Question for those of you who DIY big parties/events

[Carrie12345]

Dd's Sweet 16 is next year.  Other dd's is the year after. The year after that is 1st dd's graduation, and other dd's is the year after THAT, so I REALLY want to get my planning act together.

 

We don't really do big birthday celebrations, but Sweet 16 was a major thing for me, and I'm prepared to go all out... by my own personal standards.  So, while there will be no shiny car and giant bow, or fancy ball dress/hair/makeup/nails, or celebrity appearances, lol, it will be major in terms of crowd size.

 

I have no idea how to budget food (mostly DIY) for so many people!  I mean, I can take what it costs to feed my family a dish and multiply it, but we'll be having a pretty wide selection of foods (meat heavy, plus vegetarian, plus GF, some kid friendly, some adult-satisfying...) It isn't as if everyone will eat everything.

 

Are there general formulas/guidelines for this?

[Um_2_4]

If you want help planning food amounts, this site might help: http://www.divinedinnerparty.com/how-to-calculate-food-for-party.html

 

I think it also depends on what types of food. Like BBQ would mean more meat per person than Italian themed iykwim.

 

I just have to say that trying to offer ALL those food types (Vege, GF, Kid friendly, paleo) at one time would throw me off. I prefer to stick with a theme, then accommodate needs based on that. So if I know some are vegetarian, I would add a heavy vege pasta dish along side traditional lasagna and chicken caccitore (sp?) for the meat eaters. Or if I'm doing my preferred menu, I just make sure there are heavy vege sides (rice pilaf with veges, hummus, baba ganoosh, spinach pies, turkish pida with cheese).

 

When planning for large #s, simplicity is best. 

[OneStepAtATime]

What is your definition of a "major" crowd?  20?  60? 200? 1000?  10,000?  That piece of info will help with recommendations fitting your needs I think.

[Carrie12345]

If you want help planning food amounts, this site might help: http://www.divinedinnerparty.com/how-to-calculate-food-for-party.html

 

I think it also depends on what types of food. Like BBQ would mean more meat per person than Italian themed iykwim.

 

I just have to say that trying to offer ALL those food types (Vege, GF, Kid friendly, paleo) at one time would throw me off. I prefer to stick with a theme, then accommodate needs based on that. So if I know some are vegetarian, I would add a heavy vege pasta dish along side traditional lasagna and chicken caccitore (sp?) for the meat eaters. Or if I'm doing my preferred menu, I just make sure there are heavy vege sides (rice pilaf with veges, hummus, baba ganoosh, spinach pies, turkish pida with cheese).

 

When planning for large #s, simplicity is best. 

 

Ooh, awesome link! Thank you.

 

Yes, I do figure we'll have to narrow it down a bit, but our groups are very diverse.  My extended family alone is used to a wide variety, but that's primarily because we tend to potluck our standards.  Because of distance (a big part of why I've never hosted, lol) that won't be as doable.  

I'm probably my own worst enemy on the "must haves"!

[Carrie12345]

What is your definition of a "major" crowd?  20?  60? 200? 1000?  10,000?  That piece of info will help with recommendations fitting your needs I think.

 

:lol:

Potentially 120ish.

[MommyLiberty5013]

If I had that many people for a party, I'd get it catered. Do you expect to spend the party time running around making sure the pigs in a blanket are replenished? Or do you want to enjoy yourself? That's a fairly sizeable group of people to deal with feeding on what is supposed to be your family's special day.

 

At least price out 2 or 3 caterers. You may be surprised. And you may not be spending that much more for catering versus doing it yourself when you think of clean up.....

Edited June 17, 2017 by MommyLiberty5013

[kroe1]

Those online bridal planning books can, many times, help with all parties. I use those for budgeting especially as well as a checklist so I do not forget anything. The Knot has a good one.

[Um_2_4]

120? At your house or a venue nearby?

If at home, do you have a place to put those pop up tents and have it outside?

If at a venue, check, they may not allow DIY catering. Most here do not, you have to use their in house service or a local restaurant who has the permits.

Here when I have that #, I use the reserveable shelters at parks, hence we usually end up with BBQ chicken, burgers and/or kabobs and sides.

Do you have space (like a 2nd fridge) for making things ahead? If not, can you borrow a neighbors?

Last thing I did recently (which I didn't end up attending LOL) was a BBQ luncheon for about 60. I prepared hamburgers and chicken breasts (flattened and marinated) to be grilled for sandwiches (about 100 each, plus some premade veg burgers for the vegetarians), plus coleslaw, dips, chips, fruit salad, several deserts (4 9x13 cakes, big tray of brownies and cookies). I HAD to borrow fridge space.

[StephanieZ]

Get more specific on crowd size and type of meal/party, and I bet you will get lots of concrete, helpful ideas. 

 

Our "big" parties are usually 40-60 people for a dinner/cook out type party. For special events (graduations, etc), we do a "nicer" meal than simple burgers/bbq (which are also awesome, lol), but we still keep it casual. We like Carne Asada + fixings for "fancy" CA style tacos . . . or a big beef roast . . . or pulled pork & picnic stuff . . .

 

I'm sure ladies here will have lots of good ideas depending on time of year, size of crowd, etc. 

 

Get a little more specific. 

 

Oh, and FWIW, so far as food volume, I'm no help because we always make about twice the food we need, no matter what, lol. I just try to freeze left overs as feasible (at least the pricey meats, etc.) But, I always make way too much. :) 

[PeterPan]

I host parties that large and have been to parties of that size. I would encourage you *not* to try so hard on the food variety. You might talk with your dd about what elements are most important to her or would make it most special. For instance, you might decide food is actually less important and a DJ would be more important! So then serve sloppy joes or something simple and put the money into the DJ, kwim? For some people decor is really important. So figure out where you want to put your money.

