Catering: The Essentials for Fabulous Fare
As your biggest overall wedding expenditure, the reception is one of the most stressful parts of a wedding to plan. The party you throw is an expression of gratitude and love to all the people who have come to your wedding to support you, so it’s no wonder you want everything to be perfect.
It is very difficult for the average person to pull together a delicious menu, expert service and beautiful presentation alone. That’s why working with a professional caterer is a must. These people throw parties every day – it’s their job! They know what works and what does not, and they have tons of ideas and money-saving tips you never would have thought of by yourself.
It’s important to find your caterer early on in the planning process. Choosing a caterer should be one of the first things you nail down, as soon as you have set a date and chosen a venue.
Before you start interviewing caterers, it’s best to come up with an idea of what you want. The caterer will have a lot of questions for you. The more information you give the potential caterer, the more specific prices and information that person can give you.
What the Caterer Wants to Know Once your caterer knows the answers to the following questions, he or she can help you plan the perfect menu. If you don’t know the answer to all the questions, the caterer can help you make decisions based on your personal preferences and your budget.
Your budget. How much can you afford to spend on the party? Catering for food and drinks is typically about 45% of the overall wedding budget. Creative caterers can put on a fabulous party within tight budget constraints, but they’ll also let you know if your budget is unrealistic.
The approximate number of guests. Caterers typically charge by the head so they will need to know your approximate number of guests before they can give you a price estimate.
Your venue. Caterers know what works best in the local venues. Remember, some venues use only in-house catering, so be sure to check this when securing your location.
The type of event you want. Is your wedding in the morning? Then you might consider a breakfast or brunch reception. Afternoon? Then perhaps a seated lunch, pig roast or clambake will suit your affair. For evening events, you might have a cocktail party, a seated dinner, a buffet or a champagne and dessert reception.
Type of service you want.
Drinks: How do you want your drinks served? Should guests get their own from a bar, or would you prefer cocktail service, in which a waiter takes the orders and brings the drinks back? Do you want waiters to pass out specialty cocktails or glasses of wine and champagne? Hors d’oeuvres: Do you want waiters to pass them around, or will guests help themselves at an hors d’oeuvres table?
Dinner: Do you want a formal, staff-served meal, or do you want a buffet with minimal support service for filling drinks and clearing dishes? Do you want staffed carving stations and food stations?
Dinner courses you’d like served. Some of the traditional courses follow, but of course you don’t have to choose them all: appetizer, soup, salad, pasta, entrée, cheese plate, dessert and coffee.
Type of entrees for seated dinner or buffet you’d like served. Beef, chicken, lamb, pork, fish, seafood, pasta, vegetarian or something else? For a seated meal, will you offer one dish for everyone, or will you offer a choice?
Special dietary requirements. Will you need all of your dishes to be kosher? Will you need a few special dishes prepared for vegans, children, diabetics or others with special needs?
Dessert choices. Will you serve cake only, or provide a lavish dessert buffet? (Our favorite at a recent wedding was miniature ice-cream cones – several homemade flavors in tiny handmade cones.) Do you want dessert stations around the room, including a chocolate fondue fountain? Maybe an espresso bar?
How you’d like to handle drinks and cocktails. If you serve alcohol, do you want a full bar or will you serve beer and wine only? With dinner, will you offer a choice of red or white wine? Will you offer a champagne toast? Do you want to offer specialty cocktails at the beginning of the party?
What the Bride Needs to Know
Do you specialize in a certain type of food or service? Do you have sample menus I can review? Can you arrange for a tasting of your fare? Do you have price sheets for food selections? Do you provide tables, chairs, plates, linens, silverware, glasses, salt and pepper shakers and serving pieces? Does the rate per head include linens, tax, gratuities and service? Who is the main contact? Will the same person I meet with be the person who oversees my actual event? Are you working any other weddings on the same day as my wedding? How many waiters and bartenders will I need? What will they wear? Does your staff set all the tables? Will they set out my place cards and favors? Can you provide for dietary requests or prepare special family recipes? Do you meet health department standards and have liability insurance as well as a liquor license? Can you provide alcohol? Will you charge for unopened bottles? Is there a corkage fee if I provide it myself? How will the food be arranged? Can I see photos of buffet displays and plate presentation? Can I speak to previous clients or check references? Do you bake wedding cakes? Is there a cake cutting fee if someone else prepares the cake?
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