Wedding catering will almost certainly represent the largest part of your wedding spend. That means that you need to really think about your options when it comes to planning the catering. Read on for our ultimate guide to getting the catering at your wedding right.
Who to Cater
A venue such as a country house, hotel or golf club will have their own in-house caterers – the same team that works in that kitchen at all other times. This offers plenty of benefits. Firstly, they have transparent pricing structures, which will often be cheaper than outside caterers as there are no transportation costs. Secondly, they’re used to working that kitchen, creating menus with the equipment they have.
Some venues don’t have a kitchen (a museum, for instance), but they may well have a list of Preferred Caterers. Usually you don’t have to use this list, but the venue’s staff will have found that these caterers can get things right.
The other option is to appoint your own caterers, which can be tricky if you’ve never heard of any and can’t find robust testimonials. One option is to ask your favourite pop-up cafe or amateur chef to do the food. When doing this don’t forget to look at drinks as well and get someone to serve them for you like a Mobile Bar Hire Cheltenham company found at links like https://www.wearethemoversandshakers.com/.
How to Serve
Twenty years ago most weddings had buffets – hot or cold. Guests simply went up and chose their food. Today it’s much more common to have a sit-down meal, which keeps everybody in one place and looks neater, and it tends to mean a higher standard of food. A sit-down meal will almost always be more costly, however. More modern options include BBQs, which tend to be partly served and partly buffet.
Dietary Requirements
This isn’t something people had to think about in the past, but today it’s a major factor. You may have guests who are vegetarians, pescatarians or vegans, and some couples are even choosing to serve up a vegan-only menu. Guests may also have allergies to dairy, eggs, gluten or nuts.
When you think about the above options, consider your budget and whether you would prefer to save on food and pay for everybody’s drinks, in which case a buffet or BBQ may be a better option.
