Feeding Wedding Guests for Less : Kay’s Gourmet Catering in Westlake Village offers budget deals on food and supplies for receptions.

If you’ve been checking around and discovered that it’s going to cost a lot more than the $25 or so you expected to feed one guest at a wedding reception, you’re not alone. This is the most expensive item in wedding planning--and the one that often causes the most difficulty.

Kay’s Gourmet Catering has a budget wedding package that comes in at $15.95 per person, plus $100 for the chef, who prepares the pasta on site to guests’ requests. There is a 25-person minimum.

You can choose two out of three fancy displays, either fancy fruit with melon carvings, fancy vegetables with sculpted flowers and dip or a fancy cheese display.

For appetizers, you can choose six from more than 240 hors d’oeuvres. One sample menu could include teriyaki beef, sesame chicken with honey dip, mini-quiche (Lorraine, spinach or seafood), crab-stuffed mushrooms, sweet and sour meatballs, and shrimp and avocado ka-bobs.

A pasta bar offers two pastas, Alfredo and marinara, with a choice of broccoli, green onions, sliced mushrooms, zucchini, garlic, grated cheese, and shrimp, clams or chicken. This is where the chef makes each guest’s pasta to order.

Caesar salad and garlic bread can be added for $1.95 per person.

If you need to be even more budget-conscious, there’s the wedding sandwich buffet for $12.50 per person. You get a choice of two hot hors d’oeuvres, petite rolls filled with roast beef, chicken salad and ham, and topped with lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise. For salad, there’s a choice of potato, pasta or macaroni salad, coleslaw, tossed green salad or a swan-shaped pineapple cream cheese mold, plus a fancy veggie and relish display with ranch dip. Coffee, including decaf, and tea are included.

Both packages come with a wedding cake in your choice of 12 flavors and fillings, but all wedding packages may be purchased without the cake at 50 cents less per person. You always get fruit punch, nuts, coffee or tea, buffet tables, silver candelabra with candles, silver punch bowl and ladle, paper goods ($1 per person charge for china) and tablecloths for serving tables. Plan on two uniformed servers--at $125 apiece--if you use paper goods, four for china.

I have used Kay’s Gourmet Catering on many occasions and have been very pleased. At several culinary events I have attended, the longest lines always seem to be at Kay’s booth. Kay Corning, founder and owner, was recently elected vice president of the Western region of the Culinary Federation of America, which means that next year she will become the group’s first woman president.

Geri Cook’s Bargains column runs every Friday in Valley Life!. Questions about shopping may be sent to her, in care of Valley Life!, Los Angeles Times, 20000 Prairie St., Chatsworth 91311. Letters will not be answered individually, but topics of general interest will be discussed in future columns. Geri Cook can be heard from 9 to 10 a.m. Saturdays on KIEV 870-AM.

WHERE TO SHOP

What: Kay’s Gourmet Catering.

Location: 30941 Agoura Road, Westlake Village.

Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays to Fridays.

Cards: None.

Call: (818) 889-1161.