There are many people here with lots of valuable experience with catering and food for parties so I'm sure you'll get some good advice. Are you looking for recipes, too? Your menu looks like it might need something hearty and meaty. Do you have a cuisine theme in mind?

Hi Barnmom --

No cuisine in mind -- the bride-to-be just wants a 'variety' of hors d'oeuvres. I'm also working with a budget of $500 that will cover the food, soda/water and paper products. Sigh...I know.

Recipes would be great!

For $500 I could do a meal...It wouldn't be a shrimp tray and labor intensive stuff....but it would be a real meal.
Buy a ham and bake it...buy an uncooked one...less water and it tastes better and is cheaper...estimate $20 for a 12 pound bone in ham.
Cut it up, slice it thin...freeze the meat for later.
Do the same with a turjey...another $20.
Make about 250 small rolls and freeze them...costs $20, (your labor of course is free!)
Hard boil 3 dozen eggs and make egg salad with extra mustard and lots of chopped parsley. Estimate $7
Cut up a boat load of veggies, serve with a variety of dips
Buy fruits...like bananas, melons, berries, kiwi, cut them up and thread on skewers....estimate $40. Make sheet cake pans full of bars and brownies ( unless you will be having cake....and then I hope that is not in your budget!)
Forget the shrimp....too expensive....make mini ham sandwiches and mini turkey sandwiches. make open face egg salad on cocktail rye. Serve a lovely overflowing bowl of veggies and a veriety of dips. Lots of fruits on skewers. Chips and pretzels and how about a mashed potato bar? Have a chafing dish with mashed white potatoes and amshed sweet potatoes, and if you can rent cocktail glasses that would be good but plastic would work. Serve a scoop of potatoes with a variety of add ons....like chives chopped crisp bacon, chedder cheese, toasted onions and chopped browned apples and cinnamon for the sweets. Also tortilla wraps, sliced are cheap and pretty.
Nice doesn't always have to be expensive...if you can find help with the labor.
Linda C

Is the wedding itself at 3:00, and then the reception to follow or the reception starts at 3:00? I'm with you the closer the reception is to dinner time guests will expect a meal. Something more substantial then hors d'oeuvres.

If you have a Costco or BJ's near you I would shop there. $500 dollars isn't that much for the whole wedding. You need to save money where you can. They have many things like frozen shrimp, chicken tenders, frozen puff shells,etc. that you can make multiple sauces for dipping. You can fill the shells with quiche fillings like bacon and cheese, minced veggies, or custards for desserts. Cut up the cooked chicken tenders put on a bamboo skewer and have dipping sauces for them. Make a slice in the bottom of cherry tomatoes, about 1/2 way through. Pipe in a cream cheese, horseradish, minced olives and sweet pickle mixture.
Good luck with the reception! NancyLouise

Here's a website someone else posted a while back that you may find useful!!

Here is a link that might be useful: appetizers for large groups

I just did a party for my husband and we had hearty appetizers although I did also serve dinner. I made:
baked brie with garlic and onion jam en croute
goat cheese, sun dried tomato and pesto cheesecake
caramelized onion dip and crudite
steamed shrimp dumplings
elegant artichoke cups (recipe from this site)
spanikopita (recipe from this site)
phyllo triangle with goat cheese and sauteed mushrooms

I froze everything ahead except for the artichoke cups and the brie.
I would be happy to provide any recipe if you're interested.

I personally like the idea of all hors d'ouvres rather than sitting down for a full meal. But I, too, would be concerned about people being hungry, esp on that budget. I recommend you supplement with some chafing dishes of cheaper stuff, like a pasta/veggie dish, or a ham like Linda C suggested, etc.

The linked thread has a crab recipe that people seemed to like. Uses just 8oz of crab per 45 servings. That sounds like a good stretch to me.

Here is a link that might be useful: thai crab salad phyllo cups

If my math is correct you are tyring to feed 60 adults and 25 kids on $500? Oh my - that will definitley take some major creativity.

