Food & Catering

Guests may not remember the way the hall was decorated, but most will remember the meal, so pay close attention to what is being served and how. The meal is the most expensive single element of the reception, so careful planning can save significant savings.

Tastes are very subjective, so do not let personal tastes rule the day. In truth, the wedding couple has little opportunity to do much eating, so the menu should not be determined by what you like to eat, but by what will appeal to the greatest number of people.

Two meat dishes are popular, one white meat (commonly chicken) and dark (beef). It doesn’t add a lot of extra cost to the meal and gives guests a choice.

Your menu should allow for religious and dietary limitations – guests requiring kosher or vegetarian meals need to be accommodated. Determine special requirements well in advance and make sure that the caterer can satisfy them. In the worst case scenario, you may need to arrange for separate preparation of these meals and have them delivered to the reception to coincide with the serving of other guests. Be sure to provide the caterer with a list of these requirements and seat numbers.

Serving options

The way in which the food is served can have a significant impact on the appeal of the meal. Of course service is going to be limited to what the caterer can provide unless you choose to contract a separate serving staff. At table service delivered by waiters is the more elegant means of serving and has its own variations.

• French service – waiters heat plates and garnish food at portable tables. It can be very impressive but slow to serve a large number of guests and requires more room between tables.
• Russian service – waiters serve food from large platters, requiring considerable dexterity. Impressive but can require considerable time to serve for large numbers.
• Plated or a la carte – waiters carry the food out on plates. If synchronized, a large number of people can be served quickly and food is presented a kitchen.
  Tray/butlered service – waiters walk amongst guests with trays serving hors d’oeuvres or drinks. This reserved for cocktail receptions or the cocktail hour before dinner.

Buffet Style

If your meal is served buffet style, presentation is extremely important – its not simply piles of food. If your caterer has pictures of previous work, you can get an idea. Its also important that the hot items remain hot and the cold items cold.

Buffet-style menus can actually increase your costs if you offer a wide choice of selections. Although it may require fewer serving staff, it may increase your costs for rental items such as plates and cutlery. There will likely be some guests for whom this type of service is not suitable (elderly or handicapped) that will require at table service or will need to rely on another guest to offer this help. If you have chosen a buffet-style, consider multiple food stations, entrees served at one station, salads at another etc. to reduce long lineups. This may impact cost as it usually requires staff to man each station so self-serve may not result in the savings you expected.

Presentation is also important for buffets – it’s not simply a mound of food. The caterer should be able to suggest methods of presentation and be able to ensure that hot food is kept hot and cold food cold. Buffets also require a staff to refresh empty trays and serve guests especially at the carving table. This adds some style and can prevent waste, they’ll serve guests appropriate amounts and be able to keep waiting lines to a minimum.

The Menu

When choosing a menu, consider the following key points.

• What time of year is the reception? Summer meals usually dictate a lighter menu.
  What seasonal foods are available? Selecting a menu that includes fruits and vegetables that are in season can impact on the price and be more in tune with the season.
• What are the special dietary considerations of guests? Be aware of who requires kosher, vegetarian or a medically limited diet.
• What are the limitations of the location? If you have selected an outdoor location, be sure that there is sufficient space for the preparation and serving of the meal.
• What is the time of day? If it’s a brunch, a combination of breakfast and dinner items can exist in the menu – especially when it’s a buffet. Is wine or beer being served? Whatever your choice, it needs to complement the meal.

If you developed your wedding-around a theme, the menu should reflect that.

Choosing the caterer

A caterer can be anything from a single person who is a great cook and manager, to a large organization of professionals, which will either wholly or partially prepare and serve a meal. Some caterers supply everything including fine linens, china and crystal, while others supply only the food and personnel. It’s your job to find out which type of caterer you are dealing with.

Although most caterers can provide you sample menus and costs, a tasting is the proper test. It’s an opportunity to assess the quality of the service from taste to presentation. Tastings are usually limited to 4 – 6 people so if parents are paying for the reception, invite them to attend. This is also your opportunity to discuss alternatives if there is a part of the menu you really don’t like. If guests are being offered a choice of entrees, ask for a sample of each. Caterers may charge for the tasting, especially if you have not yet contracted their services so be sure to ask this in advance. If you have the opportunity of a tasting, take along the wine that you plan to serve with the meal.

