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Wedding catering for 100 guests in Brabant typically costs between €8.000 and €17.000. That figure covers food, drinks, staff and evening snacks. A complete wedding for the same number of guests, including the venue, styling, music and municipal fees, will usually come to €14.000 to €30.000, excluding outfits, rings and photography. The biggest variable is not the menu. It is how many of your 100 guests stay for the full day, and who is responsible for the kitchen, staff and equipment.


## Why do quotes for a 100 guest wedding vary so much?

Request three quotes for 100 guests and you may receive totals that are thousands of euros apart. Usually, this comes down to each supplier having a different definition of both “100 guests” and “catering”. ([Services](https://la-casserole.nl/services/))

At many weddings, not all 100 guests are there from start to finish. The National Wedding Survey, carried out by Effectmeting among 1.131 couples and published by [NN](https://www.nn.nl/Inspiratie/Kosten-trouwen.htm) (accessed 2026), reports an average of 52 daytime guests and 102 evening guests. On average, couples spend €7.522 on the wedding venue, catering and décor combined. That can seem lower than expected, mainly because only around half of the guests attend dinner.

It is also easy to compare like for unlike. One quote may list €65 per person, but only include dinner. Another may quote €95 per person while including drinks, service staff, tableware and clearing up. Always compare quotes by part of the day, such as the reception, dinner and evening party, and by cost category, including food, drinks, staff and equipment. That is the only way to see what you are actually paying for.

Demand matters too. According to [CBS](https://www.cbs.nl/nl-nl/cijfers/detail/37772ned), 70.141 marriages took place in the Netherlands in 2025. Many of these weddings fall on Saturdays between May and September. The best caterers and venues are often booked well in advance for those dates, and their prices reflect that demand.

## What are the options for arranging wedding catering for 100 guests?

There are broadly three ways to do it. Each has its own cost structure, which can make or break your budget.

– **An all inclusive package from the wedding venue.** The venue provides the space, kitchen, staff and a set menu. You pay a per person rate for each part of the day. It is straightforward, but you are tied to their kitchen and closing time.
– **An independent caterer at a venue of your choice.** This could be a barn, garden or hall without its own kitchen. You have more freedom over the menu and atmosphere, but you will need to arrange and pay separately for items such as a marquee, power, tableware, furniture and often service staff.
– **A full service event partner.** One supplier handles the catering, styling, technical production and rentals, and creates the event schedule. You have one budget and one point of contact. The per person price may look higher, but there are fewer extras to add later.

Within each option, you can then choose the format: a plated meal, buffet, barbecue, food trucks or a [walking dinner at your wedding](https://la-casserole.nl/blog/walking-dinner-op-je-bruiloft-stijlvol-of-juist-onhandig/). A buffet or barbecue is usually cheaper per person than a three course plated dinner because it requires fewer waiting staff. A walking dinner, on the other hand, needs more staff because small dishes are served continuously. Choosing the format before deciding how you will organise the catering can lead to inaccurate staffing estimates.

If you want to understand the bigger picture first, including planning, responsibilities and event schedules, this guide to [organising a wedding or private party without the stress](https://la-casserole.nl/blog/bedrijfsevent-in-brabant-organiseren-zo-regelt-een-partner-alles/) can help.

## How much does each part of a 100 guest wedding cost?

The table below compares the three approaches, followed by two example budgets with indicative costs.

### Example budget: 100 guests for the full day

Imagine all 100 guests are there from the ceremony through to the end of the party. Coffee and cake generally costs €8 to €15 per person. A three course dinner usually ranges from €50 to €85. A drinks package for the afternoon and evening often costs €35 to €55, while evening bites or a late night snack add €10 to €20. That puts food and drink at roughly €100 to €175 per person, or €10.000 to €17.500 in total.


You will usually need to add venue hire, often €1.500 to €5.000, styling at €1.000 to €4.000, and music or technical production at €800 to €2.500.

### Example budget: 50 daytime guests and 100 evening guests

If 50 guests stay for dinner and another 50 join for the evening, the numbers change considerably. The daytime guests will cost around €4.750 to €7.500 in total. The additional 50 evening guests often cost €35 to €60 per person for drinks and bites, or €1.750 to €3.000 altogether. Total wedding catering spend: around €6.500 to €10.500. That is a saving of several thousand euros, while the evening party still has the same number of people.

Municipal fees are a smaller but unavoidable expense. According to a comparison of all 355 municipalities published by [NN](https://www.nn.nl/Inspiratie/Kosten-trouwen.htm), getting married on a Saturday costs an average of €659,43, on a Sunday €799,43, and on a weekday from Monday to Thursday €374,95.

## Which costs only appear later on the invoice?

When you use an independent caterer at your own venue, unexpected costs tend to come from the practical details. Think tableware and glassware for 100 people, cocktail tables, a refrigerated trailer, a generator or additional power supply, and waste removal. Each individual item may not seem expensive, but together they can easily add up to several thousand euros.

Staffing is the second cost that can rise quickly. Caterers usually charge service staff by the hour. If the party runs an hour late, you pay for that extra hour for the whole team. Ask in advance how many people will be working, when they are scheduled to finish and what an additional hour will cost.

Then there is the kitchen. Anyone cooking on site must follow the [Dutch government rules for safe food handling](https://ondernemersplein.overheid.nl/wetten-en-regels/voedselveilig-werken/) and work from a food safety plan or an approved hygiene code. The [NVWA](https://www.nvwa.nl/onderwerpen/voedselveiligheid/haccp) monitors compliance. In practical terms, a caterer cooking in a marquee or barn needs to bring refrigeration, clean workstations and temperature monitoring. Those requirements are part of the price. A much cheaper quote may mean corners are being cut.

