Self-catering

It doesn't have to be just you of course, family and friends can be brought in to help! If you have the reception at home this could be an option but it takes a lot of planning and borrowing freezer space from friends and neighbours. It is possible though, one of my friends from work did it with great success. She recommended the following:

• Plan well in advance and do practice runs – don't forget to account for increased quantities.
• Divide the burden between willing helpers. (They had 'Team Kate' who did a wonderful buffet for the main course and 'Team Sarah' who made a selection of puddings and the wedding cake. )
• Don't underestimate how much freezer space you'll need, or how long it will take to defrost properly.
• Don't be too ambitious – a sit down meal for anything more than twenty guests is likely to be a big headache.
• Arrange to hire crockery and glasses – don't forget cutlery either.

Another option to consider is seeing whether your local restaurant would consider catering for an external event.

Options at hired wedding venues

Many venues that host wedding receptions offer packages that cover all of the catering requirements, from welcoming canapes to evening buffet. Many have set menus, or several options for each course that you can choose from to make your own menu. It makes it much easier to budget for, and you don't have to stress about anything at all. Plus there's no washing up or clearing up afterwards!

Canapes on arrival are a good idea, they stop the guests from keeling over, don't forget that many may have travelled a long way for the ceremony and not eaten for a few hours. If you have lots of them with the welcoming drinks you might be able to just go straight into the main course instead of having a separate starter.

Simple menus keep most people happy

Whilst it's tempting to pick interesting items for the guest, a simple menu may be the best way to keep everyone happy. Your guests will have different tastes so if you go for simple and popular it may not be the most exciting but your guests will be more likely to enjoy the food. You could always have a more adventurous desert choice.

Don't forget to send out a note with the invites asking guests about any food allergies or vegetarian needs.

Modern buffets are a good option

There's always the buffet option too, they aren't just sausage rolls and vol-au-vents anymore. It gives more flexibility in offering two or three choices for the main course plus a vegetarian option. Professional caterers will know how to organise things so that the queues are kept to a minimum and for hot buffets they often provide staff to serve.

A finger buffet may be good in the evening as guests are less likely to be very hungry if there's been a big meal in the day. It's best to order meals for half the number of guests otherwise there will be loads left over. If you've got a chocolate fountain going too this will be even more likely.

You could go for something a little more different by having a barbeque or even a spit roast if your big day is in the summer but you'd have to make sure that there's a contingency plan for bad weather.

Hiring external catering companies

There's always the option of getting external caterers into the venue, if it's allowed. Check when you make initial enquiries, some consider this if a higher charge is paid for the room hire.

Different catering companies have different ways of costing so when getting firm quotes, be sure to ask for a full break down because some charge more for certain menu choices if they have to use heavy pots and pans. The other thing to bear in mind is that if you use caterers for a marquee wedding, you might end up paying much more as they may need to bring fridges and ovens and generators to power them for use on the site.

Ask potential caterers if they're familiar with the venues that you're considering. If they are, they can often provide good advice on timing, how to lay out the tables and how many people can be comfortably seated.

Hmm, lots to think about, can you feel a list coming on?