New York Wedding Caterers Guide

Your Wedding Day

Bride Login

Vendors

Search Sites

Simplify Your New York Wedding Reception Food Search

If New York is the City That Never Sleeps, it’s probably because everyone’s too busy eating the wonderful food. Continental, French, Italian; anything you want can be had here, so fill up on your wedding day. Gourmands are as popular as eager actors, and finding the right caterer for your New York wedding should be the casting call of the year. Read on to get the perfect guy for the part.

Start searching for your New York City caterer about 9 months’ prior to your wedding, even earlier if you have the time. “The best caterers get booked way in advance,” says L.A. chef David Brian Sanders. “Start researching them immediately after your engagement.” 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 New York City 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 New York Local Vendor Section for a list of top-rated caterers in the New York Metro 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 may have. Can the caterer manage a Kosher wedding? What about vegan 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 New York City 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. Since you probably won’t meet the servers before the day of your wedding, talk to the Party Staff Coordinator to make sure you’re on the same page. PTS’s are generally hired by the caterer to provide the wait staff and bartenders.

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 New York wedding caterers will do a walk-through before the 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, the Best Man or whoever’s assigned to tip duty should hand it to the caterer in charge at the end of the night.

Follow these tips and you’ll be in a New York plate of mind!

-David Toussaint