Frequently asked questions
How much food do I need per person at a wedding?
Plan on about 1 to 1.5 pounds of food per guest for a full wedding meal. A typical breakdown: 3 appetizer bites per person per cocktail hour, a 4 oz salad or 6 oz soup, 6–8 oz of main protein, 8 oz of sides (two 4 oz sides), bread, a 4 oz dessert and one slice of wedding cake. Cocktail-only receptions need more: about 8 bites per person per hour (6–10 range). The calculator above converts these per-person targets into total quantities for your exact guest count.
How do you calculate catering quantities for a wedding?
Multiply your guest count by the per-person portion for each course, then apply a service-style multiplier (plated 1.0×, family-style 1.05×, stations 1.12×, buffet 1.10–1.20×) and a 10% safety buffer. Example: 100 guests × 7 oz main protein × 1.15 buffet multiplier = 805 oz target, plus 10% buffer = 886 oz (about 55 lbs) to order. The calculator above does this for every course automatically.
How many appetizers per person should I plan for a wedding cocktail hour?
Plan 3 appetizer bites per person per hour when a full dinner follows — the standard caterer rule is 3–4 bites with a meal. For a 1-hour cocktail hour with 100 guests, that is 300 bites before your 10% buffer. If appetizers replace dinner (cocktail-only reception), plan 8 bites per person per hour instead (the accepted 6–10 range).
How many hors d'oeuvres do I need for a cocktail-only wedding?
For a cocktail-only wedding with no seated meal, plan 8 bites per person per hour — the professional range is 6–10 bites per person per hour. So 100 guests over 3 hours need about 2,400 bites before buffer. Offer 4–6 varieties and make at least 30% of the bites vegetarian so dietary-restricted guests have real options, not just crudites.
Buffet vs plated wedding: how much more food do I need for a buffet?
Plan 10–20% more food for a buffet than for plated service — the industry standard multiplier is 1.10× to 1.20× (this calculator defaults to 1.15×). Buffet guests serve themselves larger portions and take a little of everything. Family-style needs about 5% more (1.05×) and food stations about 12% more (1.12×), since guests sample every station.
How much does wedding catering really cost per person after tax and service charge?
Take the menu price and add the service charge (typically 18–22%) plus sales tax. Example: a $60 menu with 20% service charge and 8.75% tax on the total = $60 + $12 + $6.30 = $78.30 per person — about 30% above the menu price. Many venues tax the service charge too, which the calculator accounts for with its “tax on service charge” toggle.
What is a typical wedding catering service charge?
A typical wedding catering service charge is 18–22% of the food (and sometimes bar) subtotal. It is a venue/caterer fee covering staffing and operations — it is not the same as a gratuity for servers, though some contracts treat it that way. Always ask your caterer whether the service charge is taxable in your state, because that changes the final bill.
How many vegetarian or vegan meals should I order for a wedding?
Order vegetarian meals for your RSVP vegetarian count plus a 10% buffer, and add 25% extra vegetarian portions at buffets since vegetarians fill their plates from the veg dishes. As a planning default, assume 20% vegetarian and 5% vegan unless your RSVPs say otherwise. The calculator splits protein portions, buffet veg trays and cocktail bites by your dietary percentages automatically.
How much wedding cake do I need per guest?
One slice of wedding cake per guest is the standard — most guests take exactly one slice, and tiered cakes are cut to serve the guest count. If you also serve a full dessert course, consider a smaller display cake plus sheet cakes in the kitchen rather than a giant tiered cake for everyone, which is the most common source of cake waste.
How much food do I need for 100 wedding guests?
For 100 guests with a plated dinner and 10% buffer: about 330 cocktail-hour bites, 440 oz (27.5 lbs) salad, 770 oz (48 lbs) main protein, 880 oz (55 lbs) sides, 138 bread rolls, 440 oz dessert and 100 cake slices — roughly 150 lbs of food total. Switch to buffet and every course rises about 15%. The calculator above generates this full shopping list for any guest count.
Do I need late-night snacks at my wedding?
For receptions running 5 hours or longer, yes — plan about 5 late-night bites per guest (sliders, fries, pizza, tacos). Guests burn through dinner on the dance floor and a late snack prevents the party from thinning out early. The calculator adds late-night quantities automatically for events of 5+ hours.
How do I avoid over-ordering and wasting food at my wedding?
Keep your combined service-style multiplier and safety buffer under 20% over target — beyond that you are paying for waste. The biggest waste traps: buffet multiplier at 1.20× plus a 15% buffer (38% over-order), full dessert course plus full wedding cake, and ordering cocktail-hour bites at cocktail-only rates when dinner follows. This calculator’s waste guardrail flags any plan that over-orders by more than 20%.
Family-style vs food stations: how do catering quantities differ?
Family-style needs about 5% more food than plated (1.05×) because shared platters get picked over and refilled. Food stations need about 12% more (1.12×) — plan each station to serve at least 75% of your guests, since most guests sample every station. Both need more bread and sides than plated service because sharing increases grazing.
Can I use this calculator for BBQ, taco or DIY wedding catering?
Yes. The course builder works for any menu: set the main protein to 7–8 oz per person for BBQ brisket or taco fillings (order toward 8 oz for bone-in or high-waste cuts), keep sides at 4 oz each, and use the buffet 1.15× multiplier for self-serve lines. DIY caterers should keep the full 10% buffer since you cannot call the kitchen for backup trays.