I am the MOB and I am trying to cut cost and enjoy my daughters wedding. I am planning to partially cater by buying stuff from places already cooked (some of it). I am a Southern Girl and the thought of running out of food causes panic attacks at 3:00am. I have three weeks from tomorrow.
We plan on Buffet style:
Wedding is at 4:00pm

Appetizers 5:00-5:15 (while bridal party is taking pictures)
Cheese trays 5-6 pc PP(buy cheese at Sam's already cut)
crackers 20 tubes of ritz crackers (might get a couple of different kind of crackers)
pin wheels 2-3 PP (at Sam's in the freezer section)
meatballs and winnies in Bar b Q sauce 5-6 PP(buy in forzen/fridge section Sams)
veggie trays 4-8 pc PP (either cut myself or buy at Sam's
fruit trays 5-6 pc PP (Make myself)
Ranch dressing 3 cups per 25 P
Fruit dip (marshmellow cream and cream cheese)3 cups per 25 P

Eat meal at 6:30ish
Chicken tenders 2-4 pc PP(from Chick-fil-a)
Bar B Q 1/4 lb PP (from a local Bar B Q place)
Pasta Bar: Cheese sauce 3 1/2 gallons (I will make velvetta and milk), Alfrado and Meat sauce-not sure (buy from local rest), chicken, meatballs, and shrimp (not sure where to get may ditch this), black olives, mushrooms, bacon tomoatoes, iltalian dressing (or make a cold pasta salad already mixed.

Totally not sure about the pasta bar ??

Baked Beans (plain) 2 gallons
Chuck wagon beans 2 gallons(ground beef, porkn beans, green beans etc)
Slaw 3 gallons(either buy or make it not sure yet)
Bar B Q sauce ??
Honey Mustard ??
Ranch Dressing ??

French loaves, hamburger buns (100 each ??)
butter

Wedding cake and grooms cake (130 people total) which makes me nervous 16" bottom layer, 12"middle layer (White) and 1/2 sheet cake with a 1/4 sheet cake on top(Choc)

molded white choc mints (my sister and law plans to make) 300-350 pc
nuts

tea (sweet/unsweet)6 gallons
soft drinks 15-20

After dinner bring out the alcoholic beverages and dancing begins....until around midnight. SEVERAL of the older guests will leave probably around 9:00-10:00 (if not sooner) and only the die hard drinkers and dancers will stay. Have mostly beer drinking guys, few women wine drinkers but I feel most of drinking will be beer.
Beer (thinking Keg)
Wine (have no clue)
Sparkling grape juice for kids

I want to bring out a snack around 9:30 or 10:00 still trying to decide what??
thought about chips and dip chex mix etc and cookies and milk or ice cream bar....what do you think.

OMG just typing all this makes me nervous!!

Could you please tell me approx how much I will need? I have an idea from your site (which is totally awesome!!). People are telling me I have way to much food and I dont need as much because I have so many different things planned. I do have company staying at my house so if I have left overs that is fine too. I would much rather have too much than not enough!! I am already adding to the fruit tray for breakfast the day of and day after the wedding for company staying.

In looking at your examples on the website it just seem like sooo much food but I guess 125 people is a lot of people.

Any advice you can give will be greatly appreciated!!

Appetizers 5:00-5:15 (while bridal party is taking pictures)
Cheese trays 5-6 pc PP(buy cheese at Sam's already cut)
crackers 20 tubes of ritz crackers (might get a couple of different kind of crackers)
pin wheels 2-3 PP (at Sam's in the freezer section)
meatballs and winnies in Bar b Q sauce 5-6 PP(buy in forzen/fridge section Sams)
veggie trays 4-8 pc PP (either cut myself or buy at Sam's
fruit trays 5-6 pc PP (Make myself)
Ranch dressing 3 cups per 25 P
Fruit dip (marshmellow cream and cream cheese)3 cups per 25 P

This above all looks good!

Eat meal at 6:30ish
Chicken tenders 2-4 pc PP(from Chick-fil-a)
Bar B Q 1/4 lb PP (from a local Bar B Q place)

Skip the pasta bar, it is a LOT of trouble!
Pasta Bar: Cheese sauce 3 1/2 gallons (I will make velvetta and milk), Alfrado and Meat sauce-not sure (buy from local rest), chicken, meatballs, and shrimp (not sure where to get may ditch this), black olives, mushrooms, bacon tomoatoes, iltalian dressing (or make a cold pasta salad already mixed.

Make a cold pasta salad, using 9 pounds dry pasta- make ahead, holds 2 days

Baked Beans (plain) 2 gallons
Chuck wagon beans make 3 gallons(ground beef, porkn beans, green beans etc)
Slaw 3 gallons(either buy or make it not sure yet)- make 3 1/2
Bar B Q sauce ?? 1/4 cup per person
Honey Mustard ?? 1 tablespoon per person
Ranch Dressing ?? 1 1/2 gallons total, part low fat, have some Italian

see the sandwich page for other condiments

French loaves, 30 thin baguettes
hamburger buns (120 each ??)
butter 5 pounds

Wedding cake and grooms cake (130 people total) which makes me nervous 16" bottom layer, 12"middle layer (White) and 1/2 sheet cake with a 1/4 sheet cake on top(Choc)

a half sheet cuts 30 comfortable pieces. not large. If concerned, get another plain half sheet/

molded white choc mints (my sister and law plans to make) 300-350 pc
nuts- 10 pounds

tea (sweet/unsweet)6 gallons not nearly enough, 12 gallons, 1/3 unsweet
soft drinks 15-20 ??? See the beverage planning page for help on soda

Suggest dinner level coffee, see the beverage planning page