DIY Wedding Appetizers

DIY wedding-reception appetizers can be a fun and effective way to cut costs on your big day.

Catering your own wedding can be overwhelming. But making the appetizers for your wedding reception can save you a lot of money. Enlist the help of friends and family and utilize their talents and labor, and you won't have to pay for expensive catering. The following is a guide to making appetizers for about 50 guests. Add or subtract quantities based on how many people will be at your reception.

Things You'll Need

• 10 large party platters
• 5 pounds thinly sliced deli turkey
• 5 pounds thinly sliced Black Forest ham
• 2 pounds deli-sliced cheddar cheese
• 2 pounds deli-sliced Monterey jack cheese
• 2 pounds deli-sliced pepper jack cheese
• 2 pounds Colby jack cheese
• 2 pounds Swiss cheese
• 1 knife
• 10-15 boxes of assorted crackers
• 5 pounds seasonal fruit
• 2 pounds baby carrots
• 2 pounds cherry tomatoes
• 2 pounds snap peas
• 4 containers ranch dip

Instructions

Creating a Simple Buffet That Will Please

1. 

   Thinly sliced deli meats are the most popular food item at many wedding receptions.

   Arrange the sliced meats on two of the large party platters. Make it look presentable by first laying green, leafy lettuce on the tray and placing the meats on top.

2. 

   Assorted cheeses pair well with meats, crackers and breads.

   Quarter the sliced cheese so that each piece is small enough to fit onto a cracker. Again, place green, leafy lettuce on two of the large party platters and arrange the cheese neatly on top.

3. 

   Boxes of fancy assorted crackers top off any meat-and-cheese combination.

   Place the crackers on two of the platters. As with the meat and cheese platters, you can place the crackers on lettuce leaves.

4. 

   Platters of seasonal fruit can double as a decoration for your buffet table.

   Arrange seasonal fruit on two of the party platters. During the summer, strawberries and melons are popular options. During the rest of the year, it's hard to go wrong with green and red seedless grapes and sliced apples.

5. 

   Vegetables balance out the buffet table and offer a healthy option for your guests.

   Place the assortment of vegetables on two of the platters with a container of ranch dipping sauce at the center of each platter. Keep the remaining containers of ranch cold and have them ready to replace the first two.

Tips & Warnings

• When arranging the food on tables, do not place the meat platters together; instead, put them at opposite ends of the table, each with a cheese platter on one side and a cracker platter on the other. Space out the platters of fruits and vegetables so they are accessible from any part of the table.

Resources

• Do It Yourself Weddings: Do It Yourself Wedding Food by Catering Your Own Wedding