Ready-made proposals for a banquet for 20 people in Moscow

Not all couples dream of a large-scale wedding with many guests; some prefer a quiet and cozy celebration with their closest people. But even a wedding menu for 20 people needs to be carefully designed and composed so that everyone is well-fed and happy.

There are several tricks that will help you choose the right dishes in the right quantities so that there is a minimum of excess left, and at the same time not a single guest feels hungry.

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As for alcohol, it is usually advised to stock up on it at the rate of 1 bottle for 1-2 people. Svetlana Reznik

On average, a wedding feast lasts 6-8 hours, and during this time one guest usually eats about 1-1.2 kg of food. This amount is divided into all stages of the banquet, that is, on average 100 g for each salad, 200 g for each cold and hot appetizer, about 350 g for the main course and 150-200 g for dessert.

Particular attention is paid to desserts. The highlight of the evening will be the wedding cake, but in addition to it, you can treat your friends and family to other sweets or fruits. They are either placed on a separate table (candy bar), or laid out in portions after the main course. This move is relevant if the rest of the menu is not too high in calories.

Interesting! About

A wedding banquet for 20 people took place... — Rassolnikov

We chose a restaurant for a travel-themed wedding! The Garnets Hall accommodated 50 people, so much so that there was plenty of room for dancing. The holiday was 09/16/18. A cozy, relaxed atmosphere without the pomp of columns and marble angels. Calm interior, wooden boxes with flowers, soft light - in a word, what travelers need.

Our banquet manager was Andrey. As a hyper-responsible person, I learned everything from him: sockets, vases, high chairs, how salad is served, what a tablecloth looks like, what if and why it’s like that. He took all my questions calmly, answering everything) We made an advance payment and began discussing the menu a month before the celebration. They didn’t sell us dishes in an attempt to make money. On the contrary, taking into account our wishes, the banquet was compiled and calculated so that it was enough, inexpensive, and tasty.

Kitchen... I'm glad that this restaurant is located far from my home, otherwise I would have settled in it. Delicious meat, muksun, home-made pickles - if only for this I would already give a solid five. But when it came to shish kebab, lamb lula and fish steak…. There are no words. Fresh vegetables and herbs remained fresh and crispy for another 4 days. I think they would have lasted longer, but my husband and I sharpened them)) Why am I writing separately about vegetables? It’s simple: when you come back from a restaurant after a corporate party, taking a container of food with you, already in the morning the dill and parsley look like you did after a party - withered and not very fresh. The same goes for meat. They collected a ton of food for us, barbecue for the morning and for the next 3 days it lay without a hint of toughness or anything else. The organization, presentation, service are beyond praise. They took into account all our wishes, Andrey helped in many aspects of our creative preparation for the evening with the groom. The removal of the wedding cake was free (and now, by the way, many restaurants charge money for this), they gave us beautiful knives (I completely forgot that something is needed for a wedding cake)))

HUGE PLUS!!! Because there is a children's room with an animator working until 19 pm. Many thanks to the animator for being able to bring together the children of our relatives, who are so different in temperament and age, and interest them. It is to interest them, and not try to keep them by taping them to a chair.

Thank you very much to Andrey for his perseverance and endurance, because I almost didn’t leave him alone a week before the wedding.

The celebration went off with a bang, including due to the competent organization of the banquet, the uniqueness of the dishes and the general atmosphere.

Next time (the general director really wanted to hold a New Year's corporate party there) I will order more bruschetta with avocado - they are divine.

Thank you for our holiday!

Meal options

When the final list of guests for the wedding is compiled, you need to determine how many of them are men, women and children. This is important because the number and size of dishes will vary in these cases. Men's portions are usually slightly larger than women's, but children's portions, on the contrary, are smaller.

In addition, it is recommended to make a separate table for children so that they do not get bored surrounded by adults.

The children's menu usually includes fewer dishes, for example, the same salads are served, but appetizers and cold cuts are abandoned. The main course is made less caloric, for example, not fried, as in adults, but boiled, while the number of desserts increases.

There are several dozen options for the holiday menu, so at first you can get lost in all this diversity. It’s easier to entrust this to wedding planners, but not every couple hires professionals to prepare the celebration, especially if it is designed for 20 people.

In order not to rack your brains for a long time, sorting through different options, you can choose something from popular dishes. An approximate wedding menu for 20 people consisting of cuts may be as follows.

Vegetable. It includes fresh cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, herbs, bell peppers of several colors, and radishes. If you wish, you can order vegetable carving from a professional, then real masterpieces will be cut from ordinary fruits.
Meat. 2-3 types of meat delicacies are used, for example, smoked neck, carbonade, brisket, pastrami, roll, jamon, boiled pork, etc.
Sausage and cheese. 2-3 types of sausage and 1-2 types of hard cheese are cut; if desired, you can supplement the plate with Feta or Brynza cheese, cut into cubes.
Fish. Usually salted and smoked types of fish are used, which are complemented by seafood - shrimp, scallops, squid, mussels, etc.

