Inspired by Jeafl's Communion Dress thread...Party related question

[Lisa L from MI]

Check your pm's too!! Don't know if you have it set up to get a notification or not

 

[beattyfamily]

Originally posted by Jeafl
I don't think I've ever inspired a thread before!

We are having a luncheon at a nearby restaurant for 32 people, then cake afterwards at our house. Since DH's family is coming in from Michigan, I will probably have to have some kind of appetizers or dinner for later that night.

I wouldn't mind having it at home, except for the fact that there's no time to cook anything. It takes me quite a while to get my daughter dressed and hair done, and then you're in church for an hour. I wouldn't be home to throw something in the oven. I looked into having it catered, but it was the same cost-wise as having it out. We can't depend on the weather being nice, so seating 32 people inside is also a problem. I hate when people eat in my living room or family room, and we all can't fit in the dining room and kitchen. It's just easier to have it at a restaurant.

That makes a lot of sense!

Could you tell me how it will work for you? Like what kind of restaurant is it? How will they serve you? Do they have a special section for parties? If you don't mind my asking about how much a person will it end up being? I'm very tempted to look into this!

Thanks!

 

[Lynn CC]

For DS's communion we had just immediate family about 25 back to the house for a cookout/pool party.

For his Confirmation last year we had a much larger crowd, we took them to DS's favorite restaurant (we had a room closed off to ourselves) and had cake at home with whoever wanted to come back to the house. It was so much fun and cleanup was easy.

Enjoy and have fun!

 

[AirForceRocks]

For DD, we had lunch for our family and for out of town guests in a private room at an Italian restaurant near the church, and we're doing the same thing for DS in May. The owner of the restaurant put all of his kids through the same school, and he makes a huge fuss over the kids when they come in wearing their First Communion finery.

 

[cruisnfamily]

Wow, we do things different down here in Sarasota, FL . I grew up on Long Island so I'm familiar with the whole "mini-wedding" thing but it just isn't done here....as a matter of fact, very few of my kids friends are Catholic. Most are some variation of Christian with Baptist, Presbryterian, and Episcopalian being the majority. Growing up on LI, everybody was either Catholic or Jewish, I didn't know anyone who was anything else. Anyway, I digress.

DS8 will make his 1st communion on May 8th. Great Grandma, Grandma, Aunt, Uncle, nieces, and godparents will be invited. Including us that brings the grand total to 13. We'll either have cold cuts and cake back at our house afterwards or we'll take everybody out to a restaurant for brunch. If we do the brunch thing, the grandmas will think we're being extravagant and spending too much money and will try to talk us out of it. If we do it at our house, it will turn into a pool party thing for the family. When DD made her communion we just did it at the house, I'm leaning towards the restaurant this time but I'm not sure.

I'm gonna start another thread with a couple of other communion issues we're having...great topic!

 

[Mishetta]

Yep, I totally understand being originally from Brooklyn NY (lived on Long Island for about 12 years). Party, party, party. The fancier the better!

We also lived in California for 10 years & if we were there, we'd be having a party at home. I guess it just depends where you live....(of course, if we still lived there, we couldn't afford to have anyone over ~ not even for cold cuts!!) Ditto for NY!

 

[Jeafl]

beattyfamily, believe it or not, we are having it at the Olive Garden. It was not my first choice, but I waited too long to book a place, and everywhere I called seemed like it was already booked up. My other 2 kids have had it at slightly nicer places, but I think Olive Garden will work out fine.

The manager at the Olive Garden has actually been really great. They have a private room there which is decorated beautifully, since it was just remodeled. We were told to pick 6 entrees for adults and 3 entrees for kids to choose from off their luncheon menu (it's on their website). They are going to make a special menu without prices for our guests. All the entrees include garlic breadsticks and either soup or salad (all you can eat). Their luncheon prices are cheaper than their regular dinner menu, even though the portions are the same. We aren't having dessert there, since I ordered a cake for afterwards to eat at home. I am also making other sweets for at home.

All in all, it should cost us between $12-15 a person, though maybe more because we are having an "open bar".

I'll let you know how it all turns out.

 

[beattyfamily]

Originally posted by Jeafl
beattyfamily, believe it or not, we are having it at the Olive Garden. It was not my first choice, but I waited too long to book a place, and everywhere I called seemed like it was already booked up. My other 2 kids have had it at slightly nicer places, but I think Olive Garden will work out fine.

The manager at the Olive Garden has actually been really great. They have a private room there which is decorated beautifully, since it was just remodeled. We were told to pick 6 entrees for adults and 3 entrees for kids to choose from off their luncheon menu (it's on their website). They are going to make a special menu without prices for our guests. All the entrees include garlic breadsticks and either soup or salad (all you can eat). Their luncheon prices are cheaper than their regular dinner menu, even though the portions are the same. We aren't having dessert there, since I ordered a cake for afterwards to eat at home. I am also making other sweets for at home.

All in all, it should cost us between $12-15 a person, though maybe more because we are having an "open bar".

I'll let you know how it all turns out.

Thanks so much for sharing. I still can't decide but I guess I should decide soon! I agree about how can you cook and have food ready when you're at the Church all morning!? So that is why I'm considering a restaurant. Otherwise it will be sandwichs or Pizza! I don't want to have to stress too much!

Thanks again!

 

[Roemama1]

My DD's 1st Communion is May 1st. We're having about 70 or so people. My husband is a firefighter so we can use the banquet room at the firehouse. We're having it catered so I don't have to do any of the cooking.

Like someone else posted, I also got the personalized labels for the candy bars for her. They're really cute and were inexpensive. Got them on ebay. They're just a cute little touch. My best friend is doing all the decorating as that is her "thing" and she just wanted to do it. I have an aunt that is a florist so I'm sure everything will look great. Then we have to turn around again in 2 weeks and do another party there for my cousin's daughter.