But with the right planning, prepping and organizing, you can create a beautiful and delicious spread — at significant savings — for all your closest friends and family. Think of dishes that can be made and frozen in advance, and things that require very little last-minute assembly. Katie from orlajames.com agreed "Making your own food is a great idea, it really is a money saver when trying to budget your wedding so you can put more money to other aspects. Though it really does depend on the size of your wedding and the food choices!" 

Whether you offer a variety of appetizers, a backyard barbecue or a hearty, sit-down dinner, here are some things to consider:

Size: How many guests are you having? If your wedding-of-the-century includes 300 people and a 12-piece band, you might want to reconsider going the self-catering route, since cooking for groups of that size require more equipment, time and manpower than you’re likely to have. But if you’re not inviting every soul you’ve ever met (read: less than 100 people are attending), then a homemade meal can be a joyful and sweet affair.

Location: Where is the reception being held? Some halls and event spaces may not allow an unlicensed caterer to use their facilities. If you’re hosting in a backyard or home, check the facilities: How big is the oven? Stove? Is there enough counter space? How will you keep foods warm? How will you keep foods cold? Would you have to rent expensive equipment? Will you need to create a human chain to get food from the kitchen to the table? These are the important things to think about. Make a list, start checking things off. If halfway through you’re already on the verge of a panic attack, ask a friend to go through the list with you.

Helping Hands: Chances are, you’ll need someone to help you prepare and ready the food. Maybe ask a relative or friend to pitch in with preparation. Even if you do cook everything yourself, we strongly suggest hiring people to serve and arrange everything during the reception. If you’re asking a friend, make sure it’s someone you know you can work with and trust. Nobody wants to spend their wedding day reigniting the flames under the food trays!

Meal Style: What types of food do you want to serve? A full buffet? A sit-down dinner? Just a round of appetizers? Deciding on the style of food you want to provide will dictate how much cooking you’re able to do. Anything that has to be served immediately after making, like fancy soufflés or deep-fried foods (which get soggy when sitting), should be off the menu. Things that can keep for several days, like pastas, non-lettuce-based salads and quiches will be your best friends. Things that freeze — like lasagna, meatloaf, stews and chilis — will be great time savers, and can be made months in advance. Also: What time is your wedding? Will you be serving breakfast? Brunch? A full dinner? Scheduling your nuptials at an off-meal time can make cooking and planning simpler. Snacks, anyone?
 
Advance Prep: Once you decide on the types of food you want to serve, think about what can be done in advance. What else do you have to do the days before the wedding — appointments, responsibilities? On the day of your wedding, do you want to be taking photos with your family or stirring pasta? Think about foods that can be prepared in advance and frozen or refrigerated. Consider dishes that require only minimal assembly before being served. Plus: don’t forget about the things a caterer would supply that you’ll be responsible for: linens, plates, silverware, drinks, glasses, centerpieces. Checklists are your friends here, people!

Mixing: Perhaps you can cook the dinner, but what about the cake? Maybe you’ll provide the main courses, but what about bread? Think about making some of the food yourself, and purchasing the rest. Nobody will leave the reception thinking: “I can’t believe she didn’t make the salad dressing.”

Keeping all these considerations in mind, here are some of our favorite ideas for wedding reception meals you can make yourself. Please leave your own in the comments below!