Seven Questions Brides Should Ask when Interviewing Wedding Caterers

Articles on Weddings | Topics: weddings, wedding

by Fanny Fields

The whole idea of a wedding reception is to close out the day, by way of a celebration. The bride and groom wish to spend the time with their guests and thank them for attending, through a night of lively action and party. This however, can easily be marred by several factors directly involved with the vendors you hire. Having or hiring poor vendors for this event could indeed spell disaster, and close the evening out much faster than intended. Take some steps to prevent such an occurrence. Here are some tips in regards the catering side of the equation to get you started down the right path.

When looking for a caterer, there are a few simple questions you can ask to ensure they are the right candidates for your event. This will help you determine whether or not they will make your gala event or in turn truly break it.

The menu should always be the first issue on your list. In having a small and drab menu the caterer does no service or justice. With so many people having different likes and dislikes, it is important for a catering company to offer a wide variety of options in this department. What if you decide you want to have a large hot meal, yet they only specialize in small platters of finger foods? This will be a first sign to look elsewhere. Will there be small samples for the guests when they show up for the reception to tide them over until dinner? If not, then there is signal number two to move along to the next candidate.

Linens are another big issue. Will they supply the linens or are they not equipped to do so. Making your venture to a linen rental place is not the way to go. A good catering company carries a wide selection of linens and in many different colors to suit the special event for most receptions.

The wait staff and host or hostess is another big question mark. What is the capacity of their wait staff? Do they have an appropriate amount of servers per guest ratio? If not things will go undoubtedly slow. Do they have host or hostesses on hand to keep things moving smoothly? No one wants their guests wandering aimlessly around with no knowledge of where the bathrooms are, or not being offered anything to drink.

In addition, the cooks or chefs should be considered. What kind of credentials does their cook staff have? Are there any reliable references that may be given to confirm they know what they are doing? Someone whom has graduated from the McDonald's School of cooking need not apply.

Quote of the Day

Judge Bedford: Planning on having children?
David: Naturally.
Judge Bedford: Good, then I know what to get you for a wedding present.
David: Yeah? What’s that?
Judge Bedford: A vasectomy.

—Dale Launer (b. 1953)

Alcohol tends to be one of the most confusing issues when trying to determine the right caterer for your event. Do they offer options on type of bar, like a cash bar, or an open bar? Do they even deal in the alcohol aspect of the service at all? Or do you need to seek more help, in turn costing more money and time in the process.

Cleaning can be an issue that is often overlooked. As the event unfolds, there is much picking up to do. This will ensure there are not sixty glasses per table, for the guests to have to contend with. And what kind of reception requires the guests to pick up after the show?

Packages should be of a major concern, too. What will they offer in a large and costly package? Will it be worth the money to have the package in the first place or should you just pick and choose small items off their list and compile them? In turn this will definitely be more costly and may or may not suit your needs.

In short, when looking for a good caterer, it does not hurt to shop around, not unlike anything else you plan on putting a lot of money on. Asking for credible references is never out of the question. A tour of the sight, and even some past reception photos will help in determining whether or not the company you are speaking with is right for your circumstances. Get everything in writing; definitely take out wedding insurance, as you will not be sorry, if there is a major mishap.

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Please note: All personal opinions expressed in the "Seven Questions Brides Should Ask when Interviewing Wedding Caterers" article belong to the contributing author and are not necessarily shared by FamilyBabyKids.com.

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