Would you cook for 20 people or get caterers in?

[Littleshortcake]

We are having a party in June (Holy Communion) and will obviously be at the mass for two hours (including photos and reception at the school).
I would have no help as everyone will be there. No local restaurant. I could get caterers in but am a confident cook (but only for the immediate family). I know it's my own decision but just wondering what ideas people would have? Is it worth getting caterers.

If I could afford it then definitely caterers. Why give yourself added stress if you can afford not to?

Could you order in from e.g. M&S

caterers

I'd mix. Some M&S buffet food and a bit of my own.

I could do this blind folded but special occasion I’d probably get caterers In or go to a restaurant or hotel.

Caterers or a large pizza order

Morrisons do lovely food to order and it's reasonably priced. Failing that I'd do big cats of reheatable stuff like chilli and curry and serve with dips and tortilla chips and wraps and jacket spuds and other various sides. So much cheaper than catering!

Order in from m&s or Waitrose. Or prepare large dishes of help yourself type food the night before if you have the fridge space.

It really depends on the type of food you want to do. If it's canapes then order in! If its hot food, personally I'd recommend a few large dishes, like a veggie/vegan one, a chicken based one and another, all that would go with rice or pasta. One could be a hot soup on the stove with a large loaf of speciality bread, and then presumably a celebration cake to follow.

Is there someone that could pop back and put food in the oven to reheat? Or prgramme your oven to start in good time for your return?

Cook do lasagna and other large frozen meals that you just heat and provide the sides for or M&S

I agree with others. I go partial bought in food/platters etc and also home-made. Anything that could be prepped a day or so beforehand. being June, you wont need everything hot so means more options like sandwiches, wraps, cold canapes, salads etc.
Is there anyone (ideally another 2-3) guests/relatives that could help you on the day to help re-heat food, lay it out etc? If asked beforehand, I'm certain some would be willing to help out.

We do it from home, each sibling brings a dish(decided before hand) then a pot of curry or chilli with baked potato and a lasagne, if a very large group we might do a meat platter or a side of salmon with the salads usually a tomato salad, mix leaves and then beetroot or if no starch with the mains we have pasta salad.
Less choice and large amounts are the way to go.

And family leave the church and go straight to the house to set up while you go to the school

I did this! We cooked in advance. As it's traditionally a breakfast I did the ingredients of a full English and kept them in warmers. So sausages, bacon, tomatoes, mushrooms etc. I also had loads of pastries, nice bread, jams etc on the table- left in wrappers until we got back. Served pots of tea, coffee and bucks fizz. It was lovely, very relaxed.

I'd probably do it myself rather than having caterers, but do everything I could think of to make it easier for me (by not cooking anything complex, preparing as much as possible in advance, using ready made food etc).

What food do you want to serve?

Hot cooked casserole with rice for 20 people? Or cold buffet spread without a sandwich in sight?

I’ve done it (for a funeral that finished around lunchtime on a cold January day). but kept it very simple.

2 massive shepherds’ pies, 2 massive macaroni cheese, all made in advance to heat up, peas, bread, salad. IIRC 24 people came back and it all went down very well.

I’d do it again, but would still keep it simple.
A full meal for 20 would be expensive so a lot would spend on whether money is an issue.

A full catered meal, I meant.

What about a couple of large salmons with roasted new potatoes & a salad. Leave everything in oven on timer so will be done by time you get back?

If its June surely people will only want a cold spread?

Thanks so much. I was thinking of making salads the sat before and sandwiches on the morning but we would need something substantial like lasagne and chicken pieces/ curry etc. I could get dh to go out early to get loads of fresh bread (Lidl bakery) and I thought I could make the lasagne the day before and I could pop home after mass to heat the lasagne and maybe put on chicken skewers? I would make these myself. M&s is a great idea though I would have to collect the day before.

There is a local pub we could go to for dinner and home for desserts but dh is keen to have something at home. We have the space.

Some people are travelling two hours before and after so picky bits won't really do the trick.

Smashtastick what are the big cats you speak of?

Could you do a couple of big hams in advance (like the coke one), make a massive vat of tasty soup in advance. The on the day do 20 jacket potatoes for an hour in the oven and have a massive cheese board, coleslaw, chutneys and salad. Then just shove is all on the side for people to help themselves. I did this (with cold turkey too) for 16 on Boxing Day and it worked fine.

Get a cake maker to make the communion cake as a special touch.

It's soooo expensive to get caterers in. Last month I cooked for 25. I did quite a bit in advance and planned very carefully and it wasn't really that hard, although I was busy on the day.

The main part of the buffet were three enormous salmon en croute which I froze beforehand, defrosted and cooked on the morning. (Fresh salmon, fresh bought pastry - the ones in a block so I could roll it out to the thickness I wanted.)
And lemon and honey chicken. Baked the day before and sliced on the day.
Here

I then did three huge salads. Vietnamese coleslaw. Mary Berry's foolproof green salad. Pasta salad.
Hot new potatoes in the slow cooker (bung 'em in at breakfast time with butter and pasley.... voila, cooked for lunch and remain hot)
Hot bread rolls.

And that was it.

Do it yourself but plan the buffet so you can prep most things in advance like the lasagna.