The fanciness of your wedding menu and food service will determine your cost per person. If you're budget-minded but want to invite everyone you know, then you may have to simplify your menu. If a top-notch menu is a must but you have a set budget, you'll have to scale back on your guest count. Just remember that the more upscale your menu, the higher the cost per person, and the more people you invite, the higher the overall cost. So if you want to invite all the people and serve them the best food ever, you'll have to be prepared to pay. Per-person costs can vary based on your ingredient choices, the catering company's reputation, your geographic location and other variables. In general, you can expect to pay higher prices for wedding catering in expensive areas like Napa and New York City, as well as paying a premium for sought-after companies or celebrity chefs.
You can keep catering costs down by adding in DIY elements. You may want to provide all the food tables, set up the food and have someone oversee the buffet station, and just have the catering company drop off hot, prepared food. In this case, costs might be approximately $15-$18 per person for prepared food only, not including setup or service of any kind.
For a more traditional catering experience with a simple buffet meal and minimal service, the price will typically be around $22 per person. How the ingredients are sourced also makes a difference in cost. Choosing the same menu, but with all-organic ingredients, might raise your costs by half again. Upgrading to a moderately upscale menu with more specialty ingredients could kick cost to around $24-$34 per person. If price is no object, your per-person cost can be as high as you want. Kobe beef, toro tuna and other luxury menu items mean your food cost can range above $150 per person.