While earlier weddings were celebrated in banquet halls and restaurants, modern couples hold celebrations anywhere, from country estates to marquees in the countryside. And that raises a number of questions: “What to do about the banquet? How to feed guests without too much hassle?” A great solution in this case will be an order of catering for the wedding. What is it and why it is needed, tell the portal Wedding.ws.
What is a wedding catering?
In fact, the catering is an off-site service of events of any format, including wedding banquets and fourshets. Such services involve not only preparation of food and its delivery, but also service of the event: serving and decorating of tables, serving food and drinks, cleaning after the banquet.
Pros and cons of wedding catering
When searching a location for a wedding, newlyweds often have a question: to rent a room they liked without a kitchen and order catering or it is better to look for a restaurant with its own kitchen. To make the right decision, it is worth weighing up the pros and cons of such a wedding banquet organization.
Is it worth ordering catering for the wedding:
- Employees of the exit restaurant can organize for you a luxurious banquet or a light buffet in any place: from an estate to a yacht. Mobility is the main plus of wedding catering. This is especially important for those couples who dream about a celebration in the countryside away from the noisy city.
- A wide choice of dishes: appetizers, hot, side dishes, desserts, etc. You can compose your own menu of dishes you like, which is not always possible in restaurants. Since many establishments offer a specific banquet menu.
- Original serving of dishes. Many catering companies keep up with the times, so they offer the newlyweds the most unusual options for decorating holiday treats. It concerns both beautiful cutting of vegetables, fruit and meat products and tableware: from stylish wooden platters to portioned vessels.
- Full banquet support. Ordering catering for your wedding, you can enjoy the holiday in peace. Employees of the offsite restaurant will not only prepare a banquet and serve the guests, but also put everything in order after the celebration. This is very convenient if you decide to hold a wedding in a cottage and celebrate the second day there as well.
What are the disadvantages of catering:
- Often, representatives of the catering company need to provide a room where they will store food and decorate dishes to serve to guests.
- Wedding catering workers arrive at the venue in advance. This should be coordinated with the owner of the location, so that there will be no overlaps and unnecessary expenses.
What is worth specifying when ordering catering for the wedding?
The mood of the newlyweds and the guests depends not only on the competent organization of the banquet or a small welcoming buffet, but also on the atmosphere at the feast as a whole. That is why it is so important when ordering catering for a wedding to choose good professionals who will be able to fulfill all your culinary requests. But how to do it? Pay attention to the following:
- Discuss food options and a sample wedding menu. Many catering companies offer newlyweds both ready-made options and can work with the couple to develop a menu from scratch for their celebration. If any of your guests have food allergies or are vegetarian or vegan, be sure to let the caterer know.
- Ask to see what the food looks like, how it is decorated, and the staff’s uniforms. This visualization will help you understand if this wedding catering option is right for you. If possible, not only look at the photos, but also take advantage of tasting the dishes. This will avoid an unpleasant surprise on the day of the celebration.
- Ask what is included in the cost of services: the food itself and the banquet service or also dishes (if yes, what kind), tablecloths and other little things.
- When ordering catering for your wedding, make sure you know your budget beforehand. You can ask specialists to make you an “estimate” with the assortment of dishes, price and output by weight per person, as well as the cost of renting furniture, tableware, textiles, etc.
- Clarify how the food and meals will be delivered and stored before serving. This is especially important for summer weddings when it’s hot outside.
When signing the contract for catering services, be sure to indicate all the important points: the amount, types and price of meals, the cost of services, rental of furniture, dishes and other necessary attributes. You should also write down how many people will work at the event and for how long. Also, be sure to agree with the representative of the company on the plan of the wedding banquet: the order of the served dishes so that the staff know when and what to serve to the guests during the event.