The cuts are what should be on the tables before the guests are seated. In addition, it is necessary to place light snacks on common plates. Most often these are pickles, for example, vegetables and mushrooms, as well as canapés, croutons and sandwiches. Such dishes are laid out in such a way that 1 plate is used for 6-7 people. Thus, for 20 guests, each type of common cuts and appetizers should be presented in 3-4 servings.

As for salads, it is better to make 2-3 different options, which will be served alternately. One of them is made with meat or chicken, the second with fish or seafood, the third with vegetables or mushrooms. If there are many sweet tooth lovers at the wedding, or the celebration is scheduled for the hot season, the vegetable salad can be replaced with fruit salad.

After salads, hot and cold appetizers are served, mainly from meat or fish, but there may be variations with vegetables or mushrooms. This is not a main dish and does not require a side dish, and the portions should be small. You can also organize shared plates, since not every guest will be able to finish the entire menu.

Such snacks can include aspic or jellied meat, a meat or chicken roll with the addition of mushrooms and onions, lula kebab, or individual pieces of game or fish. It is important that the food served at this stage of the banquet is not too high in calories, otherwise there is a chance that there will be leftovers from the main course. Such snacks should only maintain your appetite.

Important! It is recommended to make a reserve of 200-300 g per person. It will be better if there is a little more leftover than if one of the guests is not full by the end of the evening.

The main dish is most often meat or chicken, less often fish and very rarely mushrooms. These can be steaks fried in a frying pan, chops with or without batter, portioned pieces baked in the oven or even kebab. A wedding menu for 20 people in a cafe can also include a whole dish, for example, a small pig, duck or carp. Before serving, it is cut into portioned pieces to make it convenient for guests, but the original shape is preserved for a spectacular appearance. The main dish is served with a side dish, most often potatoes, rice or vegetable stew.

Desserts can also be varied:

store-bought or hand-made candies;
cookie;
marmalade;
soufflé or mousse;
cupcakes;
sweet pancakes and pancakes;
cakes;
marshmallows;
Turkish Delight;
halva;
chuck-chuck, etc.

Sweets can be placed on the tables in common plates after the main course has been eaten, or just before the start of the banquet, placed on a separate table with a sign above it. If the desserts are portioned, such as soufflé or ice cream, then they are placed in small bowls for each guest.

Attention should also be paid to drinks. As for non-alcoholic drinks, you need to stock up on juices, carbonated and still water, and optional lemonade at the rate of 1.5 liters per person. When it comes to alcohol, girls usually prefer wine, champagne or liqueur, while men prefer strong drinks, but the situation may change depending on the tastes of the guests.

Advice! Using the drinks calculator, you can estimate how many alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks you need.

How to organize a wedding on a small budget.

