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Wedding Food is one of the most important aspects of the Wedding Day and you need to make sure you get this bang on to keep everyone your guests fed and happy!
So how should you navigate through the minefield that is Wedding Catering, what should you plan for and what decisions need to be made? Our indispensable Wedding Catering Guide will help you along the way.
What Your Wedding Budget Allows
The Wedding Catering Budget will be the first thing that you need to identify in order to work out what kind of Wedding Catering you will have on your special day.
It is thought that the Wedding Catering should make up a large proportion of your Wedding Budget along with your venue costs. Costs can range anywhere from less than £10 per head for each guest to £200 per head or even more, this will be dependent on a number of things such as the type of food and service that you choose as well as the number of food servings you have on the day.
If you have no real budget you can of course choose whatever suits you both as a couple and have all the food you have dreamed of but if you do need to make cost savings across your Wedding budget you could look at all the options that you could select and pick what your budget can afford.
What Wedding Catering Options does your Wedding Venue allow
When researching your Wedding Venue you should be clear on exactly what our venue will allow when it comes to your Wedding Catering.
Some Venues will insist on you using their own Wedding Catering Services this might be for all options in the day or just the main reception, some places will allow you to choose from a list of preferred suppliers or are happy to let you choose your own Wedding Caterers to come on site.
Obviously, there would be limitations if there are restrictions for the Wedding Caterers not only for the range of services and types of foods but also for the costs involved. What you can and cannot have at your venue might scupper your Wedding Catering plans so ensure you are clear before you make any firm bookings.
What are the Times when there will be Food Throughout the day
Once you have your Wedding Catering Budget and understand what your Wedding Venue allows you are then able to start planning your Wedding Catering.
Think about the times in your day when Food and Drink will be needed.
Some couples decide to have Wedding Catering for their Wedding Rehearsal this could be held a few weeks or days before the actual day giving everyone the chance to see each other before the big day and rehearse what will happen and everyone’s roles on the day.
You may be considering a Drinks/Canapes Reception whilst your guests are waiting for the ceremony to begin, you may decide to have something similar when the ceremony has finished whilst the photographs are being taken.
It is very likely you will be considering a main meal for the Wedding Reception Breakfast normally in the afternoon where all your Day guests will be in attendance, this is traditionally where the speeches are made and the dinner is a more formal affair.
In the evening celebration of the Wedding there will be a final food serving time for all the evening guests to enjoy this is normally known of course as the Wedding Buffet.
In some cultures there are different occasions when food is available but above are the main types of food servings you will find.
What Type of Wedding Food Serving Do you Want
Hopefully the type of Wedding Catering Service you want is within your Wedding Budget range, here you should think about the type of Wedding Day you want, your theme if you have one and whether you are looking for a Formal day or something a little more relaxed.
Should your Wedding be a Formal Affair perhaps Canapes and Full Sit-Down Breakfast and a Grazing Style Evening Buffet is what you are planning.
If you are hiring a Tipi or having a less formal affair you could have a range of Street Food Vans, Food Stations, Sharing Boards and even snacks at midnight!
Try not to think about how you can keep everyone happy here, think about your own favourite foods rather than something to suit everyone, remember its your special day and not theirs.
Consider that you will need both Savoury and Sweet Wedding Food ideas and you could mix and match these or have separate succinct servings for each type.
Whatever you decide on the type of Setting you are looking for will define the Wedding Catering your eventually choose.
How Many Wedding Guests should you cater for
This is always a tricky question to answer because you do not want to be in a position where you are over-catering or even worse under-catering for.
There are people that would suggest you take of a % of the total number of guests that you have for each food sitting this accounts for people that do not turn up for whatever reason or those who simply do not eat. If you invite 100 guests during the day for example you could just take off 10% to account for this.
Of course the worry is what if everyone does come to your Wedding and so you really want to be left in a position where the food runs out, in which case book for everyone and let you Caterer guide you if you wish on numbers they are the experts after all.
The problem is there may be extra people you did not plan for on the day, make sure you think to include any suppliers you plan to feed on the day such as Photographers, the Band, the Serving Staff if this is applicable.
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How to Select Your Wedding Caterer
When selecting your Wedding Caterer you could get a few quotes from different suppliers this gives you the chance to see what is available and who suits you to fit in with your day.
Make comparisons between Wedding Caterers if you have to make a choice between favourites but try to understand that each caterer will probably be offering a different type of service and their price may reflect that, just as you would expect that there are different qualities of Supermarkets from Aldi to Waitrose and Asda to Marks and Spencer you will find the same with caterers, if you want to pay less you will get a good service but the quality may not be the same as a more expensive Wedding Caterer.
Be sure to do your research on potential Wedding Caterers, look at their website, social media and their recommendations if you are in any doubt I’m sure they would be happy to give you details of previous customers you could get in contact with if you really wanted that.
Whilst you are doing your research check out their food photos, that does sound obvious but anyone can easily find photos on the internet and post them on Social Media, some businesses do think it is perfectly acceptable to use Stock Photos rather than showcase their own food photos.
Ensure that your caterer is registered with their Local Council and that all staff have completed their Food Safety Level 2 course these are both a legal requirement and can be easily checked if you are unsure.
Ask your Wedding Caterer for all their Paperwork, this should include at the very least their Public Liability Insurance but they may also have Risk Assessments, Certifications and details around Food Allergies.
Make sure you get a contract with your Wedding Caterer and ensure you read their Terms and Conditions, check all the timings and fine detail in advance and a few times before your day just to make sure everything is correct and there is no misunderstanding about things such as timings which could really cause problems on your special day.
What Your Wedding Caterer will expect from You
Your Wedding Caterer will expect to have all the information they need for your booking, this will include the exact Location Venue and Postcode, the Number of Guests, the Food Serving Times, details about facilities on site and also contact numbers for before the day and on the day.
If your guests will be making choices from a menu this needs to be detailed and communicated to your Wedding Caterer so making a list would be prudent to keep on top of this. You should check when your Wedding Caterer needs to know the final information which may be some weeks ahead of your date.
They will need to know if any of your guests have Dietary Requirements so it is your responsibility to inform them of this, pay particular attention to anyone with specific Food Allergies that may need to be catered for separately to other guests.
Your Wedding Caterer should be informed if there are any changes to your day, your guest numbers or anything else that may impact their service. If you find out that you cannot supply electricity after telling them that you can make sure you communicate this to them and try not to leave it until the last minute to do so otherwise you might find on the day they cannot carry out their service.
Your Wedding Caterer will also be expecting for you to make payment them in a timely manner in line with their Terms and Conditions do not be surprised if you are chased for payments at certain times like any other business Wedding Caterers will have cut off times when they need to prepare and buy stock for example.
Should you Mention your Wedding Food on your Wedding Invitations
Wedding couples often wonder whether they need to mention their Wedding Food on their Wedding Invitations to their Wedding Guests and this really is personal choice, if you having a formal sit down meal and guests need to pre-order their food then this would be a good idea and a good way to find out if anyone has dietary requirements.
If you are planning on having a Food Van turn up that is a complete surprise during the Evening Celebrations maybe you could keep that detail off your Wedding invite!
