If you have never catered for a large group of people, it's important to understand how much of an undertaking this can be. This is not to say it can't be done. With the right equipment, planning, and people, you can self-cater an event of any size. The thing is, this is your wedding day and you don't want to be spending time in the kitchen wearing your wedding dress.

One solution for people on a budget is to hire a catering company to do some of the work. Let them prepare things like salads and side dishes, or perhaps just the meats or desserts. If you will be serving hot foods, hiring a caterer can be nearly as cost effective as what it will cost to rent chafer dishes to keep food hot.

Another benefit of hiring a catering service is that it frees up your guests to enjoy your celebration with them. Oftentimes friends and family members will offer to help serve food at self-catered events. If you choose this option, consider asking several people to cover one hour shifts. That way all of the guests have an equal opportunity to enjoy the festivities and aren't stuck doing all the work.

Before you do anything, sit down and develop a menu. Consider the needs of the guests who will be attending. Do they have any health issues such as diabetes? Is anyone allergic to shellfish or peanuts or chocolate? Will any vegetarians be in attendance?

Next, consider when your event will take place. Will you be catering a rehearsal dinner? Do you want to serve a brunch or five-course dinner? Typically, different foods are served for different times. Serving a brunch will cost considerably less than serving a full lunch or dinner. You can find a variety of wedding menus posted online.

Finally, how many guests will be attending? If your guest list rises above 125 people, you'll need to rent a commercial kitchen, along with a hall or venue large enough to accommodate your group. More often than not, you will need to budget for the cost of servers and meat carvers unless you are able to locate a venue that allows your friends and family to prepare and serve the food.

There is an abundance of information available via the Internet regarding wedding catering. The Food Network offers a nice selection of wedding recipes. Take a look at the catering menus offered by local caterers, or type in "wedding catering menus" to review the options available. Perhaps you'll be inspired by what you find.

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