Beautiful Wedding

Choosing a wedding caterer is as easy as choosing the meal that will be served at your wedding reception. Depending on the ethnicity of the meal that you have planned or whether the meal is gourmet or buffet, you will make your decision based on the wedding caterer, your budget and your tastes-literally.

Your best bet on choosing a wedding caterer is by finding one that someone you know has used and raves about. If you have a friend that used a great wedding caterer, you should interview that wedding caterer and find out if they can prepare the meal that you want. Many banquet halls, country clubs and the like have their own staffs that will prepare the meal for you. Knowing exactly what you want and what your budget for the meal is important in your selection of a wedding caterer.

Your meal will be billed based on the price per plate. For example, you may find one wedding caterer will charge $3.99 for filet mignon per plate while a hotel’s service charges $2.99. The hotel has more buying power, so they can sell the same meal for less. This is how you will compare wedding caterer service charges with each other.

If your meal is an ethnic meal, your wedding caterer may need specialized training. For example, if you are of Hispanic or Italian decent, your family may be your wedding caterer. But if you are looking for a wedding caterer, you should find someone who specializes in Mexican or Italian cuisine or Greek or whatever the ethnic delectable treat is that you want to serve at your wedding reception.

Feng sui and zen influenced weddings make Chinese carry-out seem the perfect fit for dinner served up by a wedding caterer. You could also hire a Japanese wedding caterer and have the “Benihana” style wedding dinner that would be a show in itself! The chef with the incredible talent with a knife will dazzle your guests and the food will be as much a star as any band or disc jockey that you can hire for your special day.

You will also have to decide whether to have a sit down dinner or a buffet. Sit down dinners are more expensive than buffets, so you will want to check pricing with your wedding caterer. The rule of thumb is that sit-down dinners are more formal than buffets, but it is not set in stone. Some believe that by having a buffet, you nudge people into talking with each other, even if they do not know each other. Your wedding caterer should be able to advise you on these decisions, but if you are set on a sit down dinner or want to have the buffet, follow your heart!

You can also select a hotel that comes with a wedding caterer service or a nice restaurant with a banquet hall and catering. The more options that you check into, the more satisfied you will be with the final result.

Unless the reception facility you reserved provides an in-house catering service, choosing a caterer will be an important part of your wedding preparations. Friends, family, the reception facility manager, and other recently married couples will be able to recommend possible wedding caterers. However, these recommendations should not be a substitute for your own research.

It’s best to meet with several caterers to compare prices, services, and menu options. The following are some questions to ask possible wedding caterers.

• How long have you been in business?
• Where did you receive your culinary training?
• Are you licensed to serve liquor?
• What kind of health permit and liability insurance do you carry?
• Have you ever catered a wedding at the reception site we’ve chosen?
• Do you work from a set menu or can we request a menu tailored to our preferences?
• Will you provide special dietary meals upon request?
• Do you provide the wedding cake?
• Do you handle cleanup and rental returns?
• Is the cost of service staff included in the price?

Once you select a caterer, make sure that all charges are clearly stated in the contract. A contract should include types and amounts of foods, number of guests, complete menu listing, per-person charge, liquor charges, set up charges, and any applicable equipment charges.

Unless you have your heart set on a particular menu, it’s usually simplest to give the caterer a price per head and let them be creative. Most wedding caterers figure their prices per person, except for hors d’oeuvres. Prices for hors d’oeuvres vary widely, so remember to take this into account when figuring your catering costs. Depending on the type of hors d’oeuvres you choose, you could be adding several dollars per person to your budget!

While sticking to your wedding budget is certainly important, never choose a caterer based on cost alone. A good caterer will work within your budget, even if it means paring down the event or choosing less expensive ingredients. If you’re especially concerned about cost, avoid foods that require carving at the table or time consuming kitchen prep. Choosing a menu that only uses in-season and locally available items is another good way to help keep costs down. Also, remember that nationwide, chicken is typically the cheapest entrée choice.

If you’re considering serving liquor at your wedding reception, remember that this will substantially increase your catering budget. Alcohol can get expensive very quickly! Serving liquor will require that you serve a more substantial meal to ensure that guests aren’t drinking on empty stomachs. Also, a necessary safety precaution is to make sure you have an abundant supply of coffee, tea, soda, and other non-alcoholic beverages at your reception.

Don’t stress endlessly about the menu. Traditional wedding etiquette only requires that you serve reception guests something to eat and something to drink. Wedding cake and punch fulfill those requirements. Anything else is merely icing on the proverbial wedding cake!