Five Tips For Choosing The Right Caterer For Your Wedding

When you attend a wedding, there are a few things that you look forward to more than anything. You look forward to seeing the wedding dress and eating a delicious meal in a beautiful venue. Providing a delicious meal with excellent service is key to ensuring your guests have a great time at your wedding. Here are some tips on how to choose the perfect caterer for your wedding.

1. Personal Interest In Your Needs

When it comes to choosing a supplier for your wedding, you want them to be as passionate as you are about making the day perfect. The same goes for food. You want the catering to be enough to satisfy the hungriest guest, as well as be elegantly plated and different from the run-of-the-mill cuisine people would usually expect. To make this happen, you need to find a caterer who understands your unique tastes and needs and one who works with you to make a delicious and memorable meal. This doesn’t mean you have to blow the budget – not all caterers double the price when they hear the word ‘wedding’. It is easy to get a feel for whether a caterer will suit your needs and go the extra mile simply by asking where they source their food and what are some dishes that would suit your wedding catering. Are they using locally sourced, fresh and high-quality ingredients? Are they passionate about working alongside you to create a unique meal plan suited to you? if yes, what they prepare for you and your guests will be well worth it.

2. Able To Handle Your Event

A wedding caterer worth their salt should be able to admit when they can’t handle the task of catering for your event. Although weddings are always busy and stressful, this is their job, they should be prepared for it. You don’t want someone to promise you the world, only to waste your time and leave you to find a new caterer a week before your wedding. Every caterer will have their own specialties and passions, the best caterer for you should already have experience in catering for events of a similar size and requirements to yours. Questions to ask caterers about their previous experience include; the number of guests catered for, the type of food, number of courses, extra dietary requirements and the location/s they’re equipped to cater for. You want to choose the right caterer for you, so don’t go with a vendor who has no experience with similar weddings or someone who will be vastly out of their comfort zone. Therefore, when interviewing the candidates, be specific with your requirements and expectations.

3. Menu Flexibility

Every wedding caterer will have a few set menus that have become their specialty. These set menus will include food that is favored by the general population, is easy to make for many people, and is also a cost-effective dish. However, not every bride and groom will be happy to choose a set menu. If you want your wedding to be personalized and original, the right caterer for you will have no problem being flexible with their menu. They should be happy to adapt to your needs and the dietary needs of your guests while keeping their food current and on trend. You cannot provide food that some guests can’t eat, so don’t settle on a caterer who can’t be flexible with a menu.

4. Willingness To Provide Tastings

How will you know if you enjoy a caterer’s cooking if you don’t taste their food beforehand? The caterer you choose should be able to provide a taste test on various menu options so that you can make a choice that you’re happy with. If your caterer refuses to allow you to taste their food, this is a red flag. You don’t want to be locked into a catering contract without having even tasted the food – this is like buying your wedding dress without having tried it on! You can also request to pair wines with each course, to find the perfect wine to compliment the food. Remember that many caterers charge for tastings and wine pairings.

5. A Detailed Cancellation Plan

When you sign the contract to work with your caterer of choice, you should look for a clear cancellation plan. No-one plans on reneging on a contract, however, we have all heard of at least one story where the engaged couple has been left without a caterer days before their wedding. Therefore, look for the cancellation clause in your contract, and make sure that it’s detailed and reasonable. You should also make sure that it is stipulated that you will get your deposit back if the caterer cancels. In this case, your caterer might be able to refer you to another vendor whom they trust to take the reins at the last minute. However, you should have a backup plan just in case you’re left days without a caterer. It’s better to be overly prepared than caught unaware.

Overall, a wedding caterer must be flexible, capable, creative and work with you to create the perfect menu for you and your guests. You remember your wedding day for the rest of your life, don’t remember it for the wrong reasons. Make sure that the caterer you choose ticks all the boxes, and don’t be afraid to look around until you find the perfect match for you.