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As the lovely Miss Husky detailed before me, Mr. Sand Dollar and I are choosing to self-cater. It’s been the plan from the start, since we have about 400 dollars to feed 200 people. That’s right guys. Two dollars per person. Not too many caterers are interested in that deal! So how are we going to pull this off? Well, you’d be surprised what small-town Texas has to offer.
First up we have barbecue brisket and sausage. We called around to local grocers and meat markets to get the best price around. The damage? One hundred forty dollars for 75 pounds. Not too shabby, eh? That’ll feed everyone easily. And as far as sausage goes, well don’t freak out on me. I mentioned before that Mr. SD is an avid hunter, right? Well, that means we’ve got loads and loads of venison sausage in our freezer. Free venison sausage in our freezer! For those of you who have never had wild game, it is delicious. I’m a convert.
Next up we have a Southern classic, barbecue beans! We’re buying a 50-pound bag along with some seasoning packets and cooking them on-site in ginormous pots. If you’ve ever been to a crawfish boil, you’ll know what I’m talking about. Other sides we want to include are corn on the cob and potato salad. So, if you’re counting, that’s two meats and three sides. Seems pretty filling, right? That budget includes food only, not beverages or dessert. So I think we’re doing pretty good in keeping with our budget—we may even be able to shave some off the top.
So who’s cooking this tasty grub? One of our groomsmen has a dad that’s on a competition barbecue team. What could be better than that? Professional-quality food at rock-bottom prices. All for the low-low price of a couple of cases of beer. I wish all vendors were this easy!
Anybody else out there self-catering? What are you serving at your wedding?
Mmmm I love BBQ weddings. Sounds good!
We are going to make the hive hungry because my food post just went up too 
Oh, yum.
Can’t wait to hear what you’re doing for dessert.
That looks amazing! I LOVE brisket, and I love wild game. So hungry now…
Ohhhh my goodness that sounds so amazing! I’m hungry now!
Sounds like a great idea!! I assume you have no vegetarians attending the wedding? I went to a wedding a few years ago (and at the time, was vegetarian) and they had similar fare- it was really difficult and stands out in my mind as the worst wedding dinner I’ve ever had. I don’t blame the bride & groom, as I don’t think they knew I was vegetarian, but it was still annoying.
As a fellow Texan 
I have to say it all sounds utterly fabulous and delicious and that I’d be one happy guest at your wedding! I wanted to recommend (if you are offering any hard liquor options at your wedding) a signature drink option called Firefly Sweet Tea vodka. It actually comes in 4 tea flavors: Mint, Lemon, Raspberry, and Sweet. It’s amazing served with water or with lemonade for an adult Arnold Palmer.
But I have to say, your game plan of delicious bbq, baked beans, potato salad, and a cold beer - sounds like the makings of a fabulous wedding
This is making me miss Texas. Texas brisket and Tex-mex are IMPOSSIBLE to find in Boston!
We’re self-catering! Our reception will be buffet style for 250ish people. Menu so far= pulled pork sliders (my cousin’s husband is also a bbq pitmaster who is cooking the meat for us), lots of fruit, veggies, and cheeses.
I can’t wait to see how your reception turns out!
Wow, you are so brave to be doing this! It all sounds absolutely delish and it’s great you have people cooking it for you (I was imagining you slaving away in your wedding dress!)
Haha,I guess you aren’t expecting any vegetarian guests, then?
aimlesstraveler - I live in Central Texas. I have never met a Texas-born vegetarian. (I’m in my mid-thirties) Though I’m sure they exist - Austin maybe? Of course a _large_ part of the population in Austin is a transplant population.
Oh my gosh, I wish I could have a wedding dinner like this at this price…AND with someone from a competition BBQ team cooking it…shoot, you guys are awesome.
@Chouse: im a texas-born vegetarian, and i’m in austin
ok so now I am super hungry! Mmmmmmm it all sounds so darn yummy!
OMG, I may or may not have just chewed off my hand. YUM. My Texas-born FI would love this for the wedding! And your self-catering plan sounds really reasonable and manageable.
I’ve been married for almost a year, but we also self-catered a wedding in Texas…BBQ, German Noodles, Beans, Sauce, Yummy Potatoes, and Green Beans… its the norm for many small Texas towns, especially when your guest list is 400! My dad is the chief of the local volunteer fire department and they’re BBQ pros and a couple times a year cook for thousands as fundraisers for the department, so we bought all the goods and they cooked for us.
I agree with qui40067, Arnold Palmers pair quite well with Texas heat and BBQ. We served them at our wedding and they were a hit!
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Mrs. Sand Dollar, Houston Age and Occupation: 24, Graphic Designer Fiance's Age and Occupation: 22, Electrical Technician Engagement Date: January 8, 2010 Wedding Date: September 2010 Venue: MacLean Park About Me: I'm a domestic diva down to the core. I heart cooking, sewing, baking, decorating and making sure we have a hand-crafted home. The best part about the wedding is I get to incorporate it all! I make sure I put my art degree to good use by screen printing, craft knife cutting, and a whole lotta graphic design. We're having a big-time party on a small-time budget, and I promise to show you a boot-scootin', barbecue-eatin', finger-lickin' good time! Mr. Sand Dollar and I spend most of our time on DIY projects or traipsing around the outdoors with our two pooches Rory and Juno. I'm looking forward to sharing our journey with all of you!
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