How far ahead should you book the caterer for a first communion?

First communions are concentrated in spring, often on Sundays in May, so dates and venues fill up early. Move as soon as the parish announces its calendar and secure the caterer with a written deposit.

Seated lunch or buffet for a confirmation?

A seated lunch is tidier with many elderly relatives and a room with tables. A buffet suits teenagers who want to move around and parties in a garden. Many families choose a standing aperitivo followed by a seated lunch.

How much does a first communion lunch cost per person?

National guides give orders of magnitude: as an indication, a simple lunch runs from about €20 to €50 per person and a full menu from €35 to €70. In Rome the real price depends on the venue, format, drinks, staff and number of children.

Do children pay the same as adults?

Often not: many caterers offer a children's menu at a dedicated price, usually up to a certain age. Ask for the age and the price to be written into the quote.

Can alcohol be served at a confirmation party?

To adults, yes. The law forbids selling or serving alcoholic drinks to anyone under 18 (Law 125/2001, Art. 14-ter): ask the caterer how they run the bar when there are many teenagers.

First communion and confirmation lunch in Rome: catering

In short

First communions are concentrated on spring Sundays: book as soon as you have the date from the parish.

Two audiences at one party: children or teenagers and relatives of all ages. You need two menus and seating for everyone.

The most common format is a standing aperitivo followed by a seated lunch, buffet or served.

For confirmation teenagers: no alcohol for under-18s; ask the caterer how they run the bar.

First communion and confirmation are family lunches, almost always on a Sunday, with the child at the centre and the grandparents at the table. In Rome the season is short and crowded. Here is how to choose the format, the menu and the caterer without a last-minute rush.

The season: May comes round fast

Many Roman parishes celebrate first communions between April and June, with May the most frequent month. Confirmations have more varied calendars, often in spring or autumn. The result is the same: many families look for a venue and a caterer on the same Sundays.

What to do:

ask the parish for the date as early as possible;
contact two or three caterers as soon as you know it;
secure the booking with a deposit and a written contract, including the deadline for the final guest count.

Where: home, garden, venue or restaurant

Where	Pros	Cons
Home	Convenient, intimate, no venue costs	Limited space, seating to find
Garden or small villa	Children free to play	You need a plan B for rain or heat
Function room or farmhouse	Tables, kitchen, parking	Check whether there is an exclusive caterer
Restaurant with a private room	No logistical worries	Less flexible menu

In May, a farmhouse on the Appia Antica, in the Castelli Romani or towards Bracciano lets you be outdoors. But May in Rome can bring both rain and the first heat: always ask what happens if the weather changes. For parties at home, also read the guide to home catering.

Buffet or seated

Seated lunch

Courses arrive at the table in sequence. It is the tidiest choice with 50 guests or more, with many elderly guests and in a function room.

Buffet as a meal

Guests serve themselves from stations, but with a table and chair for everyone. It works well in a garden and with lots of children, who eat when they like.

The mixed format

A standing aperitivo when guests come out of church or arrive, then a seated lunch, then the cake and a dessert buffet. It is the most popular because it leaves time for photos and latecomers.

For the adults

A seasonal menu always works, whether meat, seafood or with a few Roman dishes. In May:

antipasto: filled pizza bianca, mini supplì, tartare or seafood salad, broad beans and pecorino at the end of their season;
pasta course: fettuccine, lasagne, gnocchi, asparagus risotto, or a gricia or cacio e pepe tossed to order;
main: roast with potatoes, a seafood main from the Lazio coast, or roast abbacchio Roman-style;
desserts: the communion cake, mini pastries, fruit tart, fruit.

For more ideas there are the private party menu examples and, if you choose Roman cooking, the guide to the Roman cuisine menu.

For children and teenagers

First communion (children aged 8-10): pasta with tomato sauce, breaded cutlet with potatoes, pizza squares, ice cream. Small portions, a dedicated table if there are many.
Confirmation (older teenagers): they eat like adults, often more. A generous finger-food buffet and a pasta dish work better than a children's menu.

Collect allergies and intolerances together with the RSVPs. EU Regulation 1169/2011 requires the caterer to provide information on the 14 allergens even for unpackaged dishes: ask for the allergen matrix. For coeliac disease and other diets there is the guide to special diets.

How much food you need

Format	Indicative quantity per person
Aperitivo before lunch	4-6 pieces of finger food
Buffet replacing lunch	at least 12 pieces
Pasta at the buffet	120-150 g
Main	100-120 g
Side	80-100 g
Desserts	80-120 g or 2-3 individual portions

Add the usual 10-15% margin. Confirmation teenagers push everything upwards.

A typical Sunday timeline

Moment	What happens	What to coordinate with the caterer
Early morning	Set-up, table setting	Access time to the house or venue
End of Mass	Photos in front of the church	The caterer knows it may run half an hour late
Guests arrive	Standing aperitivo	Cold drinks for the children, straight away
Lunch	Buffet or seated	Children's table served first
Afternoon	Cake, sugared almonds, coffee	Who cuts the cake and when
End of party	Breakdown	Cut-off time and equipment collection

Serving the children's table first is a small trick that works: they eat, get up to play, and the adults have lunch in peace.

Drinks and the toast

Water, soft drinks, a white and a red wine (from Lazio, if you want to keep the theme: Frascati, Cesanese), sparkling wine for the toast, coffee. Ask whether drinks are included in the price per person or charged by consumption.

With many minors, remember that the law forbids selling or serving alcohol to anyone under 18 (Law 125/2001, Art. 14-ter). A good caterer knows this and organises the bar accordingly: ask anyway.

Cake and confettata

By tradition, sugared almonds (confetti) for first communion and confirmation are white. Decide who brings the cake and who serves it: if it comes from an outside pastry shop, some caterers charge a cutting and serving fee. Ask for it in the quote.

What it costs

The indicative ranges found online give some orientation: about €20-50 per person for a simple lunch, €35-70 for a full menu with antipasto, pasta, main, side and dessert. These figures are indicative: in Rome the final bill depends on the venue, format, drinks, staff, hire and the children's price.

To understand what goes into the final number, read how much catering costs in Rome.

Questions to ask the caterer

Are you free on the Sunday of the communion? Until what time?
What children's menu do you offer and up to what age does the reduced price apply?
Does the price per person include drinks, staff and linen?
What happens if it rains or is too hot in the garden?
Can you give me the allergen matrix for each dish?
How do you run the bar with many under-age teenagers?
Do you make the cake? Is there a charge if I bring it?
By when must I give the final guest count?
How much deposit do you ask for, and what happens if I cancel?

Before you request a quote

Have ready the date, the time of Mass, the number of adults and children, the party venue and the format. With this information the quotes can really be compared. You will find the caterers who work at these parties in the first communion and confirmation catering section, and you can request a quote when you are ready.