Questions To Ask Your Caterer

When planning the menu for your wedding, try to take into consideration your guests' tastes, when choosing the type of food.

The key to a good reception is not just the type of food you're serving but the quality. In most cases, the quality is more important than the choice of food.

If you book your wedding through a wedding reception venue, you will need to decide on what type of menu you want to have at your reception.

If you need to hire caterers for your reception, then you need to start looking for a good catering company as soon as you book the venue you are using for your reception, whether it be in a hall, backyard or park etc.

Try to make your bookings at least 4-6 months before the wedding and then finalize the details about 2-3 months before the wedding. It's also important that you set aside a time to sample the menu choices before you make a booking to ensure the food is good quality and exactly what you expect.

10 Questions to ask the wedding reception venue:
1. Do you have fixed menus or can we choose our own?
2. Can we sample the menus?
3. Do you cater for any special diatary needs?
4. Is there a handling charge for the wedding cake?
5. Do you have photos/references from other weddings you've done?
6. What alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks are included in the quote?
7. What tableware, flowers, decorations etc are included in the quote?
8. Is their a time restraint and do you charge extra if the reception goes over that time?
8. Is the price you quoted fixed or will their be extra charges?
10. Do you offer a payment schedule?

5 Questions to ask the hire caterer:
1. How long have you been in business and can you provide references?
2. What type of menu do you offer?
3. Do you provide all the cutlery, crockery and glassware?
4. How many wait staff do you have?
5. Do you do all the clearing up after the reception is over?

Good luck with your wedding planning.

Regards,




The Wedding Fairy

Visit  weddingfairyplanner.com

Tips To Save Money on Food & Drinks

Image via Wikipedia  Food

1. Compare prices between the different menu options and then work out to see which option will be the most economical according to the size of your wedding.

Don't just assume that a buffet-style menu or a cocktail reception will work out the cheapest.

2. If you are holding your reception at a wedding reception venue, see if they have an individual cost for each course, then you can choose the less expensive options.

3. Choose foods that are in season.

4. Avoid foods that are subject to price fluctuations like some seafoods such as lobster.

5. Choose only a couple of options for each course to keep costs down.

6. Check out if it's cheaper to have a buffet-style option for the first course and the desserts and then only have wait staff to serve the main course. Consider substituting your wedding cake for a dessert instead, such as a torte or chocolate cake served with a sauce or cupcakes.

Drinks

1. Don't have an open bar and avoid including spirits. Set an amount for the bar tab and then when runs out, guests can buy their own drinks. Ask the reception venue for advice on what the average cost per head works out as and then use that as a guide.

2. Ask the reception venue if you can supply your own wines. If you can buy in bulk during sales or at discount stores.

3. Make sure to serve jugs of water on the tables so guests don't get over intoxicated on free alcohol.

4. Provide a choice of non-alcoholic beverages. Fruit punch is a great choice.

5. If you are buying your own wines try finding some quality "cleanskin" wines and then have your own label made to put on them. Some wineries also provide this service for you.

6. Instead of serving a sparkling wine for the toasts, have your guests just toast you with what they're drinking.

Good luck with your wedding planning,

Regards

The Wedding Fairy

 Visit  weddingfairyplanner.com