bbq reception

[karriel]

we are having a smallish wedding mostly family members here in the south. so we are having a potluck bbq reception. I was just curious what all you would make if it was yours? Im trying to get some ideas before hand. more budget conscious since DF and i are paying for it.
thanks bunches
karrie

[Scrwballsgrl]

Hi Karrie,

BBQ is a good way to go b/c the normal sides that are served with that are easy to fix in quanity and don't have to be kept cold, they'll set at room temperature fine without worrying about effecting the quality of the food.

We are also doing a BBQ/smoked chicken reception and figured on having baked beans, potatoe salad, fruit & veggie trays, served with the option of sweet & unsweetened tea, water, or cold drinks and The Cake of course:grinhappy:

Are you looking for more unique things to fix as side items? Or do you have any absolute family staples or favorites that always make the list at get togthers and holidays. When you say potluck do you mean everyone is bringign something or it will just be served "pot luck" style?

[saltyveruca]

Yeah, are you having people bring food or are you just serving a buffet? I am a little confused.

We had a bbq buffet at our wedding. We had a local catering company come out and they served bbq/fajitas. I didn't have any of it, so I can't really remember everything, but I do know we had these things for sure on the bbq side:

Brisket
Smoked turkey
Sausage
Potato salad
Beans
SAUCE
BREAD
Tea
(and this is important) Beer :D

Do you have a friend or family member with a smoker who can make everything for you, or are you doing catering? I think our catering was either $10 or $12 a person with a minimum of 50 people.

[Scrwballsgrl]

Yeah, are you having people bring food or are you just serving a buffet? I am a little confused.

We had a bbq buffet at our wedding. We had a local catering company come out and they served bbq/fajitas. I didn't have any of it, so I can't really remember everything, but I do know we had these things for sure on the bbq side:

Brisket
Smoked turkey
Sausage
Potato salad
Beans
SAUCE
BREAD
Tea
(and this is important) Beer :D

Do you have a friend or family member with a smoker who can make everything for you, or are you doing catering? I think our catering was either $10 or $12 a person with a minimum of 50 people.

that is something similar to what we were wanting to do...minus the brisket...& didn't want to have to eat anything off the bone:) (white dress, rented tux= not a good combonation)

[saltyveruca]

Oh yeah, I vetoed the ribs immediately. :winktongue:

[karriel]

the potluck is everyone in our family is bringing there favorite dish along with the recipe for our book. it was something my grandma and mom talked to the family about. but we are providing the outher stuff... hot dogs, burgers, bbq chicken maybe...and side dishes.
thanks for your replies

[Scrwballsgrl]

And would you suggest....just having the sauce on the side? Or cooking some with sauce, some without?

[Scrwballsgrl]

That sounds like a good idea (the potluck) I wish we could do somethign like that but my Dad doesn't like that idea....he's worried it'd be too much trouble, to hectic etc.

So we're just going find someoen to cater...
Oh and for those of you that did do chicken...what do you recommend?
The chicken quarters (leg & thigh) or chicken pieces (individual leg & thigh)?
We originally thought the quarters but one of my Aunts said "oh, you'll have so much food left over!" So what do y'all suggest?

[RosieAngel]

the potluck is everyone in our family is bringing there favorite dish along with the recipe for our book. it was something my grandma and mom talked to the family about. but we are providing the outher stuff... hot dogs, burgers, bbq chicken maybe...and side dishes.
thanks for your replies

Oooh, I love this idea! I think providing basics like burgers, hot dogs, the cake/cupcakes, and drinks like soda would be cool!

As a guest, I would bring a bean salad recipe with homemade dressing to your BBQ Potluck wedding... :heart:

[spuls5]

We are having a bbq buffet at ours too. Family friends of FH will be doing the meat. We will probably have brisket, pork loan and maybe smoked turkey or chicken. Then we are having bbq beans, potato salad, pasta salad, fruit salad and veggie tray. Punch, pop and probably beer.

[hughesfarmgirl]

We are doing a BBQ type reception too. Have you considered pulled pork instead of BBQ chicken? Just a thought (that is what we are doing). IF everyone shows up we could easily have over 500 people. We can't do a potluck with those numbers but we found a lady in a town near us that will fix all of the sides, the cake, and do set-up, service, and clean-up.
A friend is using them and all of those things for 150 guests was under $700.00. Ours will be more for more people I am sure. We are taking care of the meat...(remember we are country folk/farmers). Every Friday night there is a big Amish auction in a nearby community...they have everything from a farmer's market to furniture to toys building supplies and livestock. We will go up there the week before our wedding and get a couple hogs (they are seriously going for about 23 cents a pound right now). A decent sized hog can feed 100 people easily (pulled pork bbq). My dad lives in Indy and is friends with a guy who owns a BBQ restaurant so we'll get a discount on a case or two of good sause. Luckily we know someone who has a hog roaster and will be borrowing it from them. We will cook the hog on the Thursday before the wedding and let it soak in the bbq for at least 24 hours if not closer to 48 hours before the reception. If you don't know someone that has a roaster there are some people who will come do all of the cooking for you.
Now I do understand that a good deal of people would not want to go through the process we are going through, but we have hog roasts at least once a year and are used to it...just a part of life when you live on the farm.
So in the end it will be under $2000.00 to feed close to 500 people (bbq, sides, and cake)...that's amazing considering a friend of mine still owes like $6000.00 on her catering and rental bill (yes I know rental ups it a lot, but all of our rentals come with the building and our building only costs $525 for Friday through Sunday).
DIY Country Elegant Non-Expensive is what we are going for (I won't say cheap since cheap as in not expensive is different than cheap as in looking thrown together/sloppy).

[bridal1]

Yeah, are you having people bring food or are you just serving a buffet? I am a little confused.

We had a bbq buffet at our wedding. We had a local catering company come out and they served bbq/fajitas. I didn't have any of it, so I can't really remember everything, but I do know we had these things for sure on the bbq side:

Brisket
Smoked turkey
Sausage
Potato salad
Beans
SAUCE
BREAD
Tea
(and this is important) Beer :D

Do you have a friend or family member with a smoker who can make everything for you, or are you doing catering? I think our catering was either $10 or $12 a person with a minimum of 50 people.


Hmm,,, yummy........
And not too expensive. Worth to try.

[f77g4]

I think we are doing something like this for the rehearsal dinner at my parents house...Thanks for the idea on the types of food....We will probably have things like the basics (hot dogs, hamburgers) and maybe some pork ribbits...hmm I love BBQ!

[fouturemzjohnson]

chicken quarters are a wonderful way to satisfy the ones that dont eat beef or pork if you are worried maybe u can have bibs made with your names and the date as gifts for rather cheap

[bridal1]

chicken quarters are a wonderful way to satisfy the ones that dont eat beef or pork if you are worried maybe u can have bibs made with your names and the date as gifts for rather cheap

Really?How cheap is it?