Picnic Wedding Reception Supply List & Costs

Here is Part 2 of a Summer's Most Unconventional Wedding Reception

Supplies:
For 6-10 people:
-1 picnic basket
-1 water pitcher
-6 to 10 plates
-6 to 10 drinking glasses
-Paper napkins, forks
-Tablecloth or blanket (blankets for younger guests who may want to sit on the grass)

If reusable plates and glasses are too expensive, use paper! Another way to cut costs is to just buy reusable items for the bridal party and parents' tables/baskets. Remember, though--if the wind picks up, your disposable items will go flying! Tablecloths can vary greatly on price. You may run into a sale and be able to cover each table for $5. Another option is to look for inexpensive fabric--$1.00/yard. Measure the tables before you search!

Talk to your favorite grocery store deli or restaurant about your food needs. This is a great job for your mother-in-law! An experienced grocery shopper may have more success getting a good deal on food!

Menu:
For each basket:
-Croissant Sandwiches
-Potato salad
-Fruit salad or watermelon slices

These are ideas, but work with food you like (you'll be eating the leftovers!) and any specials the deli can offer. To make an easier reception, use food that stores at the same temperature. Depending on the facilities at the park and how many volunteers you have, you could also serve chicken and corn on the cob.

To make the plain plastic containers from the deli more exciting--use your computer to make your own label. Bride & Groom's Passion Potato Salad, enjoy on July 31, 2008. Get creative!

Be sure to include serving spoons in the baskets! You can probably scrounge up enough serving spoons from the kitchens of the moms.

Guest's Perspective:
Guests will arrive at the park and be directed to a table. Assigned seating is recommended! Picnic baskets and water pitchers will be delivered to each table. Guests will take it from there! You can assign one person at each table to be the "server." He/She will open the basket, hand out the plates, forks, napkins, cups and... food!

The bride and groom can put written instructions inside the basket, announce over the music/sound system, or send pre-designated volunteers to the tables to give any further direction that may be needed.

Guests will be put at ease right away since they get to participate in serving the meal, and they don't have to WAIT in line to eat!

You can include a bottle of wine and an assortment of sodas in the baskets if water is not quenching enough. Iced tea or lemonade, in place of water, is another option. Be sure to have ice water on hand, though, for guests on special diets.

Put a large ziploc bag full of ice at the top of each basket to keep food cool while guests are seated. Ice can be put into the guests' cups to avoid giant bags of water at the end of the day.

Dessert
This is the fun part! Pie or ice cream? (Let's face it--your guests are probably sick of wedding cake, and it really doesn't fit on a sunny day.)

Put a whole pie in each basket, along with a knife and plastic serving spatula. These can be homemade pies or purchased from the store. Differing flavors may promote movement amongst the guests. :)

Set up an ice cream bar, manned by the bride and groom. This way everyone will get a chance to say hi to the new couple. Offer different ice cream choices that the bride and groom scoop out into cones when the guests are ready for dessert.

Visiting Guests
If ice cream scooping is too much work, the bride and groom can float around to each table while the guests eat.

Guests Mingling
By the time the meal is over each table will be feeling like family. Get help from your moms to figure out where to seat everyone. You can place matching relatives together. Bride's Aunt and Uncle and kids with Groom's Aunt and Uncle and kids. Or you can put complementing personalities together. Remember to put at least one friendly, outgoing person at each table!

Estimated Cost and Shopping List
If you are unable to stay within this budget for any item, look around! Borrow from moms and sisters. To make mismatched items more cohesive, tie a ribbon that matches the color of your wedding around it!

Supplies>> $340
$100 for 10 Picnic Baskets
$ 15 for 10 Water Pitchers
$ 75 for 100 Plates (buy on clearance!)
$ 75 for 100 Cups/Glasses
$ 25 for 200 Napkins (High-end white paper) and 200 Plastic Forks
$ 50 for 10 Table Coverings (butcher paper or tablecloths on clearance)

Food>> $460
$ 65 for 150 Croissants (try Costco or Sam's Club)
$ 75 for 12.5 pounds of Sliced Meat (assortment of Ham, Roast Beef, Turkey)
$ 75 for 12.5 pounds of Sliced Cheese (assortment of Cheddar, Pepperjack, Provolone)
$ 10 for 6 heads of lettuce
$ 50 for your choice of tomatoes, mayo, mustard, and other favorite sandwich toppings!
$ 70 for 7 Gallons of Potato Salad (homemade or deli)
$ 35 for 10 Small Watermelons
$ 80 for 7 Gallons of Fruit Salad (deli)

Dessert>> $60-95
$ 60 for 10 Pies
or
$ 65 for 13 Gallons of Ice Cream
$ 30 for 9 boxes of Ice Cream Cones (12/box)

Beverages>> $75-150
$ 50-100 for 10-20 Bottles of Wine
$ 25-50 for 100-200 Cans of Soda (watch for sales!)

This is a general framework to move you in the right direction for a memorable wedding reception. Put your personality into every piece of the event. This will give your guests something to talk about, and help distant relatives get to know you better! Some guests may even hide your wedding gift in the car, and replace it with a check--once they see what kinds of interests you and your sweetheart really have!