Rating: 
Summary: My Very Own Professional
Review: Chef Mike, I don't know if you remember me but, about 6 months ago you sent me your book "How to Cater Your Own Wedding". I can honestly state this proved to be my reception catering Bible! It was great and everything was in easy to read everyday language, none of those hard to understand culinary words that some television chef's or cook's use. We had many complements on set-up and presentation of the buffet tables, some of our guests (275 in all) were surprised we didn't have it professionally catered. Of course, in a way I did have some professional help, because it was with the assistance of your book that we were able to pull everything off. Thanks again and believe me I plan to use it over and over!Respectfully, Jessica V
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely, Positively Buy This Book!!
Review: Faced with a minimum budget, I really had no choice but to cater my own wedding reception! This book, thank God, delivers on its promise to tell you exactly and precisely how to do this. It includes great recipes, quantities, table layouts, and detailed lists of everything you need to make it a success (including some terrific decorating ideas)...with no one person being a slave. Big bonus: I had an unusual and confusing issue about my reception, so I e-mailed the author, Michael Flowers. He actually responded in less than 24 hours!! Buy this book by all means!!!
Rating:
Summary: This book rocks!!!!!!!
Review: I am taking care of a lot of my wedding details myself due to a tight budget, I read this book cover to cover the night I got it! I loved this book. I liked that it tells you the exact quantity of ingredients for the number of guests you have. If you are slightly handy in the kitchen (can you make a sandwich?) you can prepare the food in this book. Catering your own wedding is hard work, but if you have a tight budget and like cooking you will love this book!
Rating: 
Summary: A Joke
Review: I bought this book thinking it would give tips from a chef on how to pull off a wedding, but instead it's full of stuff like "assemble 20 of your friends to cook", and "sandwiches are acceptable wedding food". Come on! Who can't put together 150 sandwiches? Duh. I needed something to show me how my fiance and I could do our own elegant dinner with the least amount of aggravation. Save your money on this waste of time.
Rating:
Summary: WONDERFUL
Review: I found this book very helpful. I have not been able to find another book or an internet resource that was as helpful. It is really helping me decide on portions and gave very helpful reception ideas. I would hightly recommend this book to anyone who is planning to cater their own reception or help with a family member's reception.
Rating:
Summary: Shopping lists are wonderful!
Review: I looked for days at the library and through recipe books for everything this book already had. I let out a huge sigh of relief when I found it. We taste tested the swans and they were so perfect that we knew everything else would be great too! It gave me the courage to jump in and agree to cater my daughter's wedding. I loved the shopping lists for 150 people. That saved me so much time. I have frozen everything that I could and the rest of it will be done the day before the wedding at the church kitchen with the bridesmaids, bride, mothers, and grandmother. It will be fun. The only things that could have been done better is to include which recipes could be frozen ahead of time and to include more of those, plus what to do when at the end you have over 50 more guests than you had planned for! I guess there is no help but luck on that one!
Rating:
Summary: Shopping lists are wonderful!
Review: I looked for days at the library and through recipe books for everything this book already had. I let out a huge sigh of relief when I found it. We taste tested the swans and they were so perfect that we knew everything else would be great too! It gave me the courage to jump in and agree to cater my daughter's wedding. I loved the shopping lists for 150 people. That saved me so much time. I have frozen everything that I could and the rest of it will be done the day before the wedding at the church kitchen with the bridesmaids, bride, mothers, and grandmother. It will be fun. The only things that could have been done better is to include which recipes could be frozen ahead of time and to include more of those, plus what to do when at the end you have over 50 more guests than you had planned for! I guess there is no help but luck on that one!
Rating:
Summary: Not just for weddings!
Review: I love this book! It's got great recipes, creative decorating ideas, and most important, a plan that anyone can use to put on a great wedding reception. I especially like the way it encourages you to include friends and family in the preparation and festivities. The wedding reception becomes a meaningful event that loved ones can become involved in instead of a standardized, ho-hum package offered by caterers to thousands of brides. An added plus: the menus and plans aren't just for wedding receptions. I can see using them for holiday parties, church functions, and any time I entertain large groups of people.
Rating: 
Summary: Terrible!
Review: I was very enthusiastic when I first ordered the book, UNTIL I saw the recipes.. Yikes!! For example, the author insists on using canned vegetables. I have 15 people ready to help me out.. with nothing to cook. I would NOT use these recipes. Terrible.. Terrible.. Ideas! I would be ashamed of serving these items at my wedding!!!
Rating:
Summary: Look no further!
Review: If you have been searching in vain for a wedding resource that is truly helpful and practical, you can stop looking! This book covers every aspect of planning a wedding reception that you can imagine. The authors have done the hardest part for you: planned menus, compiled lists of groceries and needed items for different sizes of receptions, designed table set-up and room arrangement plans, etc. Everything is done in a step-by-step manner, so that even if you've never attempted anything of this sort before, you are soon brimming with confidence that you CAN accomplish this challenge. This book is by far the most useful of the many that I have examined and I recommend it without reservation to anyone who wants to have a wonderful reception without the ensuing debt that so often follows. If in doubt, buy it! I can guarantee you won't be disappointed.
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