Choosing the Right Caterer for Your Wedding Day

Choosing the Right Caterer for Your Wedding Day

By: Ethan Mantle

NEED A CATERER FOR YOUR WEDDING (Any Location!) SEARCH AND FIND - CLICK HERE

Not many decisions will have a larger impact on your wedding reception than the caterer you select for your festivities, not only pertaining to the food, but also other logistical concerns.

Frequently the caterer manages a lot of the setting up and tearing down of your event. The reception can't start unless the dining area is set up with centerpieces in place, as well as a cake table ready for the delivery of the cake. In order to be sure to get your cleaning deposit returned, you need to make sure the site is cleaned up when your event finishes.

The happiness of your guests depends on the food and service at your wedding. Although a lot of attendees won't pay attention to every detail of your event, they will all have an opinion on what you serve. Since everybody eats the food, it will be really obvious if something isn't the right temperature or if glasses stay empty because there are insufficient servers. Tastes and smells elicit powerful mental images. Your wedding day should include a delicious meal that guests are sure to remember.

Since selecting the proper caterer is essential to having a successful wedding day, it's important to know how to find the right one. It's useful to be certain of the kind of food you'd like, as well as the ambiance you're trying to create so you can let potential caterers know. Doing this, can reduce your list of possible caterers; after all you don't need to get an estimate from a BBQ chef if you want a fine-dining event.

Among the elements to take into consideration when selecting a caterer include:

* How much can you spend?

* Will the event facility you have chosen let you use independent caterers?

* Is there a particular type of meal that you are thinking of? Are there any foods you love or hate?

* Are you interested in having a buffet or family style event, a formal dinner, menu item stations, or a different option?

* Would you prefer the caterer do all of the event planning or just provide the food?

* Would you like a full bar service, personally selected drinks, or a mix of the two?

After you figure out what you want, check out catering sites online, or ask friends and family or other event experts you are working with for suggestions. Try to get your list whittled down to just a few caterers that appear to be suitable and start consulting with them.

Some smart things to ask a prospective caterer:

* What dishes do you specialize in? Will you be able to personalize my menu according to my preferences, or do you only offer pre-made menus? Typically, if a caterer charges more, you get a more personalized service.

* What is the median cost per person for your service? What comes included with this?

* When did you start your business?

* How many wedding receptions has your company been involved with?

* How busy is your company on Saturdays and Sundays?

* What is your ratio of servers to attendees? Is an event manager available for every event?

* What kind of experience does the chef possess? No matter how flattering the salespeople are, it means nothing if the kitchen staff does not have talent.

* Are tastings available before booking, after booking, or at all? While there are some regional differences, a lot of caterers currently assess a fee for tastings, which even if it costs a couple hundred dollars is a good idea.

* Will the chef who was at the tasting be present for my event? If the answer is no, then the tasting wasn't very useful.

* Besides catering, what different services do you provide?

First and foremost, you need to feel at ease and feel good about the caterer you select. After all, your wedding is a once in a lifetime event, you want to enjoy every minute of it.

NEED A CATERER FOR YOUR WEDDING (Any Location!) SEARCH AND FIND -CLICK HERE

Fresno Catering

Catering Your Own Wedding?

Catering Your Own Wedding?
by: Charish Hoover - California Weddings

(recommended only for smaller events)

I know what it's like to want the perfect wedding, but feel it's financially out of reach. I'll also be the first to strongly encourage all brides to NEVER skimp on quality just because of price.

An event such as a wedding comes only once in most people's lives, therefore, I think we can all agree splurging a bit is not only acceptable, , , , but called for if it means having no regrets when you look back.

With that said, , , There's always something that can be sacrificed for the more important things regarding your wedding. I'll leave that up to you.

When it comes to catering, and hiring a caterer, you truly do

want to choose the most experienced, tried, and tested professional.

Price does matter:

You may find a caterer who charges only $5.00 per person, as apposed to a caterer who charges $40.00 per person. That's ok, but I'll never forget what one Fresno caterering service owner said to me. Those words were, "$5.00 per plate may sound great, but that price is pretty expensive when the food tastes like #%@*" Ehem! nuff said. OK, back to my point. This may or may not be true in every case. I suggest that if you're interested in any of the many great California caterers, ask for a sample tasting of the food items that interest you prior to hiring them. Then, you will better know whether or not the food is worth the price, whether it's $5.00, or more.

Another bit of advice is this. If you're on a tight budget, but still want a fairy tale wedding, , , , DON'T invite the world to your wedding! Try to keep your guest count below 100 people (60 is a good number). One of the biggest expenses for a wedding usually turns out to be feeding your guests. Pick a number and stick to it. When it comes to your wedding invitations, remember that it is ok to mention on the invite that seating is limited to names listed on the invitation. This will hopefully deter your guests from extending their invitation to their own guest(s).

If you are planning to hold your wedding reception at a home, or memorial building, public hall, etc., catering your own wedding will be much easier. If however you want to have your reception at one of the more popular banquet halls or facilities, you may very well be told "No" when it comes to bringing in your own food. This may happen because banquet halls often offer their own catering and that service is usually part of a package deal. When your date is a prime, popular date, a caterer and hall simply would not prefer to have you booked for that day as apposed to a bride who wants to hire the facility for all of its services. There's nothing wrong with this, it's simply business. Any business will look out for it's best interest. After all, they have expenses and employees, and it simply would not be worth it to them to turn away more money. This does not mean however that you should not discuss the possibility of bringing in your own food at their banquet facility. The worst thing they can say is no. This does not make them a bad business, they're simply sticking to what works best for them.

Suggestions for pleasing your guests' appetites:

Remember that you and your new spouse may have some picture taking to do after your ceremony: Try to provide some great, yet inexpensive appetizers for your guests while they await for your arrival to the reception area.

* Veggie platters with various dips.

* Chips with salsa and/or other dips. Crackers Are also a good addition.

* Sliced fruits such as cantelope, grapes, water melon, with cream cheese/yogurt dip.

* Various sliced Deli meats with rye bread, and or crackers for mini sandwich creations.

Create a buffet of choices for your guests:

By the time you arrive at the reception, your guests should already have their hunger under control as a result of the delicious appetizers you've provided for them. The only thing left now is to provide them with a more hearty menu. Go buffet style, and your guests will enjoy the various choices offered to their tastebuds. They can also decide how much or little they wish to eat.

Buffet ideas that family & friends can help you with:

* BBQ'd beef - have a large crockpot of this tasty meat choice cooked up and ready for self serve. Be sure to have buns or tortillas available (enough per for at least 2 per guest)

Other inexpensive meat ideas:

Baked and sliced ham, boneless turkey sliced and ready for self serve.

Quick, Easy, & Inexpensive Side Dish Ideas:

Potato salad ~ Green Salad ~ Rice Pilaf ~ Green beans w/bacon ~ Dinner Rolls

About The Author:
Charish has worked in the wedding industry since 1991, and owns and operates many online wedding planning guides to help brides and grooms, , such as for: California Weddings, Wedding Locations, Wedding Dresses, Wedding Ideas, and much more.