Having great food at a wedding is one of the top priorities for most of my clients and I completely agree. Your guests will remember your food selection more than they would remember other elements. The last thing you need, is having them leaving your event hungry.

So if you are a true foodie or your know that your guests are, then selecting a top caterer to match everyone’s expectations is something you need to consider.

A bit confused on where to start? Here are 5 tips to think about when choosing your event’s culinary experience:

#1 Your budget

Do a bit of headcount and see how many guests you are planning on having (we do understand this number may change in time) and based on that, see what is a per person budget. Make sure that when you discuss with your caterer, this amount includes both food and beverages.  Most caterers offer a beverage package which is great if your guests love a good party however, if they are not big drinkers, then on consumption is the way to go. Some venues and caterers might not accommodate that  if you have a big party (complicated logistics, staffing, etc) so make sure to keep that in mind and discuss with them.

#2 Style:

Is it a cocktail, sit-down or buffet style? Let’s take them one by one:

Cocktail style- Means that your guests are standing and canapés plus substantial items are being served. Canapes are bite size dishes therefore you need some additional substantial items to make sure your guests don’t leave your wedding hungry. If you love to party hard into the night, consider also bringing in some soak items. People love mini burgers, chips, anything to prevent them from having a nasty hangover the next day (or at least make it bearable). Also with RSA, if you want to party more than a certain amount of hours and no food Is served, your venue might impose to feed your guests.

Sit-down reception – Means that it is table service with 2-3-4 courses, depending on the menu and also depending on where you are in the world, alternating serve can be offered.

*For those not familiar with alternating serve, this means that you have 2 options for one or each of your courses and it is alternating service. One guest gets option 1, the next guest at the table gets option 2. If they are not happy with their choice, they can swap between themselves. Simple as that.

Buffet – You select a few entrees, mains and desserts, displayed as a buffet in a designated area of your event space and the guests help themselves with anything they want.

*Please note that if you have a big guest list, you might need more than just one area where the buffet is set up so you avoid long queues. A good caterer will always keep an eye on the buffet, to replenish it when needed.

#3 Menu

Do you love traditional food or you want to offer your guests a culinary experience? Would you like to bring cultural influences based on each other’s background? These are things to consider as not only will affect your allocated budget but also the type of caterer to look for. Not all caterers can provide all the cuisines in the world so you might have to look for a specific one.

#4 Tasting options

Some caterers might organise 2-3 tastings per year where they invite couples getting married in a certain period, to come and not only taste the food but also make a night of it. This can be fun but it does not work around your schedule so you need to be flexible around your caterer’s. Make sure to find out if this is the case or you get an individual tasting.

Some caterers offer the tasting as part of the package while some charge you additionally. Ask how many guests you can bring as part of the tasting offer in the package. You can always bring more and make it a night out however, you may have to pay for your additional guests.

*Ask if the size of the dishes will be the same on your wedding day

#5 Final quote

Before signing the contract, ask for a final quote with all the charges for food, beverages, additional fees, staff, crockery, glassware, cutlery bump in/out, rubbish collection, etc. The last thing you need is a surprise post event invoice.

There are many caterers out there and I have also worked for one for few years so asking the right questions when you meet them is very important.

Not sure where to start or what questions to ask? Let’s schedule a consultation session and we can go through not only this topic but also other challenges you face in this beautiful stage of your life which is called ‘wedding planning’.

*** Menu by Hide Restaurant in London – 1 Michelin star – #destinationwedding – fantastic culinary experience I got to enjoy

by Ollie Dabbous & Hedonism Wines

Love,

Alex