This is purely a method to save money. My wife and I did this at our wedding.

Since the venue or caterer may not let you bring your own appetizers (which can often be gotten very cheaply compared to what the caterer will charge you), we put cookies on our tables. The caterers will not stop you from providing desserts. And here is the trick, not all the desserts have to be sweet. You can put out savoury desserts instead. Put a large plate on each tables with mostly cookies, and then hide some pretzels and nuts in there too.

Yes, this is sneaky, but you know you’re spending a premium for many wedding services. If you’re very budget conscious, and this helps you out even a little, I’m happy for you!

When you did a taste testing, they probably didn’t overcook the chicken and it tasted great. But when they cook for 200 people, the meat tends to be overdone.

This is why BBQ sauce is so helpful, it covers the dryness of any overcooked meat. Did you ever get a plated meal at a wedding and wish they added more sauce to the plate?

With plated meals, they need to be kept warm while the staff runs back and forth. Plus, maybe the meat sat on a plate while the potatoes were finishing up. All this leads to dry meat. BBQ on the other hand gets cooked in big batches and just marinates in juice.

Yes, some plated meals can be great, but also consider BBQ is usually cheaper and all the sauce options are fun. And with BBQ, guests can enjoy seconds!

If a table full of vendors are given a sandwich tray, you may have problems.

Vendors work very long days and are going non-stop. They may bring snacks, but after a long day of work, a quick hot meal can give them a needed boost.

I’ve seen vendors forced to hide in the back and eat bologna sandwiches. They will talk and joke about the food. Their focus changes from YOU to themselves. This is no good. Your wedding day is the Super Bowl and you deserve the best.

I personally think it’s okay for you to skip vendor meals all together; you pay so much for food as it is. It’s simply a wonderful gesture when you do. Whether or not you serve me food doesn’t affect my goal of serving you the best I can. Just be aware some vendors may not see it that way.

All your aunts are making cookies for the cookie table? Yes, you’ll have too many.

When DJ’ing weddings in Cleveland and NE Ohio, I often see cookie tables. And at the end of the night, I see brides and their mothers hocking cookies in pretty to-go boxes; even though most of the guests have left by that point. Ultimately, the cookies will get wrapped up because no one wants to throw them away.

In my humble opinion, you’ll have less work for yourself & family if opting for a smaller cookie table; though trying to tell family members not to make three dozen cookies each offers its own challenges :)