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If you are not hiring a caterer, then you will most likely be doing it yourself with some help from your friends. You need to take control of the menu right from the start.
If you are planning on having it potluck, you will need to be extremely specific in the invitations in requesting what it is you want your guests to bring. You will need to determine precisely what you want and then be as specific as possible with your guests. You can even go so far as to send recipe cards and have guests make and bring the item on them. (This is not usually the way to win a popularity contest, however!)
The easiest way to get everything you need is to assign everyone something and give everything a backup. If you tell Jill to bring a green salad and Tonya to bring a green salad, too, the worst that can happen is you end up with two green salads. Otherwise, you can simply do it yourself.
Planning for Variety on Your Buffet Table
Focus on "eye appeal" when you plan any party menu. Think of how the food will actually look when it is sitting on the buffet table or on someone's plate when you are choosing what you want to serve. You will definitely want an interesting variety of colors, textures, flavors, and sizes.