I agree that offering a pasta dish or two is in order if it is creeping towards dinner time. Rolls and butter on the side and a green salad will make it feel like a "meal" and shouldn't cost a bundle.

There are some great suggestions above, you might also consider:

Hummus and pita chips
Chase's Utmost Grilled CHeese

I'll try to think of more and you can look at the attached link - I've made some good stuff from this site.

Good luck

Alexa

Here is a link that might be useful: Perfect Entertaining

I regularly feed 100 people a "funeral lunch" for $150 to $200. That is ofcourse using "real" plates and silver, so there is no expense there....and we don't serve soda just coffee tea lemonade and bottled water.
If you buy and bake a ham and a turkey and cut it up you can make lots of dollar sized sandwiches which will not only be delicious but look lovely if presented well.
I usually serve 2 salads with that....either a pasta salad a marinated veggie salad or a bowl of cut up fruit ( I buy the frozen mix and add fresh things).
If you are doing all finger foods you will want to sub things like crudites for the veggie salad and fruit skewers for the fruit....and you will still have about $300 left for shrimp, or little quiche or whatever.
I would price out the paper goods and table cloths and candles etc....and then see what you have to spend on food.
Linda C

I agree that with $500 the first thing to "go" on my menu would be soft drinks, they are expensive and don't go very far. Iced tea, water, lemonade, coffee and/or a punch bowl would be much more cost effective.

I also think small two or three bite sandwiches would work well and could be as simple as deli ham on a Sam's Club/Costco roll or a bit fancier, like chicken salad in a cream puff type thing or ham on a sweet potato biscuit base. I would second the pasta offering, maybe a prima vera type of thing could be served in small containersNew potatoes, steamed and halved and topped with sour cream and bacon or chives or cheese might be a filling and inexpensive option, although "fiddly". Hummus and pita chips might make a good protein option too. Chase's spanakopita would be a nice and fancier option, as would small squares of Sheshebop's "spinach brownies". How aboutr a toasted ravioli/perogie/wonton type of thing?

Good luck, you've got your work cut out for you. You have basically $5.75 a person, including drinks and paper products. Lots of pasta, bread, and eggs!
Annie

Hi --

Been on vacation; just now getting back to catching up.

Thanks for the great suggestions -- they've been so helpful.

Talked the bride out of soda, but she's firm on the shrimp tray. I've bought trays in the past, but would think that buying frozen shrimp in bulk at Costco would be more cost effective. If this is true, is there a way to assure that the shrimp doesn't have that 'fresh thawed' taste?

I think she has the idea of an elegant 'cocktail party' theme in her head and really doesn't want to push things towards dinner. The reception is at 3:00 and she wants people to feel 'satisfied' and that they can then go out afterwards and have dinner. I've gently tried to explain that at 3pm they will be hungry, but I guess I just have to choose my battles.

Right now, what she really wants:

shrimp tray
meatballs (GFS, but homemade sweet/sour sauce)
mini quiches (Costco)
pita pinwheels
mini eggrolls (Costco)
Puff pastry pizza bites (homemade)
fruit/veggie trays
cheese/crackers
chips/dip

Part of the challenge I'm facing is getting the hot food preparation. The reception is in a friend's backyard and I'll be using chafers and I'll have access to an oven and micro. I'll also have a couple of roasters, but experience has taught me that plugging in more then two at a time will most likely start blowing fuses. LOL.

So, I'd like to supplement with something colder. Was thinking along the lines of maybe deviled eggs? I'll probably do a bean salsa and maybe a layered taco type dip. Anything else that could be prepared ahead of time that wouldn't need to be heated?

Jill -- I'd love your recipe for the Brie spread.

My other pressing question would be estimating - how many meatballs per person, etc? I tend to always overprepare, but this time I'm worried there won't be enough. I know that sometimes it just comes down to being a crap shoot....

Thank you again SO much for your tips and advice!

I think anyone coming to a 3:00 reception will know not to expect a meal. They just ate lunch at noonish, so they won't be that hungry. The snacks planned seem fine if mundane, however, I recently went to a fairly upscale wedding reception and they had a gorgeous catered spread and they had meatballs... the first thing the waiters refilled.
I was munching on the crabcakes and brie...

