193366 Wed Jan 16 15:13:09 -0800 2002 8 18 Manhattan 0 1031982 Dear Fellow Chowhounds, I need advice for my wedding. Ours will be far from traditional: about 100-150 people, no isle, and my dress is some vintage 60's number I picked up in a thrift store for $15, fresh flowers from the farmer's market. I'll definitely have a band there--no cheesy d.j. for this couple! The first thing I need to find is a location, and then I'll focus on the food. I live on the Lower East Side in Manhattan and was hoping to find an inexpensive place for the reception there (things are much cheaper in this area) or anywhere in the city would be OK. Think low budget! I can spend no more then $800 otherwise to groom will pressure me to have it in Ithaca where we can do it for $500 but I'd much rather have it in the city that I love the most and where I live, NYC. Does anyone know of ANY place in NYC, preferably on the Lower East Side that is cheap and allows you to do your own catering?? I really don't want to use a caterer at all. I would much rather buy food in bulk from restaurants I like in the city and elsewhere--Turkish food from Beti Kabab in Jersey, smoked fish from Brooklyn, sausages from a smoke house in Warrensburg, you get the idea. I plan on making my own cake since I used to be a pastry chef. HAS ANYONE EVER EITHER COOKED THEIR OWN FOOD FOR A WEDDING OR PURCHASED FOOD FROM RESTAURANTS IN THIS MANNER? And also, does anyone have any other resaturant/food suggestions for my wedding? Please give me advice, I know this all sounds a little wacky, but I just want the food to be superb and we don't have much $$$. Thanks a bunch and happy eating. Abundavita Wed Jan 16 15:13:09 -0800 2002 0 abundavita 1 1031984 My friends were married in a church on Halloween. The bride wore a custom made (traditional gown)in black. Then they had there reception at an S&M club... I was a bit squeamish about eating there, but it wasn't too bad... Anyway - for food they ordered take-out/mini catering from their favorite East Village restaurants. They had Indian, Polish, deli (from Second Avenue), Chinese + other stuff. It was pretty good and very Chowhoundish. Try calling your favorite spots and see what you can do. Wed Jan 16 15:47:11 -0800 2002 1031982 0 Michele Cindy 2 1032158 Well, this sounds like an adventure. I agree with the borrow a friend's loft idea - pay for cleaning before and after. Or do you have connections with a store or with a gallery? Also, synagogues may have social halls you can rent cheap-try Village Temple, Brotherhood - unless the religious connection is a problem. And, believe it or not, schools, esp private schools may rent out their gyms.....look into nursery schools even. Also the 14th St. Y is lovely. Does Museum of the Cinese in America rent their space? Some museums are pricey-but some may be more within reach. This may be too wacky for you but there is a room overlooking a pool at Waterside health club that rents reasonably. But have you looked into a Chinatown wedding or other place? this might give you your space plus ease with food for a price better than imagined. Sat Jan 19 18:23:31 -0800 2002 1031984 0 Marilyn 1 1031993 Another idea for food - my parents attended the wedding of one of my brother's boyhood friends which was organized as a potluck for 100 people. In lieu of gifts, the guests were asked to make a dish from their own family background to feed 12 and were given an index card in advance to write down the recipe. The cards were assembled into a starter cookbook for the newlyweds. I think my mom made Chinese chicken salad or something like that. Wed Jan 16 16:52:26 -0800 2002 1031982 0 Melanie Wong 2 1032012 That reminds me of two stories. One that I heard from a caterer in a college town where the couples were often short on cash and made the reception their "bridal registry list" so that grandma might buy the wedding cake, uncle george the champagne toast, so and so the veggies - you get the idea. Creative thinking. the second was a pot luck wedding that our Quaker/Hippy friends who live in Maine had many years ago. The guests came from all ends of the spectrum and each brought a pot luck dish and of course they were given a wedding quilt which the community made. And apparently at a quaker wedding there is no officiater so to speak, so everyone can get up and say their piece. The old ladies were quite shocked by the screaming performance artist.... My first catering job was my own wedding (short piece of the story above) Still catering 18 years later... Wed Jan 16 23:13:56 -0800 2002 1031993 0 tigerwoman 1 1032007 I also got married on a very small budget. I was fortunate enough to have a friend's loft at my disposal. My husband, who is Moroccan, did all the food which was amazing. Before the loft became available I was looking into renting a loft for a day; there are often ads on the back page of the Village Voice for spaces to rent. Also try photography studios which rent by the day; make sure to tell them that you want to use the space for a party. p.s. I am a henna artist, if you need that for your party. Link below. Link: http://www.kenzi.com/HENNA/HTML/henna.htm Wed Jan 16 21:56:39 -0800 2002 1031982 0 Kenzi 1 1032011 it wasn't entirely clear is the $800 the budget for the space only - and what about rentals and what about food. What is your total budget. My husband and I catered our own wedding 18 years ago - in fact it was my first catering job - although he was already a professional chef. I don't remember the exact breakdown but the entire event for 125 guests cost around $4000 (soup to nuts so to speak) which included my dress ($85), tux rentals for him and his brother the best man, food, rentals, the space (we had it in a firestation on Long Island and have some very cool photos on the fire truck thanks to the firefighters) anyway the food and event was amazing and we had lots and lots of food and what we loved and wanted. But it adds up and you should hire someone to serve and clean up because you should be a guest at your own party. We hired some high school kids who were friends of the family and it worked out and the bartenders were the fireman (a requirement of the rental). We provided our own food and liquor. SOme places like the Kiwanis were making you buy the liquor from them (besides the tacky rooms) we looked long and hard to find the place we did - remember these are long ago prices too! By the way, a famous family story is that we had to pull my husband out of the kitchen to walk down the aisle. Oh we did all the cooking (hubby, his brother & wife who came from UK to help and to be in wedding and myself) in my grandmothers kitchen. Big problem was storage - but lots of neighbors let us use refrigerator space - but you need to coordinate everything and make sure to keep it properly chilled or heated so as not to end up with sick guests. It certainly can be done on a budget but it is a lot of work and you need to have a good sense of organization and what to do and please hire some help - it is well worth it in the long run. Have you considered some church hall kind of thing or social club or even an off day like a week day? Lofts are generally over a $1000 to rent for a party space and don't always include (usually don't) tables, chairs, nevermind serving dishes, chafers, sternos, etc. You have alot of figuring out to do. But you can have fun doing it too. However, that is why people pay caterers - not only for the food, but for their expertise and for their time and all the running around and attention to detail. Best of luck. Wed Jan 16 23:08:17 -0800 2002 1031982 0 tigerwoman 1 1032016 What is the total budget? (food, location flowers, music etc.) and apprx. what is the date? Thu Jan 17 02:07:59 -0800 2002 1031982 0 Jacob 1 1032064 Two places that come immediately to mind (they let you bring in your own caterers/do it yourself) are: 1) Angel Orensanz Foundation, a partially restored old synagogue on the Lower East Side. East side of Norfolk St. beween Houston and Stanton Sts. http://www.orensanz.org/ 2) Brooklyn Loft, in DUMBO. This space might not be big enough for the number of people you mentioned, but worth calling/checking out. http://www.bklynloft.com/ I don't know about the prices, but Orensanz is a non-profit so maybe the whole thing is tax-deductable? congrats on the upcoming wedding. Thu Jan 17 16:21:47 -0800 2002 1031982 0 jessica m.