Wedding Catering: Do’s and Don’ts
by Mike Jeranian(3)Wedd With Style
One of the hottest subjects with weddings is the catering aspect. When it comes to catering for a wedding, there are many things you should do as well as many things you should avoid doing. As a matter of fact, wedding catering can either make or break a wedding.
To ensure your catering is a success, it is always recommended that you evaluate all of your options. You need to first decide whether or not you will have a sit down dinner, buffet, lunch, brunch, etc. Never start selecting your menu before you know where your reception will be as well as the time of your event. These are both important factors when choosing your catering options.
Always interview caterers and check references, view a food presentation, taste the food and ask questions when you are selecting a caterer. Some questions you will want to ask are if the dinnerware is included in the cost as well as view what it looks like, the server per guest ratio and if cleanup is included in the cost. Never assume that these services are included in the price that a caterer quotes you.
Make sure your caterer can provide the type of food you need. Pay special attention to those guests that are vegetarian or are allergic to certain foods. Some wedding catering companies only specialized in one type of food preparation. Do not take for granted that all companies will go out of their way to provide this information to you. Ask for ingredient lists to double check what is being prepared.
Will your venue be outside or at a unique location? If so, your wedding catering could possibly need some customization outside the normal package. Such items could include an outdoor kitchen setup, food handling and preparation times, pest control, lighting and more. Be up front with caterers that you are interviewing to make sure they can meet these demands.
When it comes time for the wedding catering contract, make sure you read it carefully. This is the time to ask questions if you are unsure, finalized points or amend the contract if necessary. Do not take the word of your vendor . Make sure it is clearly spelled out in the contract for what will be expected on both ends. Make sure the cancellation policy, servers, clean-up and all other incidentals are all included and line up with what you had the understanding of before you sign.
Always choose someone you feel comfortable with. After all, you will be working with them closely and are trusting them with a huge part of your special day. A good wedding catering company will have the right people put in place to meld with your needs and personality in order to make it as stress free as possible.
These are just some of the many wedding catering do’s and don’ts that are associated with your wedding day. Wedding catering account for roughly 45-50% of your complete wedding cost. Making sure you have done your research and follow up with your wedding caterer is essential.
Article submitted Thursday, March 11, 2010 & read 384 times.
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