A self-catered home wedding requires a great deal of planning as well as careful attention to timing and detail. Options could include a champagne breakfast, potjiekos and salads, hot and/or cold buffets, a sit-down meal or finger supper.

Remember that limiting the menu choice will help simplify arrangements, and that a sit-down dinner demands a lot more effort than a buffet. If family and friends are involved in the preparations, tasks must be allocated in advance and their functions and roles clearly stipulated considering the amount of work involved in preparing the food yourself, most brides choose to enlist the services of a professional caterer.

You'll need to check with a few recommended catering companies and obtain detailed quotes reflecting all costs and price per head, including possible extras such as gratuities for waiters. Enquire about special packages and discuss the variety of available menus and the final selection fully, tasting the food to be served if possible. A deposit is usually needed to secure the booking.

Counting the cost

When comparing catering quotes, find out whether staff gratuities are included in the estimate, as extras like these can really add up. Also remember that the larger the guest list, the more chance you have of getting a discount.

While cocktail parties are often considered a less expensive route, serving snacks such as intricate hors d'oeuvres may in fact be more pricey than a sit-down dinner. While the per-plate count is a set number, caterers have to overestimate for cocktail parties and buffets to make sure there’s enough food for everyone.

If you are watching your budget, keep starters simple – soup in winter, cold soup or paté in summer – and avoid costly items like shellfish.

Food facts

Choosing the menu can be tricky, as it depends not only on your likes and dislikes but those of your guests as well. While line fish, salmon, chicken or lamb are popular selections because they are easy to prepare in large numbers, don’t forget that some of your guests could be vegetarian or object to certain foods on religious grounds or even for health reasons.

Buffets usually prove popular as guests have a greater choice in what they would like to eat, and you should ask your caterer what options are available to accommodate dietary restrictions. You will need to find out this information from your guests beforehand – which is why it’s wise to ask about special dietary requirements in the invitation!

Raise your glass

Liquid refreshments to be served at a wedding are chosen according to the type of function, time of day it is being held and the number of guests attending. While teas and most breakfasts will probably be "dry", lunchtime, cocktail and evening receptions usually include beer, wine and champagne, and possibly spirits.

The traditional toast calls for champagne or a good sparkling wine. You'll need approximately 24 bottles per 100 guests for the toasting, and somewhat more if champagne is to be drunk throughout the evening. For something a little different, consider having a champagne cocktail such as an appealing Kir Royale, or even a glass of tropical punch complete with cocktail umbrella, waiting in the reception foyer when the guests arrive.

Creative cakes

Consider these pointers before ordering your cake:

• Request references and photographs from professional bakers, obtaining all details, including the size of the cake, colour of the icing, type of decorations and delivery date, in writing.

• If making the cake yourself, consider using edible flowers such as nasturtiums or honeysuckle for decoration. These can be either fresh or crystallised if you need to preserve them for any length of time.

• The size of cake will depend on whether or not the upper tier is to be kept – according to tradition this is eaten on the first anniversary or may even serve as a christening cake.

• Square cakes are easier to slice than round ones. Alternatively, have a separate cake baked and cut into pieces which can be individually wrapped before the reception.

• Check with your venue that a table is provided on which to cut the cake, and find out whether they will supply a suitable knife for the cake cutting ceremony.

While the conventional wedding cake consists of a rich fruitcake packed with cherries, nuts, raisins, spices and brandy and covered with marzipan and icing, contemporary choices could include a tiered treasure of citrus delights in lime, lemon and orange layers or a decadent chocolate cake decorated with pastel pink roses or strawberry swirls.

Spice up a traditional cake by covering it in extravagant fruits and blossoms, or transform white icing into a work of art with decorative designs.

Small is also big news. Choices here range from brightly coloured cupcakes and delicate petit-fours with floral embellishments to chocolate brownies and heart-shaped mini cheesecakes. Consider keeping the main wedding cake to slice for the cake cutting ceremony while placing replicas of the original, complete with cake stand and knife, at each table.

According to celebrity cake designers and pastry chefs, cakes with exotic tropical fruit fillings like pineapple, Key lime, mango, blood orange and coconut are making waves on the cake walk, as are sophisticated European-inspired flavours, like almond cake with apricot and vanilla cream filling, or hazelnut cake with mocha-espresso mousse and hazelnut-praline filling.

Ethnic influences are also making themselves seen and tasted in cake design. Look for Asian-inspired cakes, or pastries with ornate Florentine patterns.

The sweetest treat If your budget is tight, you may like to have a cake that doubles as a dessert.