Finding a venue for $2-3000 where byo catering

Byo catering.... As in, you're getting it brought in from a professionally licensed place or you're having family run around all sweaty with pre-licked spoons to provide food for your guests?

Look in to hotels. Some of them have beautiful venue spaces.

@lillybean17 I wanted to have family do it. I'm from Jamaican decent and I wanted to have cultural food on my special day.

I'm in king of Prussia so about 30 mins away ... good luck lol... how many guests?? Are you self catering or brining catered food ?? Is the budget just venue or food too ... # of guests is super important

Byo catering...as in self catering? Which you should not do. It's unsafe and unsanitary.

Or byo catering as in a catering company you hired drops the food off at your venue? The later would work.

Look into local restaurants to see of they offer catering services or lool into hotels amd banquet facilities where they might have all-inclusive packages. Please do not go through the stress of self catering your own wedding.

@Unawarepandabear my complete budget is around 8000 at most and I want to have around 175-190 people. My family is huge and he has a pretty big family as well. I have checked out some places from the website but a lot are coupled with catering. I'm trying not to get discouraged.

Great, botulism and diarrhea. A perfect example of why self-catering shouldn't be a thing.

For the love of god don't make your family cook.

Cut your guest list. You'll never host that many people well for $8k total, even in PA. And please don't self cater. Really bad idea. Pay for catering. Or increase your budget- get a second job, cut your expenses for the next year and save for the wedding you want. Not trying to discourage you but be realistic.

ETA words

@Christian K. thanks I will look into it.

Please hire a professional caterer. I'm sure there are some excellent ethnic restaurants or caterers in your area that can provide the type of food you want. While I'm sure your family is happily offering to prepare the food, you should graciously decline and let them enjoy the day with you.

My oldest sister got married years ago and our family, who did professional catering and had catered many weddings, prepared the food. The reception was at a private club and the immediate prep and serving were done by other people. The food was excellent, no one got sick, BUT we were exhausted the entire week leading up to the wedding with all the prep work. It rained really hard the day of the wedding. We all got soaked that morning carrying the food into the venue. And my grandmother slipped and fell carrying a whole roaster of food and had to go to the ER. Thankfully she was released in time for the wedding but had a bandaged head and bruised face in all the pictures. You just can't plan for all the things that can go wrong. Leave it to the professionals.

@Jessica F. Most of the guests will be family, and I also have family members who cook professionally. But I will look into banquet facilities. Thanks.

Hard pass on the family cooking. NO.

@Unawarepandabear I have a family member that is associated with Coconut Breeze cuisine and I was considering them as an option. I wouldn't want to over work my family. Thanks

Thanks for the advice everyone.

~190 guests on $8K- it doesnt add up! That $42.50 a guest- food and alcohol. Im from the caribbean too, and caribbean people like to drink and have a good time. That doesnt include your dress, decoration, celebrant, photography...etc.

I suggest cutting the guest list and having the food catered...but dont make your family cook (including the professional cooks). they are there as your guest!

Why is it that we have this type of post multiple times a day? Does someone have to come here and say one of their relatives died at a self catered meal before people start to see this is a bad idea in many ways?

Don't make your family work. This will result in chaos, stress and lateness. Every time.

Most venues won't let food in without liability insurance, workers comp and health certification.

Cut the guest list and hire pros.

I catered my own wedding, and I"m a pro with a pro kitchen. It was exhausting before, during and after. No, no one died, but I would never do it again.

I'm not sure how far your willing to travel, but my venue is in Maryland and is super cute and was only 1700 to rent for 8 hours off season! It's called the lodge at little Seneca creek and it's near Germantown

@Andrea

People here are not "stuck up" when they chose to be good hosts and not make their honored friends and family free labor. Your aunt should be a guest at your wedding. The whole point of the reception is to thank your guests for supporting and attending your marriage. I doubt she will have a moment out of the kitchen to actually enjoy your wedding.

Multiple friends and family members have offered to do things for my wedding, but I have declined their offers because it is unfair to them. I do not subscribe to the group mentality that this will result in gross food. But it most certainly will result in overworked loved ones. It is rude and selfish hosting.

Andrea- why wouldn't you want your family to just be able to show up and have a great time? Catering and managing a wedding is so stressful.

Presumably you invite people to your wedding because you like them. Their preference for professional food that won't make them sick has nothing to do with whether they should be a guest.