xxxx

Message edited 2/8/2007 12:19:46 PM.

Re: christening reception cost - home vs. restaurant

we've been thinking about this too. when the time comes, we wanted to have a bbq but the thought is always there "what if the weather is bad?" the only problem is that we're probably going to have quite a few people so renting a hall or having it at a restaurant would cost a fortune. i always feel home parties are cheaper b/c you can make a lot of stuff yourself ... but the place where the $$ comes in for home parties are the 'extras' we would take for granted if you just had it at a place. sorry, i probably didn't help ... i gues my 'vote' would be that home parties are cheaper ... as long as it's sunny

Re: christening reception cost - home vs. restaurant

Do you know people who own tents/tables that you can borrow for the day? If the forecast is rainy for the day of our daughter's baptism we are going to borrow a tent from a friend who owns one.

Re: christening reception cost - home vs. restaurant

We opted for a restaurant for all of the above reasons. I just gave my hubby a 30 birthday luau in our yard this summer and after tent rentals and food, alcohol etc etc it will cost the same to have something at a restaurant and its alot easier on us. We are also doing 30-40 people.

Re: christening reception cost - home vs. restaurant

Message edited 2/8/2007 12:19:31 PM.

Re: christening reception cost - home vs. restaurant

Message edited 2/8/2007 12:19:54 PM.

Re: christening reception cost - home vs. restaurant

We will just have some beer and maybe a bottle or two of wine. Nothing fancy on the booze for us! Our party is just going to be 13 adults including us and 4 children! It is just going to be me and DH, his brother and niece, his dad, my parents, and my siblings and thier kids. We just can't do something crazy. It'll just be a bbq -- I'll make grilled chicken, homemade burgers, hot dogs, my mom will make salads and maybe I'll make a few hot dishes like sausage/peppers or something like that.

It is so easy to get out of hand but for us we don't have a lot of money to spend and we have to keep in mind what is most important -- having Emily baptised.

Re: christening reception cost - home vs. restaurant

Message edited 2/8/2007 12:20:05 PM.

Re: christening reception cost - home vs. restaurant

I had Emmas christening reception at home. It was September and we didnt have a tent. With the cost of food (some catered and some home made), decos, cleaning, drinks etc it was about $400 for 30 people. For Jeremys we had it at a restaurant for about the same about of people it was $700 BUT I didnt have to worry about cooking, cleaning or serving. So worth the $300!!

Re: christening reception cost - home vs. restaurant

I definitely spent more having the parties @ a hall, but there was no way I was dealing with all the stuff involved in having an "at home" party. I had 70 ppl @ 50 ppl at the parties and I couldn't have fit that many ppl in my house anyway.

Re: christening reception cost - home vs. restaurant

We are having my sons next weekend at home.
Fh is getting the tables and chairs from his firehouse, and we are doing a bbq plus some italian food. I hope its nice out!

Re: christening reception cost - home vs. restaurant

The rental isn't as bad as I thought it would be. The tables with umbrella and stand that seat 8-10 are $35 a piece and the folding chairs are 1.95 each. A tent to cover 4-6 tables would've been $350 and then the tables go down in price to $10 b/c you don't need the umbrellas, but we've decided to skip the tent. I was going to cater sandwiches and salads but the moms seem intent on making the stuff so I figure why not let them as long as I don't have to.

With a restaurant party we'd end up with people coming back to the house anyway so I might as well be prepared to have them for the afternoon. I have a lot of family so a small restaurant party is just not realistic for us.

Re: christening reception cost - home vs. restaurant

We had the reception right in the basement of our church. We didn't want it to be a huge ordeal and we didn't want to spend too much. Between the cost to rent, our donation to the church, and heros and salads and sodas, (no booze allowed, so that took care of that) cake, coffee, and chocolate lollipop favors for 35 people, plus tablecloths and paper plates, cups, napkins, and utensils, it ended up being about $600. Not absolutely horrific compared to the cost of having it in a restaurant. Having it home probably would've only cut off about $100-$150 of that. I'm glad we did it there, so people didn't have the inconvenience of driving to the church and then driving to our home (we live about 40 minutes from the church).

ETA: The church provided tables and chairs and their kitchen to us.

Message edited 5/15/2006 9:55:00 AM.

Re: christening reception cost - home vs. restaurant

we are having ours at home....keeping it really simple and casual...doing a BBQ and we're over 30 people now.
No tent, no renting chairs.....REALLY casual...I'm borrowing everything from everyone, friends are helping out with making random side dishes and cakes.

Cans of beer and soda and juice boxes will be in coolers.

Heavy duty plastic plates and silverware.

Decorations....probably just buying a bunch of fresh flowers from Sams Club and using various sizes and shapes of glass containers.....I may paint some of them in the colors I want to use.

Have you looked into renting space in a church family life center? We are having cake and punch at ours before we go back to the house and the rental fee is $25 since we are members. It's not much more for non-members.

Re: christening reception cost - home vs. restaurant

I had Molly's out. After the cost of everything I would not have saved much, plus she had a winter christening. My in-laws also stay in my home before any 'event" and I was just too tired (Molly was 8 wks. old) to worry about preparing for a party like that. I was glad that we had it out.
To be honest even with tents if it rains the ground can get soaked etc...

Re: christening reception cost - home vs. restaurant

Message edited 2/8/2007 12:20:15 PM.

Re: christening reception cost - home vs. restaurant

Message edited 2/8/2007 12:20:24 PM.