One detail couples often overlook: for catering at a private home, the NVWA assumes that all food present is intended for the catering service. Everything must therefore meet the relevant food safety requirements. If you want to add a cake made by a relative or a homemade grazing board to the catered food, discuss it with your caterer in advance.

## Which approach suits your budget and venue?

Start with the question that can save you the most money: how many people are actually eating? This choice has a bigger impact on your budget than the difference between a buffet and a sit down dinner.


An all inclusive package suits couples who want certainty and are happy with the venue’s menu. You know what you will spend upfront. Just make sure you check the finishing time and the price of extending it.

An independent caterer is a good fit for a special venue without a kitchen, such as a farm or garden, and for couples who enjoy coordinating the details themselves. In that case, allow an extra 15 to 25 percent on top of the catering price for equipment, power and rentals. This is a rule of thumb rather than a fixed amount. This guide to [off site catering for 100+ guests](https://la-casserole.nl/blog/catering-op-locatie-in-brabant-voor-100-gasten-wat-moet-je-regelen/) explains what is involved.

A full service partner works well when the catering, styling, technical production and rentals all need to fit together, and you do not want to manage six separate suppliers. The per person rate is often higher than an independent caterer’s basic quote. However, the final total is often similar because there are fewer unexpected add ons.

Here is how to approach it:
– Split your guest list into daytime and evening guests before requesting quotes.
– Ask every supplier for pricing by part of the day, including drinks, staff and equipment.
– Ask about hourly rates for overtime, plus the cost of tableware, power and waste removal.
– See whether a Friday or an off season date is an option, both with the municipality and the venue.

## Frequently asked questions

### How much does a wedding for 100 guests cost?
**Total budget:** a complete wedding for 100 guests typically costs €14.000 to €30.000, excluding outfits, rings and photography. If your budget is lower, reducing the number of daytime guests will usually make the biggest difference. A shorter drinks service is the next most effective saving.

### What are some great wedding food ideas?
**Food concepts:** alongside a classic dinner, a barbecue with live cooking, a buffet with homemade salads or food trucks serving different cuisines all work well. Popular evening options include a late night snack, such as fries or a sandwich, plus a dessert buffet. Choose a concept that works for the space, as food trucks need a hard standing area and power, for example.

### Are food trucks cheaper than a sit down wedding dinner?
**Food trucks:** food trucks are often slightly cheaper per person than a plated dinner because there is no need for table service. However, many food trucks have a minimum spend or fixed starting fee. For smaller guest numbers, the saving can disappear.

### Can you save money on drinks without guests noticing?
**Drinks package:** a fixed package for a set number of hours is usually more cost effective than being billed based on actual consumption. You could serve coffee and soft drinks during the ceremony, then open the full bar from dinner onwards. Also ask whether corkage applies if you want to bring your own wine.

### How far in advance should you book wedding catering?
**Planning:** for a Saturday in peak season, couples often book their caterer and venue 9 to 15 months in advance. There is usually more availability on weekdays or outside summer. If your venue has no kitchen, do not wait until the venue is confirmed before speaking to caterers.

## Where should you start with your wedding budget?

Start by dividing your guest list into daytime and evening guests. Then request quotes that can be compared by part of the day and by cost category. This gives you control over your wedding catering budget rather than leaving you with an unexpected final bill.


La Casserole in Best provides catering, styling, technical production, rentals and project management for weddings and parties across Brabant, with one dedicated point of contact and its own event venues. Want to know what your wedding for 100 guests would cost for your chosen venue or date? [Request a no obligation quote for your wedding catering](https://la-casserole.nl/catering-eindhoven/) and the team will provide a detailed cost breakdown.

## Frequently asked questions about wedding catering

### How much does wedding catering cost per person?
For food alone, expect to pay around €45 to €100 per person, depending on the format: drinks and canapés, a buffet, shared dining or a plated dinner. A complete catering package including drinks, staff, equipment, styling and any kitchen facilities will usually cost more. Always ask for a total price including VAT and all fixed charges.

### Is a buffet cheaper than a plated dinner?
Often, yes, because a buffet requires less table service. The difference is not always significant, though. An elaborate buffet, live cooking and a wide range of dishes also require staff and equipment. Shared dining often sits somewhere between a buffet and a full plated dinner in both price and experience.

### How many waiting staff do you need at a wedding?
This depends on the venue, guest numbers and the style of service. An informal drinks reception requires fewer staff than a multi course dinner with wine service. A professional caterer will create a staffing plan based on your event schedule, so guests are not left waiting at the bar or during dinner.

### Can a caterer accommodate dietary requirements?
Yes. Share allergies and vegetarian, vegan, halal or other dietary requirements as early as possible, ideally once you have your final guest numbers. A good caterer will build these needs into the menu so guests do not feel they are receiving an inferior alternative.

### Do you need a tasting?
A tasting is especially worthwhile if food is a key part of your day or you are choosing between several menus. Not every caterer offers a free tasting, and some deduct the cost when you make a final booking. Ask in advance what will be included and how many people can attend.

### What happens to leftover food?
Discuss this beforehand. For food safety reasons, not everything can be taken home or used again. Some caterers can keep or provide sealed, unopened products. An accurate guest count helps reduce both waste and unnecessary costs.

## Final thoughts: make choices that fit your day

The best wedding catering is not necessarily the most elaborate menu. It is a setup that suits your guests, venue, timeline and budget. Start by deciding on the atmosphere you want to create, then choose your food and drink moments and compare like for like. That way, you will know where you stand before the day arrives and have more space to simply enjoy it.

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