Steps for Choosing the Right Caterer
Basic Steps for Hiring Who You Should for Your Reception
Many guests say that of all the elements of a wedding—including the location, the flowers, the deejay, and the décor—the meal is the number one most important part of a wedding. This does not meant that you have to break the bank by serving top sirloin steak and having an open bar, but you do need to be selective when choosing a wedding catering company. Here are a few tips to help you choose your caterer:
- Before choosing a wedding catering service, it is absolutely essential that you have your date, your time, and your venue. Many venues have a list of preferred wedding catering services that they recommend, though some venues require that you choose a caterer from their list. If that is the case, you don’t want to waste time speaking to caterers that are already out of the question.
- Note for Ethnic Foods: If you absolutely must serve a certain type of international cuisine (such as Indian, Thai, or Mexican), then you need to make sure to address this before you choose your venue. If your venue requires that you choose a caterer from their select list (and none of those caterers can provide Indian food), then you need to either negotiate with the venue, or look elsewhere.
- You need to have a pretty decent idea of your head count. Make a rough guest list, but remember that (usually) you do not need to give your final head count to your caterer until the week before.
- Next, you need to nail down your budget. How much are you willing to spend on the meal, total? Then, divide that by your guest list to get an idea of how much you are going to spend per head. Also, is it important to have alcohol? Or do you want a cocktail hour, followed by a cash bar? If you are on a tight budget, you may have to compromise how much you spend on alcohol with how much you spend on food. Most experts recommend that if you are deciding between quality of meal and alcohol, go with the better meal. You can usually have a cash bar available for those who want to drink, or simply offer wine at dinner.
After settling on your budget, make a list of caterers to call. Before having an in-person interview, ask them some key questions over the phone that will help you narrow them down:
- Are you available for the date of my wedding?
- Do you require a minimum or maximum number of guests?
- Can I provide my own alcohol, and if so, is there a cork fee?
- How many servers and/or bartenders do you provide?
- Do you host tasting events?
- Is the cake included?
- How much time is required to set up and break down?
- Do you provide the option for a coffee bar?
- Do you offer rentals, and am I able to bring my own rentals if they are cheaper?
- What time or menu options and courses could I get within my budget?
After a series of phone interviews, you choose then choose your top three choices that fall within your budget for wedding catering prices. Once the correct questions are answered, you should have a pretty good feeling about which wedding catering service to go with.
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