I remember my reception which was a buffet at a Hilton restaurant and I watched tiny little old ladies carry mile high plates of food to their table.

Hi,
If the reception is at 3:00 the wedding ceremony would be around 2:00 (?) - I don't know if I was invited to the wedding I would be expecting a meal (unless it said lite fair will be served or cocktail reception). I would take Linda suggestion to add to your appys - Sliced ham and turkey - provide small rolls and some spreads.
The bagged Costco frozen shrinp is fine (get the pre-cooked and cleaned) I think it's about 20.00 for 2.5 pounds.
Deviled eggs are a good cold idea. Costco has a mango/peach salsa that is good (kids and adults both enjoy), spinach dip in a bread bowl, bruschetta w/ Italian bread, maybe some kind of cold pasta salad (I just made a penne pasta salad with chopped tomatoes, basil, mini mozzerella balls with Italian dressing.

Here is a link to a site to give you ideas.
http://www.ellenskitchen.com/bigpots/index.html

The brie is very easy but has to be cooked. I take a sheet of thawed puff pastry and roll it out in large square. I just plop a large wheel of brie on top. I spread Stonewall Kitchen garlic and onion jam on top. (found at most gourmet stores and Wild Oats). I fold up the pastry starting at one side and move around. (anyway you do this will look pretty after cooking). (You can prepare to this point the day ahead and wrap in plastic and refrigerate). Brush with egg wash before cooking. Put on parchment paper on cookie sheet. Cook in oven at 375 degrees until golden brown. Let sit about 10 minutes before serving. Serve with crackers and enjoy!

This site has some ideas and estimations for quantities!!

I did a similiar thing for my daughter's wedding in April.
Location had NO oven, fridge or micro and no running water. We had electricity and a sink with a drain.

Ceremony was at 2pm with reception immediately afterward.
We had a VERY small attendance....maybe 40 people total.

But, we had way too much food. Most had eaten lunch and it wasn't really time for an evening meal yet.

Ours was very simple. Cheese, sliced meats and cracker trays, fresh veggie and fruit trays. Salmon dip with crackers. The wedding cake, mints, nuts, etc. Coffee, bottled water and a raspberry punch.

It was easy to plan ahead, prep ahead and have other family members help with set up the day of the wedding while I was busy helping my daughter!

Deanna

Here is a link that might be useful: Growlies for Groups

I use the Seafood Spread from Costco at "snack" parties..It goes over very well. I offer a butter cracker and a wheat craker.

BTW. Here is a picture of the Brie. This one came out more runny than usual.
{{gwi:1556442}}

I happened to catch the last half of a "Barefoot Contessa" program today where she did all finger food for a gallery opening - they didn't even use plates.

They did topiaries out of food - two different shapes. There were two cone-shaped topiaries, one at each end of the table that held spiraling cocktail tomatoes and small fresh mozarella balls - they stuck a toothpick into the food, then stuck it into the styrofoam (I assume they covered it with plastic wrap first). In the middle was a round topiary covered in the same way with strawberries.

In addition to the 4 recipes listed on the website, she also did a platter of figs and prociutto, all together only 5 dishes plus the topiaries.

I thought the table looked so elegant and uncluttered, it made me want to have a party LOL. It also got me thinking how less is more sometimes, and even if you were expecting a fairly large crowd you could do two identical tables and avoid a crush.

It sure would simplify things to only make a half dozen items in quantity, and it sure would limit consumption if you didn't use plates :-)

Becky

Here is a link that might be useful: Barefoot Contessa Canapes and Canvasses Episode

I had a budget like that for a wedding I did.

We had small croissants that I made into sandwiches. You can get really fancy with the fillings. A little cream cheese mixed with pest and chicken with some sun dried tomatoes. Or just simple meats and cheeses.

We also did meatballs in gravy. The meatballs were frozen and were cooked all day in a brown gravy. It was a huge hit.

Lots of fruit. Costco and Sam's are great for bulk fruit.

