I'm getting married in a little over a month and my mom keeps bugging me that I need to get the wedding chapel to provide hors d'oeuvres.  We're expecting no more than 75 people and I'm on a tight budget and really don't want to have to shell out $400 just for cheese and crackers and vegetables.  My mom said she'd be willing to pay for it but I don't want her to have to do that because she's helping me pay for photography/video.  If possible I would much rather just pay a $50 catering fee to the chapel and have me and my sister or a friend do it. I'm sure the groceries would cost some money but surely not $400!!!  Does anyone have suggestions for making cracker and vegetable platters?? I'm not too picky about how it looks but could just use a suggestion of what to do and how much food to use.

How about a couple blocks (5lb) chedder cheese-on a cutting board (let people cut it themselves), a big ring of brie (or 2-especially if you like it) several balls of smoked guida. A large bowl of either cherry or grape tomatos, 4 of 5 lbs of crowns of brocoli and 4 or 5 lbs of califlower. 3 or 4 packages of celery (cut into sticks) and 3 or 4 packages of carrots (the small ones already cut. 4 lbs of green peppers, 1 lb of red (sweet) pepper. 3 different kinds of crackers and some ranch dressing. That way, the only work you really have to do is cut the celery, pepper, brocoli, & califlower. (I'm not too sure how much this will cost.)


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I don't know about where you live but our local grocery store sells trays of "stuff". You can get hors d'oeurvres, sandwiches, shrimp, etc. etc. You may want to check it out and see if it is available and how much.


BTW, Congrats on your upcoming wedding.



Cat 

I would also suggest going to the grocery store (usually the deli section will have them) or Sam's type club store.  They will do them for you and it's a fraction of the cost of an actual caterer.  Sam's also has frozen hors d'oeuvres that you just thaw or heat and serve that are pretty good.