Dallas Wedding Reception Caterers Guide

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Dallas Wedding Caterers Guide

Finding the Best Food & Service for Your Texas Wedding Reception

Anyone who doubts Dallas’s claim to Texas fame only needs to taste the food. No matter what you crave, the fixin’s are going to be big, bountiful, and delicious. Since weddings are also a city staple, finding the perfect caterer for your big day is just a matter of following a few country-style steps.

Start searching for your Dallas caterer about 9 months’ prior to your wedding; earlier if you have the time. You don’t need to have your Dallas reception site picked out, 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 local Texas wedding vendors. If you have a favorite Dallas 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 Dallas Local Vendor Section for a list of top-rated caterers in the Dallas 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 Dallas 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 preferences 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 expectation 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’oeuvres stations in the room as opposed to having servers pass trays around.

Reliable Dallas 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