How To Get Your Catering Right: Everything You Need to Know About Wedding Catering
When it comes to making your wedding day memorable, the food and drink can be make or break. But narrowing down the choice – and balancing what you like with everyone else’s preferences – can be fraught with difficulty.
How should couples choose a caterer?
There are a few things to consider – whether your venue has a list of suppliers you must choose from, what style of food you are hoping for, and what your budget is per person. You should first get in touch with all the caterers that interest you, as they will then put together a menu for you and a quote. Wait until you have these back, then compare and create a shortlist of three. The next step is to have tastings with each (this is the best bit). Remember it’s not just about the food –make sure the staff are friendly, knowledgeable and focused.
One of the best places to start is by talking to family and friends. The power of word of mouth is key for caterers. Remember they are the linchpin of the day – your caterer is the person who holds your hand the whole way through. Also, think about weddings you have been to and the food you have enjoyed. After that, speak to friends who have gotten married and ask about their experience with their caterer.
Ultimately you need to choose a company you can trust. The catering partner manages so much of your day and pulls so many elements together, you need to be entirely confident in them. Look at their style and ensure it’s in line with your vision. Check out their social media feed, too, as this often gives a true reflection of their food and service.
How far in advance should couples book a caterer?
If your date is planned for 2024 then as soon as possible, because the year is getting very booked up already. Once you have the venue confirmed, move onto the caterer research. Often the catering is the first or second supplier selected. Bringing a catering partner on early means they can offer help with so much of the planning and assist with recommending other industry professionals. We create a plan from the early conversations with our couples and this offers real transparency around how the day will come together – which can be really helpful. Generally, we are booked 12 months in advance of the wedding. This allows plenty of planning time and ensures every last detail is organised. Of course, sometimes we only have a couple of months to plan a wedding, and anything is possible, but you do not want your chosen caterer to be booked up, so the sooner you get your date in their diary the better.
“Catering for weddings is one of the main parts of our jobs here at Salters Events. From the initial planning to the final execution and everything in between, so we like to think of ourselves as quite the experts when it comes to giving wedding reception tips! There’s a lot to think about when considering your wedding reception food so we’ve rounded up everything we know about catered weddings to take the stress out of planning your menu.”
How much does catering for a wedding cost?
The price of your wedding reception catering can hugely vary depending on many factors of your big day and many decisions need to be made before you begin to think about your wedding meals. Wedding catering services can often be provided as part of the venue hire, for which you may be offered exclusive discounts. However, this can also mean you are limited with choices in your wedding reception foods. Think about what is important to you when it comes to your wedding meals, and the food you want to serve. An outside wedding reception caterer can feel like it may be more of an expensive option compared to the deal the venue can offer. Any good company with experience of catering weddings will be able to work to your budget and will be happy to share their expertise and advice to make your money go further.
How much food do I need for my wedding reception?
It’s always better to plan for more wedding reception foods than too little, no one wants their guest to go hungry. However, without accurately estimating the number of guests for both the wedding breakfast and evening, there’s a risk of over-ordering the food which can be costly and wasteful. Catered weddings can often be long days. Hungry guests can become restless, tired and what’s worse, extremely drunk! Your wedding reception caterer will work with you to plan your wedding meals down to the last canape to make sure you have the perfect amount of food for you and your guests on your big day.
What does a wedding caterer provide?
What a catering company can provide will differ from one business to the next when it comes to catering for weddings. From the food alone to the transport, table settings and service staff. Decide what’s important and what you need before you begin your search. Then discuss all of the options with your wedding reception caterer. A good company will be able to offer you options to suit your requirements as well as invaluable wedding reception tips to make sure everything goes perfectly on your big day.
How early should I plan my wedding catering?
Wedding catering planning should come soon after you’ve decided a venue. You will need to allow for numbers and any dietary preferences, too. By finding a wedding caterer early on, you’ll be able to scope out all your options well in advance. It can be helpful to speak to someone about your initial ideas who has experience of catering weddings, to offer you a realistic idea of your budget depending on your preferences. A good wedding reception caterer can be booked up on key dates years in advance, so make this a priority if you can. This will prevent the need to rush your search another business that provide the services and knowledge you require for your wedding catering.
How important is catering in wedding planning?
Catered weddings can be a much easier, and safer, option for any bride or groom when planning their big day, but it doesn’t have to be essential. DIY wedding meals can be a cheaper option. What’s more, providing your own wedding reception foods can also give you a lot more freedom with what you serve and how it fits in with your big day. It is however a big task to take on for those without any experience of catering for weddings. No amount of wedding reception tips can help prepare you if things go pear shaped when serving your wedding reception food. Consider if the potential
stress and added time it takes to plan and prepare the perfect DIY wedding reception foods is worth it, when deciding the importance of wedding catering services on your big day.
Ways to serve food at your wedding
From trends to tradition, there are so many wonderfully creative ways to serve food at your wedding, and there are some great wedding catering tips which can be learnt from a quick search online. Grazing tables, self-serve stations and food trucks are all popular trends that can be provided by a wedding reception caterer and make for great Instagram-able moments of your big day. Table service may work best for you, but be mindful of the time your guests are seated for, depending on the courses you serve. Traditionally catered weddings can be broken up with speeches and toasts between courses, which can work well. The latest style currently is sharing style. This is a less formal format, but still made to make your day feel special. Whatever you decide, speak to your wedding reception caterers who will be able to provide you with guidance to bring your dream day to life.
Catering for dietary requirements
From vegan wedding guests to dairy-free menus, catering for weddings can throw up so many types of dietary requirements it can be hard to know where to begin. It’s important for every bride and groom that their guests love their wedding meals, regardless of what they can and can’t eat. Your wedding caterer should be able to accommodate these dietary requirements, and more, with prior knowledge. So have your guests tell you of any special dietary needs when they RSVP, so you can liase with your caterer.
Top Tip: Read our guide on catering for dietary requirements to help you know what to consider when planning for every palate on your big day here.