Wedding Catering Services Tips

Choosing the right catering services for your wedding is considered as one of the most important elements in planning your once in a lifetime event. The wedding day is a very important event in everyone’s lives and something that your guests will also remember. The important key is to find the best catering service provider that will create the best menu that matches your wedding’s style, at the right price.

Do I Really Need a Caterer?

Seriously, you will need to hire the services of a professional catering company if your guests exceed20. You might not enjoy your event if you are running around worrying if all guests has had enough to eat or worrying about dirty dishes. Should you decide to look after the catering yourself, you can hire some people to serve and clear up. It is a money well spent and it’s probably best that you don’t accept the help that your invited guests’ offer. They are meant to be enjoying and celebrating with the bride and the groom. Try to ask from your friends or families for recommendations of expert catering service that will suit your budget, requirements, and preferences.

What Type of Catering Service Do I Need?

The refreshments and catering usually depends on the type of reception and venue you have decided on. A lot of venues can recommend catering services or they may even insist that you should use a particular catering service they know. But, for the marquee in some garden local restaurants, off licenses, bakers, and even supermarkets are more than willing to give you quotation.

Once you have found an ideal venue, the bride’s parents and or the couple itself should schedule an appointment with the staff in charge in order to discuss times, dates as well as the number of guests and specific prices of things that should be used in the event specifically the price of the meal as it is considered the biggest expense in your event’s budget.

Your catering service provider should also know the date of the wedding, number of guests, time of reception, as well as level of hospitality that you require to provide as well as your limit on charges per guest in order for them to supply you with the right quotations and ideas. Prices are usually per guest. Therefore, you should always ask for quotes and their confirmation of everything in a written document and carefully file your copies.

It is important that you give yourself enough time in order to compare catering services and get estimates about costs and facilities whenever necessary. Bear in that that catering services are tend to get booked up several months in advance. You definitely cannot hire them on the spot.

Word of Mouth

Your own experience of a catering’s service or a personal recommendation will always be the most ideal guide. If the catering service runs a hotel or a restaurant, sample a meal on their physical store before you make your decision. A lot of hotels will let you taste their suggested and client-preferred wedding menus at a reduced price or for free, once you have booked their services.

Doing the Paperwork

Once you have decided which catering service provider you will choose to hire, it is now time to confirm the details, specific times and dates in the written contract with that certain catering company .You should include a breakdown of prices for drinks, food, staff, corkage, travel expenses, delivery, service charges, equipment hire, etc. Insurance coverage is also vital.

Getting the staff

Avoid paying for wasted food by finalizing numbers with the catering service just before your wedding, most especially if there are last minute cancellations. Bear in mind that the catering staff (or you can hire other people) might also need to provide some services like taking coats, opening the door, looking after the coats, waitresses and waiters to hand round drink and food, a toast master to run the proceedings and announces guests, as well as someone to help with children guests.

Catering Checklist

When looking for a catering service, you should ask these questions before you choose to hire them:

• What packages do you offer and what is the inclusion? Are your menus flexible? Do you offer a vegetarian alternative? Do you accommodate special dietary requirements?
• Can you accommodate young guests?

• How soon can you provide a menu tasting?
• What kitchen facilities do you need?
• Are you able to work creatively within my budget?
• What will your staff wear?
• What is the specific ration of staff to guests?
• Are the serving staffs already included in the price?