Hog Roast for a Wedding: Timings, Menus and Costs

How much does a hog roast wedding cost?

As evening food, a hog roast in rolls with stuffing, apple sauce and crackling usually costs £8 to £15 a head, often with a minimum charge. As the wedding breakfast, served as a plated or buffet meal with potatoes, vegetables or salads and a dessert, it usually runs £20 to £40 a head with staff and crockery. Those are ranges from UK hog roast businesses' published wedding packages in 2026; ask for a quote for your numbers and date.

Evening food or the main meal?

Evening food is the more common choice. It suits a later crowd, feeds evening-only guests, and is served in rolls, so it needs little more than a serving table. As the main meal, a hog roast works well as a relaxed buffet or a served sharing meal, and needs crockery, cutlery, sides and staff like any other wedding breakfast. Some couples do both: a hog roast for the wedding breakfast, with the leftovers served in rolls in the evening, which is worth asking about.

What about guests who do not eat pork?

Plan it rather than hope. Most hog roast caterers offer a second meat, such as roast turkey, beef or lamb, and a vegetarian or vegan main. For guests who avoid pork for religious reasons, a separately cooked dish served from separate equipment is the respectful option; ask the caterer how they do it. Allergen information should be available for every dish, including the stuffing and the rolls, which contain gluten.

How do the timings work?

The pig goes on the machine five to eight hours before service, so the caterer usually arrives in the morning or early afternoon for an evening serve. Tell them the time you want food served, not the time you want them there. Carving for 100 guests takes a while; a second carver or a buffet set-up keeps the queue short. Check the venue's access time allows for it.

What does the venue need to allow?

The machine runs on bottled LPG and is usually set up outdoors or in a well-ventilated gazebo, on a firm surface, away from buildings and guests. Venues commonly ask for public liability insurance, a gas safety certificate for the appliance, and a risk assessment. Some venues have a list of approved caterers or charge a fee for outside ones. Check before booking.