Remember the waiting period between the wedding and the reception dinner – it’s commonly time when pictures are being taken and setup of the room may be taking place. Serve guests appetizers, hot or cold but don’t turn it into a meal before the meal. It keeps waiting guests occupied while they chat and have a drink before dinner.

Guidelines for selecting a caterer

• Ask people you know for referrals. People remember a good meal and can direct you to services that you are not aware of. Some caterers are so busy they do not advertise, but rely solely on word-of-mouth for new business.
• Ask for references – virtually all will have them. Ask about food preparation, was it what they expected and how was it presented?
• What is the caterer’s specialty? Most caterers will have some menus and foods items that they are well known for. If you can, determine this in the beginning. If you want roast beef as the entree, why not select the caterer who makes the best in town?
• Does the caterer provide the serving staff? Some may only be set up for buffet-style serving so if you want table service you may need to contract it yourself.
  Ask if they have appropriate licenses, insurance coverage and if they are catering at a family home, who is liable if problems occur.
• If you are holding the reception at home and relatives or friends seem willing to pitch in and prepare the meal, give it a second thought. Do you really want people that should be attending the reception and enjoying themselves working? Is your reception the best time for them to test their ability to feed a large group of people?

Money-saving Ideas

• Reduce the number of entree options or simplify the menu. If you find the caterer you want and they can deliver the quality, adjust the menu rather than select a lower cost service that may result in a lower quality meal. Ask the caterer for help, they will be able to make suggestions.
• If you are serving wine, you may need to go with house brands rather than premium labels. In truth, the average guest will not recognize the difference.
• It is not uncommon to offer guests a late night buffet, something to nourish them before they leave the reception after a night of dancing. In truth, many guests will likely be gone by this point and others will not partake of anything substantial offered at this time of night. Better to save some money and keep it simple with a sweet table or a few trays of cheese, fruit and crackers.
• The more heads the more it’ll cost – there’s no simpler way to put it. Trimming the guest list is the fastest way to reduce your costs. It’s important to keep in mind that your wedding is not a time to return old favors or serve as a family reunion.

Other considerations

If that is not enough there are a few other details that you need to keep in mind when planning the reception.

• Who will be seated at the head table? Usually this is reserved for the wedding party only. If it is a very small wedding or informal you may want to break with this tradition.
• The table assignments for guests. It’s a good idea to seat people with other people they know. At the same time it is good idea to break up the groups so that your family isn’t all on one side of the room and the groom’s on the other. It is an opportunity for family members from both sides to get to know each other. Be sure to use table cards if you have a specific seating plan in mind.
• The Master of Ceremonies for the evening does not need to be an entertainer, but should be comfortable speaking before a large group of people and know how to keep the speeches flowing from one to the other. It is not the Master of Ceremonies" responsibility to "roast" the bride and groom or embarrass them in anyway. This task usually falls to the best man or one of the ushers.
• If you have many out of town guests, you may want to look for an establishment, such as a hotel, that also offers rooms. This will save guests the trouble of finding accommodation themselves and make it considerably easier to get to and from the reception. Many hotels offer discounts for wedding guests, especially when you book several rooms.

Here’s how the business side works

If you have selected an on-premise location, the cost of the meal is already factored into the overall price although some can break it down into it’s component parts – so much for the room, bar and food. Your initial deposit secures whatever services you have contracted for.

If you are contracting with the caterer they will expect a deposit to secure the date. They may also ask for a series of installment payments, a progress payment close to the wedding date and the entire bill to be paid by the day of the wedding. Contracts will specify cancellation terms, which usually state payments are non-refundable or limited to a percentage of what has been paid. If you need to cancel or postpone give them as much notice as possible.

Before you sign get a written description of the menu and the price. If you are asking for items such as lobster, watch out for estimates based on "market price" – you won’t know what you are paying until a few days before the wedding.

You can choose to pay a fixed price, best when you’re basing cost on prearranged amounts of food, or on a per-person or per-plate basis, best for a dinner menu. The more courses, entree options and exquisite the presentation the more you will pay. Simple menus in small towns average around $30 per head – double or triple that for major cities.

Cocktail receptions can cost every bit as much as a simple dinner if you serve substantial hors d’oeuvres and a wide selection so don’t expect a big saving. Likewise, brunch menus do not necessarily mean lower costs.