Philadelphia Wedding Caterers Guide, Philadelphia Wedding Guide Advice from OurWeddingDay.com

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Philadelphia Wedding Caterers Guide

Your Philly Reception Food Search Made Easy

Nothing says freedom more than a wonderful American meal. And where better to experience such a palate treat than in Philadelphia, the liberty city and foodie wonderland. New England states are known for their dining expertise; for your Philadelphia wedding, all you need to do is pick the perfect caterer for a meal that’ll make you salute the chef. Read on for Philly finds!

Start searching for your Philadelphia 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 for a caterer, and the best in the business book 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 Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia Local Vendor Section for a list of top-rated caterers in the Philadelphia 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 you or 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 Philadelphia caterer should abound in is personality; if the guy you’re interviewing has an attitude problem, chances are his staff will too. Ask about attire of servers and any preference as to 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 Philadelphia 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 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, the Best Man or whoever’s assigned to tip duty should hand it to the caterer in charge at the end of the night.

Then ring that bell and let the dinner rush begin!

-David Toussaint