedding planning — what other questions can I answer for you?