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Wedding and
Event Caterers
The question of whether or not to fix your own food for the wedding
reception can sometimes be a difficult one. Cost is usually a
factor, but there may be hidden costs in doing it yourself that
you don't need to consider when using a caterer. So make some
calls, ask lots of questions, and list your options.
First, consider the cost to rent your reception facility. Many
restaurants and hotels include in their catering charges the use
of their facilities and serving staff at no extra cost - - some
will not even consider catering an event at another location.
Next, figure your food budget based on how much you want to spend
per person attending. Restaurants and hotels may have a minimum
price where an independent caterer can work within just about
any budget. Add an extra ten percent for overage and additional
cost for gratuity, if appropriate.
Your caterer will know how much of each item to provide for the
number of people you expect. However, a good rule of thumb is
two of each item per person.
Independent caterers will bring your feast to just about any location.
Their prices quite often will also include extras like table linens,
plates, glasses, etc. - but ask just to be sure.
Unless you happen to choose your caterer by attending another
catered event, you will probably have no chance to taste their
wares in advance.
However, many restaurants and hotels offer buffet brunches and
dinners on the weekends. This is an ideal way to taste the quality
and variety available through their banquet and catering facilities.
Choosing A Wedding Catering Service
If you're getting
married, the reception is one of the most important part of the day and how you
work with your wedding catering service is critical as to how the whole thing
comes off. However, if you're smart in your dealings you can get a fabulous
reception and maybe even save some money for the honeymoon.
One thing you need to realize is that the catering company probably wants to
supply everything so if you're thinking about saving money by bringing in your
own champagne or cake this might not go over so good. The reason for this is
that if everything is not just right it reflects poorly on the catering company
and that's not good for business. You’ll probably find that many catering
companies have developed a network of complementary business associates who can
provide you with all the things you need to make your reception a success. You
may find that they are a one-stop shop for things like bands, floral designers
and cake decorators.
Let's face it, weddings can be stressful enough and planning all the things that
go into the reception can be challenging but if you get a lot of help from the
wedding caterers it can be more fun than frustration.
One thing you probably want to do is take a good look at your guest list and
make a note of what types of foods should or should not be served. Usually
you'll have a choice of two different meals but you want to be aware of people
on your list that have food allergies.
One thing you should do before you even decide on a wedding catering service is
to set the budget for the reception. You need to be very strict with the budget
because things can get out of hand quickly. One good idea is to tell the caterer
that your budget is a little bit less than it really is, that way you'll have
some wiggle room if you need to make a change or something special comes up.
Here are some more things you might consider:
- Don't like what you see on the menu? As the caterer if he can create a custom
menu based on your tastes and budget.
- Keep in mind that most caterers charge per person so the cost of the meals
will be directly related to how many guests he was invited to a wedding.
- Sometimes caterers charge a service charge. This largely depends on the style
of serving. A buffet style might have less of the charge, but if someone is
cutting the deal will be something extra. If it will be a sit down meal with
waiters and waitresses that additional expense to cover their wages may be
added.
- If there is a bar with alcohol and hourly fee for the bartender may be added.
- Can you believe is a cake cutting fee? Yep this covers the expense of war is
cutting and serving the cake.
- Typically wine or champagne is served for the toast and a lot of catering
businesses will charge a pouring fee for this.
No matter which way you look at it, hiring a wedding catering service is good
cost you some money but if you shop around you may be able to get a good deal on
the caterer that will do a fantastic job on your reception. Don't forget, this
is your big day and you don't want to squirm too much or you might just get what
you pay for.
© 1996 International Publishing Services, Inc.
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