Q.  I am planning on catering my own wedding where my family and friends will do all the cooking and serving. I will have about 70-80 guests. How many servers should I have?

A.  These are the guidelines I suggest when catering a party or special event. If you are using waitstaff that have little or no professional experience, I’d advise staffing a bit on the heavier side.

• 1 server per 20 guests at a sit-down meal
• 1 server per 30-40 guests for a buffet
• 1 server per 40-50 for a cocktail party or hors d’oeuvre reception
• 1 Bartender per 50-75, depending on type of liquor served (a full bar requires more work and more servers than a beer and wine bar)