Houston Wedding Reception Caterers Guide, Houston Wedding Guide Advice from OurWeddingDay.com

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Houston Wedding Caterers Guide

Planning the Perfect Feast at Your East Texas Wedding

In line with the rest of the Lone Star State, a Houston wedding means big meals and fabulous feasts. Houston’s southern proximity also means you can throw a little Cajun and seafood in the mix. Regardless of what dishes fit your fancy, finding the perfect caterer is the first step to dinner bliss. Read on for Texas-size tips.

Start searching for your Houston caterer about 9 months’ prior to your wedding, even earlier if you have the time. You don’t need to have your site picked out when looking and the best caterers get booked up far in advance. Prices for caterers vary tremendously, depending on the size of your wedding, the site, and your personal style. Expect to pay anywhere from $15,000 to $50,000.

When looking for caterers, ask friends and relatives, as well as other vendors. If you have a favorite Houston restaurant, enquire if they do weddings. Most caterers take care of all food and beverages, hire all servers and bartenders, and are in charge of setup and cleanup.

When you’re ready to start interviewing potential wedding caterers, check out the OurWeddingDay.com Houston Local Vendor Section for a list of top-rated caterers in the Houston area.

Once you start the interview process, be sure to tell the company exactly what you have in mind for your wedding, and any special needs your guests might have. Can the caterer manage a kosher wedding? What about vegetarian dishes? A good caterer should have 5-7 years’ experience, and you should ask for references and contact the Better Business Bureau for complaints.

Next to food and beverages, the most important thing your Houston caterer should abound in is personality; if the guy you’re interviewing has an attitude problem, chances are his staff will too. Ask about the attire of servers and let him know of any preference regarding personality types. Meet with the Party Staff Coordinator (he’s generally hired by the caterer) to go over the style of your reception and expectations of servers.

Some cost-cutting measures to discuss with the caterer include having a buffet instead of a seated meal, and limiting the bar to wine and champagne. If you want a full bar, you can substitute medium-shelf liquor for top-shelf brands. The dessert dish can be eliminated, and you can place hors d’oeuvre stations in the room as opposed to having servers pass trays around.

Reliable Houston wedding caterers will do a walk-through before your wedding (even if the reception is at your home), to make sure food storage is accurate, and to sort out any unforeseen glitches. The wait staff is generally served a meal right before or right after the reception, so as to avoid any service lapses. Gratuity for all workers should be included in the contract; if you decide to give an additional tip, it should be handed to the caterer in charge at the end of the night.

-David Toussaint