WEDDING CATERERS
How To Select A
Wedding Caterer
WHEN TO START LOOKING FOR WEDDING
CATERING
As soon as you have established a wedding date, it is time to start looking for a
wedding caterer since in major metropolitan areas the better wedding caterers are booked a year or more in
advance. If you are planning to hold your wedding in a hotel or a facility where
catering is provided, it may not be necessary to book a wedding caterer since it is part of the
wedding facility package.
WHERE TO START LOOKING FOR A WEDDING
CATERERS
There are numerous resources available in the local yellow pages, on the Internet and in
local publications. Remember, the largest or best looking advertising does not mean the best
quality - or the best value - or the best service. You can also ask friends, relatives, associates and industry
related suppliers for recommendations. If you are looking at wedding
reception facilities, many have a list of wedding caterers who have provided service at the
facility.
HOW TO START LOOKING
With some facts in hand like the wedding date and time, probable wedding reception location, anticipated
guest numbers, type of service, i.e. buffet or sit down, whether you want to use china or
disposables, the theme or style of your wedding, etc. it is time to start calling
wedding caterers
to gather the information that will be needed to make an informed decision about
the selection of a wedding caterer. Note: If you don't have a wedding
reception location yet, the caterers
may be able to suggest or help you find one as well.
You should plan to compare a minimum of 3
wedding caterers (or more) before making your final decision. To accurately compare
"apples to apples" you will want to base your inquiries on the same
criteria.
WHAT TO ASK THE WEDDING CATERER
Different caterers offer different amenities with their wedding catering packages
and they also package them differently. You need
to find out exactly what is included - and what is not included. Listen carefully and take
notes.
Some provide china with their catering package while
others provide disposables.
Some provide top and skirt for the dinner and buffet
tables while others do not.
Some include labor charges in a per person cost while
others have an additional charge for labor.
Some charge corkage charges for opening or pouring
bottles of champagne or wine that they do not provide while others do not.
Some have per piece wedding cake cutting
charges if they do not provide the wedding cake
Some include gratuity a cost per person
charge while other add gratuity based on the total wedding catering cost.
Ask for sample menus and literature outlining what is included in their
wedding catering
packages. After you have spoken to the 1st caterer on the list you should have a
pretty good idea of what information is needed from you and what questions you need to ask
the other wedding caterers. Listen carefully and write down notes from the discussions with
each caterer so you can refer to them later.
If during your conversation with a caterer a question arises that was not asked of another
wedding caterer, call that caterer back and ask them the question. It is only way you will
get an accurate picture of who will be providing the most complete service at the best
price.
SMART QUESTIONS
In addition to general information, you will also want to know some details that will
impact your final costs. Here is an example of some of the types of questions you
will want to get answers to;
How long has the caterer been in business?
Caterers come and go. Make sure they do not go with your deposit. Most
catering companies that do not make it end up folding within 12 to 18 months of
starting business. Consider their track record before handing over a significant deposit.
Has the caterer serviced the location
where you are holding your wedding reception?
A caterer who is familiar with the facility
knows what is required for efficient service of your wedding guests and knows the mechanics of the
facility which means that there is less probability of mistakes, oversights or
duplications of service. A caterer who is familiar with the facility can also
advise you relative to other possible oversights or service duplications which will end up
saving you unnecessary expense and headaches.
Does the wedding reception facility charge the caterer a
"catering fee" to provide service at that location?
Some
wedding facilities charge caterers a flat fee or percentage of sales fee which means
that your cost of catering at that facility may end up being higher than at
other locations - because the cost of the fee usually ends up being buried in
your bill. If a catering fee is charged at that location you may be
better off looking at another location where a fee isn't charged.
Has the caterer provided service for a group of
this size before?
You may have a large number of people at
your wedding reception and they will all need to be served in a very short
period of time. Not all caterers have the experience or are equipped to
service large groups. Specialized equipment is required to prepare,
transport and
maintain the proper temperature (and quality) of large quantities of food.
How many weddings or other events will the caterer be
providing service for on a given date?
Be sure that the caterer is not over-extending their abilities
by trying to provide service to more clients than they are capable of.
What is the ratio of servers to guests that the
caterer will be providing?
This is especially important when sit-down (table service) is
required.
What is the cost and what "exactly"
is included (and not included) in the cost?
You will want to get an itemization what is
provided by the caterer and the costs associated with
the catering package. Find out what other costs are directly associated
with the food catering that are not included in the catering fee.
Does the caterer take care of items like table
set up and tear down and placing the tablecloths/skirts on the tables?
If the
facility does not take care of table set up and tear down, someone will need to do
it. Some wedding caterers will handle the set up but not the teardown.
Others will handle teardown and cleanup at an additional charge.
What is the amount of tax and
gratuity? Do the quoted prices include tax and gratuity or is it added to the
food cost total?
Some
wedding caterers include tax and gratuity in their per person charge while others add it to the
total billing.
Is gratuity based on the total food bill or is
it based on the total bill?
Some caterers use the food total as a base for the
gratuity while others use the entire bill as the base. If you are obtaining rental
items, i.e. linens, china, glassware, etc. from the caterer and they are basing gratuity
on the total bill this could add significantly to your cost.
How are leftovers handled?
In
many cases there will be a significant amount of food leftover at the end of
service. Some caterers will package the leftovers for you while others will simply
dispose of the leftovers. (Some actually take unused product and resell it.
Yuck!) Tip: If refrigerated storage is not available at the facility, bring coolers
with ice to store the leftovers. Food that has been in temperature conditions of
higher than 40 degrees F or lower than 160 degrees F in the case of heated foods for 4
hours or more should NEVER be saved due to potential food related illnesses.
How is the staff attired?
Some
have a uniform standard while others are somewhat lacking in a uniform appearance.
Do they have recent references from
weddings they have catered?
References are a must. It is also a great idea to view photos of previous
events so you can see what the caterer is capable of when it comes to presentation.
Good food presentation is as equally important as the quality and taste of the food.
THE CONTRACT
Once you have decided on a wedding caterer (and have a facility for your wedding) and have selected
the menu it is time to reserve the service date and contract the wedding caterer. This
should be in the form of an agreement that outlines specifically what you are getting,
when you are getting it, and what you are paying for - including an itemization of all
labor and equipment charges and the specific services that will be performed by
the caterer. Be sure that the agreement specifically outlines times and guarantees
service on your date and time since some caterers have canceled service of a smaller event
at the last minute in order to service a larger event. Be sure you fully and
carefully read the agreement before signing it. Double check to make sure that no
services are duplicated by another service or the facility before signing the agreement
since duplications will impact your total event cost.
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Wedding
Planning Information
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