5 Wedding Catering Tips Every Bride Should Know

Planning a wedding is extremely challenging, and surely you feel the urge to make everything perfect. But you know what the worst thing about that is? In the end, everyone will remember just a few things, such as your wedding dress, music, and, of course, food. That’s why you need to do your best to find the right caterer and choose a menu that will meet all of yours and your guests’ expectations. Don’t worry; you are not in this thing alone. Here are a few tips that will help you make your wedding catering a success that will be the talk of the town for years to come.

Find “the ONE”

There is no doubt that you’ve already found “the ONE” when it comes to soul mates, but have you found the right caterer? Well, this is a process that can be more difficult than the others. There is an abundance of caterers out there, but you should only pay attention to the ones that have a lot of experience and offer tasting (preferably for free). You should read online reviews, and if you get a word-of-mouth recommendation – even better. If you have been to a wedding or an event and you’ve liked the food ask around to see who made the food.

Set a budget

The worst part of every wedding planning is counting your pennies to make sure you can afford everything. While you could be up for a seafood + caviar menu, your finance maybe can’t handle this. Browse through a couple of caterers you are interested in and see what they have to offer and how much it can cost. If you see that you will have to tighten your belt a bit, try to find ways to save money. You can choose fresh local produce and low-key ingredients. You don’t have to book a business from out of town. There are great catering companies in NYC, Boston, L.A., and everywhere you can imagine.

Decide on the dining style

The wedding dinner doesn’t have to be a classic sit-down. There are different wedding styles, and all of them have their pros and cons. You can also have a buffet, passed bites, and food stations. With a buffet, you have to be aware of the risk of the food running out or getting cold. With food stations, you can force your guests to wait in long and slow lines to get their meal. With classy sit-down meals, people can get too preoccupied with their food and forget to mingle.

The grand finale

The cake has to be the most amazing meal of the evening, and not only when it comes to taste, but also appearance. The taste should be something that appeals to everyone, or you should combine several traditional tastes, such as fruit and chocolate. As for its look, it should fit into the wedding style (e.g., vintage, rustic, sophisticated, bohemian, etc.) or reflect your relationship (based on the movie you like, the place you’ve met, and similar).

Hire enough staff

All of the previous tips fall to water if you don’t hire enough qualified staff to tend to your guests. The number of waiters and bartenders will depend on the dining style you choose (you will need only a few of them for food stations, but a lot more for a classic sit-down) and the number of guests you invite. Ask the catering company, wedding planners, and your friends who’ve already got married about their experience. Having the right number of staff will secure the glasses are always full, and that you are not overpaying the caterer.

The caterer is a very important factor in the wedding reception running smoothly. You need them to show off their best assets, not only in terms of delicious food, but also in terms of timing, hospitability, and presentation.