 

You might like to have one grand element and let everything else recede. So, for instance, if she wants to have a chocolate fountain, then everything else can be more simple. 

 

Around here it's pretty common to bring in BBQ or pizza for a party that size. I've done catered that I picked up at a restaurant. I've had someone make me 20 pies so I could serve pie. If we do BBQ, then two kinds of meat. If it's pizza, maybe some variety and then italian subs to go with it. But I'm guessing that's not what she wants? She wants like lasagna or something nice? Still, you might see if you can buy pans of food affordably from a restaurant. You're going to have plenty to do with decorations, getting things ready.

 

I usually arrange for someone to staff the kitchen, so I can visit with guests. I make sure we have enough trashcans set out. You'll want an inclement weather plan.

 

Really though, balance out your plans before you decide things. Sometimes simple is really, really nice! And if you have a restaurant that particularly does a certain thing well, take advantage of it! It turns out that our local BBQ place and even the pizza place do really nice salads! There's nothing nicer than coming to the morning of and realizing your assigned person will simply pick up the food and it's done. You could also half and half. Like I had a friend who brought in broasted chicken for the meat and then used large roasters for everything else. Still, she kept it kinda simple, because the chocolate fountain was the focus, the big tada. The more fidgety your food, the more help you have to have to keep it stocked. We ended up helping that friend a ton, keeping her food stocked. 

 

You'll get tons of ideas on pinterest. :)

[prairiewindmomma]

We have a lot of church events where we serve 100-300 people.  I recommend picking a theme and running with it----taco bar, soups & bread, chicken salad sandwiches + fruit salad for all, all finger food...whatever.  It makes it way easier to plan.  Then you'd just got to deal with storing cold ingredients & finding enough serving platters & math.

[goldberry]

As a non-party person who just finished DD's (successful!) graduation party... you have my sympathies!

[Pam in CT]

I echo simplify.  Also, think about what you're realistically able to do in advance, and how to lay things out physically buffet-style so people can take care of themselves.  Also, see about a couple of high school kids just to make sure dishes are replenished.  You don't want to be scurrying around doing that the whole party.

 

We've done ~120 without catering, but with shortcuts -- lasagnas and big old bins of prepared vegetables and trays of pre-cut crudités & dip and those enormous pies from Cosco, augmented with a couple of easy-to-prepare-in-advance dishes that work out cheaper to make ourselves (chili with rice and cold poached salmon are my go-to's to feed a crowd -- easy to make and even easier to put out and forget about) and a couple of ginormous salads.  

[Carrie12345]

Oh yes, it will definitely be buffet style!  I'm really not intimidated by the number of dishes, just a little lost on the amounts to make, but Um_2_4's link is making me feel a bit better. I will have plenty of help on that day. My family isn't the type to leave me in the weeds while they get their party on.  Ballparking my expenses is my main concern.

 

The party is almost a full year away!  Lots of things could change in that time but, since I'll be doing versions of this four years in a row, I figure it's worth making a long term budget and carefully created action plan!

[Alessandra]

I was recently at a party for a local organization. One dish I loved was a pasta salad with greens served separately. Health conscious people filled their plates with greens and put a little pasta salad on top, while some kids skipped the greens, lol. Btw, the greens were baby arugula (from giant bags) and the pasta salad was bow tie pasta with lots of substantial vegetables, like sun dried tomatoes. There were multiple bowls of both greens and pasta, which made the line move faster.

 

Sorry, not answering your budget question. But I like pp's idea of augmenting your dishes with prepared food from Costso -- like their sandwich wraps, good value and a pain to make yourself.

 

One idea I like is a water bar -- variety of water, flavored and unflavored, sparkling and not, with sliced citrus fruit to add. Trader Joe's sometimes has plain water in beautiful cobalt blue bottles. I love beautiful water bottles, lol.

 

ETA

A spiral cut ham serves a lot of people. Or, more economically, a regular ham, if you have someone to do the carving.

 

My only big party was for 60 people. I was on a strict budget and served chicken drumsticks baked with a mustard and spice glaze. Super economical.

Edited June 18, 2017 by Alessandra

[gstharr]

A large home party for us is 70. Good size home, small backyard that will hold 3 round tables and 40 chairs. It can be done reasonably. We Smoke a few turkeys at the same in a barrel smoker. A couple of oven smoked brisket, and a couple of whole hams

The rest is taking costco type prepared appetizers, salads, cakes, cookies, fruit plates, and mmaking it look fancy on nice plates and tray. Maybe$500,w/o beer wine. Sometimes a little less good sales and planning. With wine , it is all 2 buck chuck

[TeenagerMom]

For my DD's Sweet 16, we did pizzas and sub sandwiches for the entree.  Then had 3 or 4 kinds of chips, 2 dips, popcorn, veggie trays, and a large Sweets table (yanno, for the Sweet 16).   We had about 8 different kinds of candy, chocolate dipped pretzels and strawberries, a variety of cupcake flavors, and of course, the big cake.

 

We had around 60 people there and WAY over estimated on the food.  The leftover sub rings were used for another family member's birthday party 2 days later and we ate pizza for a week. LOL.

[Seasider]

If I had that many people for a party, I'd get it catered. Do you expect to spend the party time running around making sure the pigs in a blanket are replenished? Or do you want to enjoy yourself? That's a fairly sizeable group of people to deal with feeding on what is supposed to be your family's special day.

 

At least price out 2 or 3 caterers. You may be surprised. And you may not be spending that much more for catering versus doing it yourself when you think of clean up.....

Be sure to check the catering services of your local grocery store. They are often much more affordable than another event caterer.