Unless a client has a large budget it is in my experience very difficult to do a full party like this...Cost is the main concern,you say she is looking for elegant food looking at the list of what is being chosen this to me is not is that relm (please do not take offense) I have a client right now who was on the same page as this bride with 100 guest and a 1200.oo budget I talked her out of this by explaining that the guests would not be satisfied and full and that the amount of food being put out has to flow continuously...Im hoping there is enough ovens as this is more challaging than a full buffet. A 1/2 hour or full hour of pass arounds by waitress service may be an option before opening a samll food buffet. I can rack up $100 at costco just in shrimp to feed a crowd that big (having a sufficient amount)

It's kind of hard to do a cocktail party without an investment in alcohol. Plus mid-afternoon with children present doesn't lend itself to that kind of party.

If you called it a garden party or afternoon tea , and served mostly sweets and a few savories, you could make it the elegant party she craves. Plus, it would greatly reduce the likelihood that guests will be surprised and disappointed when the appetizers aren't followed by dinner.

Borrow a couple of silver tea/coffee sets and cups and saucers -- a lot of people have these things but rarely get to use them, so they may be delighted to help. Serve elegant finger foods (only napkins and toothpicks).

Make a separate area for the children and serve them fruit punch in paper cups and less-elegant, more child-friendly foods. You could do a fancier punch for the adults, especially if you can also borrow punch sets.

I am so against serving a brie with jam and a crust for a party like that....because it very quickly turns to rubber. baked brie needs to be eaten in the first 20 minutes out of the oven or it's awful. True the presentation is lovely, but after that forget it!
Tell the bride to forget the shrimp "tray" and go for a bowl of shrimp on a bed of ice. Buy uncooked shrimp and cook them....you can get the EZ-peel for about $7.50 a pound and it will only take you a few hours to peel them! ( grin!)
Seriously buy frozen, cooked tail on shrimp and marianate them to "Freshen" them, and remind the bride that about $100 to $150 of her budget will be going to shrimp...figuring at the minimum $7 a pound and and 3 shrimp per person....which you know is a really skimpy estimate.
I am doing a funeral lunch for 100 on Monday...we will have chicken salad sandwiches, ham salad sandwiches both on little cocktail buns and various breads, a huge bowl of veggie/pasta salad, mostly veggies with some pasta and another bowl of fruit salad, just a huge bowl of fresh fruits, cookies and bars for dessert, coffee, tea hot and ices, with lemon slices, bottled water and lemonade not from powder.
My cost estimates are:
$50 for the meats
$25 for the fruits
$12 to $15 for the veggie salad
$20 for the breads
$25 for water lemonade, coffee and tea
And another $20 for mustard, pickles, mayo, cream etc.
Total about $150
Now leave the sandwiches....substitute crudities for the veggie salad and fruit skewers for the fruit bowl, add $20 for a whole salmon you will poach and decorate, add $60 for premade meatballs, and you still have $250 for shrimp ( estimate $150) and there is $100 for crackers quiche puff pastry bites etc.
Realize that for something like you are planning, the costs are mostly in the labor. You can make meatballs for the whole Russin Army for $30 but you have to mix, shape and cook and freeze them. You can make mini quiche for a multitude for not much but you have to mix and pour them your self.
It is easily possible...but you will have to cut costs, either with what you serve or my making a lot of stuff yourself.
Linda C

You can buy a container of grapes at Costco (the large round red or black grapes)

A large container of cream cheese
A large pag of pastaschio nuts

Soften the cream cheese and mix in a bowl
Rinse & drain the grapes
Chop the nuts until fine and place in a container

Take the cream cheese and mold around a grape.
Roll the grape in the chopped nut mixture. You use all of the grapes that are about the same size. Once comnpleted they look very nice.
Place on a sheet of wax paper and place in the frige, covered with wax paper until ready to serve.
I know this seems like a lot of work, but it is worth it. Guest seem to really enjoy this Hors d'oeuvre, and it is not seem very often.

Serve them with long picks.

