Teaching Your Family to Cook

When prioritizing your wedding to-do list, chances are that catering for your reception will be pretty high up on that list. The best outcome is achieved by utilizing as much time as possible, so be sure to hire a caterer as soon as possible—ideally as soon as you've locked in your venue. What are some of the things you should be asking your potential caterer?

Date and Venue

Do they have availability for your wedding date? You might want to simultaneously make inquiries with caterers when choosing the date with your wedding venue. This ensures that availability overlaps perfectly. Also, be sure that the caterer can achieve your goals within the available space. Are the kitchen facilities at the venue sufficient for the caterer to do their job?

Other Commitments

Availability on the day may not mean exclusivity. Ask the caterer if they have any other events to cater to that day, and if so, how they plan to handle the logistics. If you fear that they're spreading themselves too thin (ask about staffing allocation), causing your special day to suffer, you may decide that they're not the caterer for you.

Taste Their Food

Inevitably, part of what draws you to any prospective caterer is the menu. But any writer worth their salt can make food sound appealing on paper. Be sure that your in-person meeting with the caterer includes a reasonably comprehensive tasting menu. Give them an approximate idea of your budget beforehand so that they'll be able to compile a number of dishes that reflect this budget. Obviously, it's pretty crucial that you're pleased with their food.

Dietary Considerations

Just because you're pleased with the food, it doesn't mean that all your guests will be too. You'll need to ask your caterer about their ability to accommodate various dietary needs. Some of your guests will require a vegetarian or vegan menu option, a kosher menu, or a halal menu, and food allergies must be accounted for. The onus is on you to obtain this information from your guests during the RSVP process. Some guests may request a dietary desire rather than a legitimate need, but accommodating individuals on a paleo or keto diet will increase your catering costs, so this is a personal choice.

Once you confirm the fundamentals with your caterer, the entire process becomes a lot more streamlined—and it's a process that ends with you, your spouse, and your guests all enjoying a delicious meal to celebrate your special day.