Using a survey, we found that the majority have a small budget - up to 100,000 rubles. And I, of course, believe that even for that kind of money you can organize a holiday for the newlyweds. You'll have to reconsider the main positions and understand where you can cut costs: 1. Let's start with the number of guests. This is always the most difficult question, but when the main motive is to fit into the stated amount, then the number of guests comes to the fore. In this case, I would have a chamber wedding for 10, maximum 12 people (the newlyweds, the groom's parents, the bride's parents and 2-3 friends on each side). It will be possible to seat everyone at one large table and perhaps even do without a leader. Prices for a banquet menu start from 1,500 to 4,500 rubles, depending on the restaurant. 2. If there will still be more guests, then I advise you to take a closer look at sites with discount coupons (such as Groupon). Sometimes there are offers on discounts on banquet menus for a group of up to 50 people. This way you can save from 20% to 50% on the holiday table. 3. Closing a room in a restaurant - you will have to pay for it. Often, it turns out to be more expensive than simply ordering a banquet in a restaurant. On weekdays there are fewer visitors in restaurants than on weekends, so if you plan your wedding in advance, you can end up with an almost empty restaurant. 4. If the number of guests cannot be reduced and there will be about 20-30 people, then, in this case, you can arrange a buffet. Small canapés on skewers and hot snacks will save the situation and guests will not leave hungry. The essence of the buffet is not to drag out the wedding for the whole day: a ceremonial painting in the registry office and immediately celebrate! 2-3 hours and you can go to a photo shoot or even fly off on a honeymoon. I would take a closer look at establishments close to the registry office, so that guests can walk there themselves, and thus save money on transferring guests. When organizing a buffet table, a candy bar will be very relevant; it can also serve as a photo zone, because they can be unusually beautifully decorated! The buffet menu will cost from 800 to 2,500 rubles per person, the main thing is to choose the right snacks so that guests do not leave hungry. 5. Bride's dress. There is a myth that you need to look for a bride’s dress by choosing from a variety of pictures on websites. It definitely needs to be measured! What you selected from the picture may not fit you perfectly. Therefore, in order not to waste time looking at photos, I suggest choosing budget salons (dresses up to 15,000 rubles - and they exist!) and go there for a fitting. If it fits your figure and you like it, then feel free to take it - there will be a million more dresses that you will see and they will be more beautiful. I still want to get married all the time just because there is such a variety of beautiful dresses around that I want them all)))) You can also consider renting a dress (from 3,000 to 15,000 rubles), since you need it for a couple of days maximum, and then it will take up space in the closet))) There you can also take a closer look at garters, gloves and other small items. Perhaps you know a seamstress who can implement your ideas on a budget. 6. Groom's suit. If the wedding style allows, then the groom can wear trousers, a shirt and a bow tie, or add a vest. All this can be found in regular stores or sewn to order. 7. Cars. As I already said, you can save on transferring guests if you choose a restaurant nearby. Don't be afraid to ask friends with cars to be drivers if your budget is limited. Or consider minibuses. 8. Photos and videos. There must be a photographer, preferably a good or very good one. But you can consider the option of a photographer who is not a wedding photographer, but a beginner or one doing reportage photography. There is a certain risk in hiring a beginner, so I still recommend negotiating with experienced photographers for a discount when working hours are reduced. A good photographer can be found for 2500 rubles per hour. The video will cost you from 25,000 rubles and here is an important question - how many times will you watch it? Sometimes it’s better to give up video altogether if the goal is to save money. Or you can get by with the minimum option - filming a walk and subsequent editing with music, the finished video will be 5-7 minutes long. 9. Wedding stylist. You can get your hair done at a nearby beauty salon for 1000-1500 rubles, and apply your makeup yourself. There is really one nuance - a makeup artist will be able to correct the shape of your face and do makeup that is unusual for you. You can look for beginner stylists who have experience and can give you an inexpensive makeover. Beginner specialist from 3500 for hair and makeup + rehearsal 1000-1500 rubles. 10. Wedding decor. This is where the fun begins: the global trend is to decorate weddings with fresh flowers so that everything around looks like the Garden of Eden. In our budget case, we need to consider options for decor made from paper. By discussing the wedding theme with the decorators, you can save money by making some of the decor yourself. Let them make the necessary flower arrangements, and you and your friends organize a bachelorette party “skillful hands circle” and prepare everything else. These can be garlands made of paper flags, candlesticks made of bottles painted and decorated with beads or hemp rope, cute hearts on skewers and much more. 11. Presenters. On the Internet you can find presenters starting from 10,000 rubles, from 15,000 rubles with a DJ and equipment. You definitely need to meet with the selected candidates in order to determine at the meeting who you prefer and what program they offer.

As you can see, even with a minimal budget you can figure out how to celebrate a wonderful wedding event. I hope that my advice will help you organize your own unforgettable event. But even if you still have questions, I’m always open to communication and together we can come up with something interesting for your wedding.

Depends on the season

If the weather on the wedding day is hot, then it is advisable to diversify the menu of the wedding banquet for 20 people with light snacks and cold desserts. For example, the following dishes may be placed on the table for a summer or autumn wedding:

canapés with oranges, fried chicken and pineapples;
tartlets with tomatoes, melted cheese, mayonnaise and garlic;
sandwiches or toast with red caviar;
vegetable mix;
cold cuts;
“Red Sea” salad made of tomatoes, crab sticks, cheese, garlic and mayonnaise;
“Lady” salad made from Chinese cabbage, ham, corn, croutons and mayonnaise;
“Mood” salad made of white and red beans, corn, cabbage, tomatoes, herbs and mayonnaise;
chicken aspic;
pork fricassee with mushrooms, sour cream and melted cheese, and rice as a side dish;
portioned ice cream, jelly, soufflé or mousse.

In summer and autumn, nature delights with fresh fruits, so if the banquet is held at home, then be sure to include a large amount of vegetables in the wedding menu for 20 people. In winter, on the contrary, the menu should contain a lot of meat or fish:

canapés with salmon, curd cheese and quail eggs;
tartlets with liver pate;
sandwiches or toast with red caviar;
cold cuts;
vegetable mix;
sausage and cheese slices;
salad with chicken breast, hard cheese, eggs, mushrooms, onions and mayonnaise;
“Inspiration” salad with beef, tomatoes, hard cheese, herbs, garlic and mayonnaise;
“Funchoza” salad with cucumber, pepper, carrots and mushrooms;
fish in batter;
beef langet with potatoes;
chocolate cupcake with hot liquid chocolate inside.

Summary

It is not difficult to choose a wedding menu for 20 people, since most of them are close and dear people, whose tastes are well known to the future newlyweds. You need to try to find universal solutions that will appeal to all friends and relatives, so as not to prepare alternative dishes for vegetarians or allergy sufferers. If this succeeds, then everyone will leave the banquet full and satisfied.