You really have your work cut out for you.
Perhaps you can persuade the bride to do as others have suggested with a baked ham, turkey, rolls, with condiments, pasta salad (s) and maybe do a margarita or rum punch if she wants to serve alcohol along with some of the suggested recipes.
I agree servings soads is not wise. If anything do a punch. She can serve a nice, pretty punch, and garnish with fresh white Gardenias with the green leaves attached (cleaned of course) since it is a wedding reception.

Good luck!

Hi everyone --

Just thought I'd post an update and a thank you! Reception went off with nary a hitch on Saturday. Final menu consisted of:

Veggie and fruit trays
Shrimp Cocktail
Sweet n' Sour Meatballs
Mini Egg Rolls
Small Turkey/Ham Wraps
Sausage and Cheese Biscuits
Burgundy Mushrooms
Deviled Eggs
Assorted Cheeses and Crackers
Brie with Fig Compote Topping
Tortilla Chips and Cowboy Caviar
Potato Chips
Pickles and Olives
Coffee, Punch, Iced Tea and Water

The 85 people that she confirmed actually ended up being more like 65-70. So, we had a fair amount of food left over. I made an ice bowl to display the shrimp -- it turned out beautifully. I was so proud! LOL I agree with Linda that Brie can get rubbery if left out too long, but past experience has shown me that it usually doesn't last long enough to get cold. And, true to form, people just gobbled it down. Could have made a lot more eggs -- those went quickly as well. I'm not an egg person myself, so I forget how much people love them at parties. People were definitely hungry and went through the line several times -- no one was shy, thank goodness. I did use the small plates, and some people used two at a time, so I'm glad I planned for extra food. Everything else was good and our one minor fiasco was that I burned the egg rolls when heating them up. Not sure if it was the strange oven I was using (should have brought my own oven thermometer) or that they'd thawed out slightly so cooked more quickly, or a combination of both. So, about half of them did burn and I didn't put them out, but we did okay anyway.

So, all in all a successful event and I received loads and loads of compliments which was nice for the ego. ;) I stayed at budget, which she actually upped to $600. I think I came in around $550, but still finishing up the totals and taking a few things back to the store that weren't used. Took me all day to recover on Sunday, though. I'm getting too old for this stuff! LOL

A big thank you to everyone -- your tips and advice were incredibly helpful. Thanks so much!

Congrats on your success it sounds like you did really well.

Alexa

I'm so glad things went well for you and the bride. You deserve all the acolades you got , that was quite an undertaking.

Thanks for coming back and letting us know how it went, much appreciated.

Yes, thank you for coming back. Sometimes people don't let us know how it went. That's disappointing for us here. Congratulations!

Congratulations - sounds like a great spread.
Can you share the recipe for the burgundy mushrooms?

I'm so glad it went well for you. Everything sounds delicious.

I agree, it sounds delicious. Congratulations to the bride and groom, and to you, it sounds like it went very well indeed.

Annie

I agree -- GREAT job, quite a comprehensive menu, and I hope that bride was VERY appreciative, as it seems to me you went above and beyond the call of duty for all but the very closest of friendships!

Emily

Thanks, everyone -- couldn't have done it without your help!

Here's the recipe from a friend for the mushrooms -- there's a fair amount of butter in the recipe and I used most of what it called for because I think it does contribute to the flavor. I made these the day before and refrigerated them. Once cold, the butter hardened at the top and I just lifted it off and discarded it before reheating. I think it just makes for a nicer presentation.

Burgundy Mushrooms

4 lbs. large mushrooms, cleaned and stems trimmed
1-1/2 cups butter (or less, if desired)
1 quart burgundy wine
2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dill seed
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups boiling water
3 Beef Bouillon cubes
3 Chicken Bouillon cubes
salt

Place all ingredients in large stock pot. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer. Simmer 5-6 hours covered, then remove lid and simmer 4 more hours.

My caveats:

I use baby bella mushrooms.
I use WS demi glace for the bouillon.
I bring it to a simmer on the stove and then transfer to a crockpot to finish up.

Jillq, I would love your recipe for caramelized onion dip?
Barb