$8k wedding: Food

The trickiest part of the $8k budget is definitely feeding everyone. With $4000 (according to my budget breakdown) that comes to $40 per head, including drinks. One certainly can cater one's own wedding, but I know it would do my head in. Plus it feels like cheating given that I'm trying to prove how far the money can stretch.
So I pretty much just googled caterers in WA for a bit and found that, for my town hall wedding, one can get a catered spit-roast with two kinds of meat and loads of different salad and veges for $18 per person. This was certainly down at the cheaper end of the range of prices I found, but there were a few caterers playing with this number, and it certainly wasn't the lowest price I found. Sure, it isn't the most glam option, but it's good hearty food that will fill everyone up, and it certainly has a homey, retro feel.

For the backyard wedding? What's more casual and Italian (and delicious) than woodfired pizza?


Cicciobella are a Perth-based mobile pizza oven company that offer three courses (calzone, all you can eat pizza, and dessert pizza) for a smidge over $20 per person. Brilliant!

Either options leaves you with $10 - 20 per person for drinks (depending on how much wiggle room you want to leave for contingencies). Counting one bottle of wine per person (go see the Dan Murphy's drinks calculator for a better estimate), and assuming you buy at LiquorLand or Vintage Cellars and get 30% off by buying by the dozen, you will be serving up some not shabby drinks!

Tip: Got rellies flying in from overseas for the wedding? Ask them to bring in their duty-free allowance in vodka and make up a big fruit punch for your town hall wedding, or mix it up with some red wine for sangria for your backyard (Spanish-)Italian do.

Although all the dress posts might have you thinking otherwise, the thing I'm most excited about wedding-wise is the food (the phrase 'micromanage' has come up in conversation with BCB in reference to my 'excitement'). Like a Greek mother, I'm living in eternal fear of people not being fed enough. Nothing will convince me that three courses is enough. I've been thinking recently that it might be more cost effective to put out cheese platters after dessert, rather than have canapes before the entree. Those that are full from three courses can abstain, but cheese and crackers is quite the hearty snack for those that need more.


This is the most stunning cheese platter I think I've ever seen. Whoever ends up doing the food (restaurant or caterer) is going to be shown this picture as a reference. I love how wild and rustic it looks. And abundant, with the food piling up. Just gorgeous. It's from the same wedding as the bride with the fantastic butterfly dress too.

The Gifted Ham & The Engagement Party Plan

Image from Sunday Driver under a creative commons licence.

So we haven't actually had an engagement party yet. I'm partly indifferent, partly embarrassed (at the thought that we will have one literally months after we got engaged). We're in the process of buying a wee house, and it would be just so perfect to be able to have a combined housewarming/ engagement party* in our own place. Not to mention our current rental is really quite revolting and not suited to guests. So.

Just prior to Christmas my mother got a gift voucher for a ham (long story). She decided not to use it at Christmas, as there's enough ham then for everyone plus some, and has instead told us that we may have the ham for our engagement party. It's very generous, and also kind of hilarious. I am left trying to plan a menu around a ham-on-the-bone.

I initially wanted Southern-inspired food. Ham in coke, baked "fried" chicken, potato salad, green bean salad, cajun spiced sweet potato,** sweet iced tea and mint julep punch. I thought it was a gorgeous idea. BCB said no. "I just think it's a weird theme. We're not Southern, our new house isn't Southern... why would you do it?" Because we have a ham to work with darling. Because of the ham.

But just this very weekend I found a ridiculously cheap source of quince paste (don't I sound like a crack dealer?). Like, $12 a kilo cheap. So now I'm thinking mustard glazed ham, lots of cheese, quince paste, bread rolls... and what? I need more vegetable suggestions to go with this kind-of-European-rustic-picnic-thing... but I can work on it. And what vodka-based cocktail to go with this hearty fare? (We have a stockpile. BCB and my mother have made a point of bringing back their full duty free allowance every time they travel).

* because it's combined, and because the party will still be eighteen months before the wedding, and because the wedding will be small I am going to invite people that won't be invited to the wedding. I want everyone to see our new house! Is that just too rude?

** the vegetables take a certain priority, as I won't be eating the animals.