Q. Due to the economy we have decised not to hire a cater and do finger foods. My head is spinning on how to pull this off; any advice?

A. I understand your concern about hiring a caterer.  However, planning to do “finger foods” will require lots of work and you may not be willing to spend so much time in the kitchen.  If you are able to enlist the help of friends and their kitchens, you are in luck.  You will need to consider the menu, food shopping, storage of food before and AFTER it is ready to serve, how it will be served, and who will serve and clean up after the event.  It’s easy to see how simple it is for a caterer to do the work.  Individual servings require lots of time in preparation, depending on when this is to be served, you may consider a simple meal as an alternative.  There are also many prepared, ready-to-serve platters available from Sams, Costco, and other wholesale stores as well as grocery stores.  There is much to be considered, so sit down with pen and paper and see how it adds up.  Best wishes for a tasty event.

Gloria Griffin

Wedding By Design Instructor

“Planning My Wedding” at Forsyth Technical Community College