Finding the Best Food for Your Bay Area Wedding

There’s an old jingle that talks about San Francisco’s favorite food treat, but that dish is just the tip of the culinary iceberg. From fantastic seafood to authentic Chinese to some of the best pasta places this side of Italy, the City by the Bay has it all. The only thing you need to concern yourself with on your wedding day is which caterer will be right for your affair. Relax: We’ve got tips that will help you leave your heart, and your hunger, in San Francisco.

Start searching for your San Francisco caterer about 9 months’ prior to your wedding, even earlier if you have the time. You don’t need to have your San Francisco 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 vendors. If you have a favorite San Francisco 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 San Francisco Local Vendor Section for a list of top-rated caterers in the San Francisco 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? Vegan? A good caterer should have 5-7 years’ experience, and you should ask for references and contact the Better Business Bureau about complaints.

Next to food and beverages, the most important thing your San Francisco 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. (There’s an old caterer saying that goes, “If a guest complains about the brand of vodka you’re serving, pour him a second drink.”) 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 San Francisco 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 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