Tag: caterer

Posted on by

8 Rules For Finding A Caterer That Suits Your Wedding Party

The food that you will serve at your wedding will be one of the main topics of conversation among your guests. That’s why brides are always pressured to provide the best food for their party guests. Some brides are lucky to have a wedding venue that provides on-site caterer while other brides need to find a separate caterer.

Finding the right caterer is one of the most overwhelming decision to make for your wedding. Here are eight rules for finding a caterer:

1. Figure Out Your Budget

You can make a shortlist of caterers depending on your budget. If you know you cannot afford a particular caterer, then don’t email that company. Figure out how much you can spend on food and drinks—from the appetizers to the cocktails. When you provide your caterer with your budget, they can personalize and tailor-fit the menu for you.

2.Ask Suggestions and Recommendations From the Venue

Most venues will have a list of preferred vendors and suppliers. Ask your venue if they have caterers they can recommend to you. If the venue management and caterer know each other, there’s a big chance that they will work more harmoniously.

3. Get Multiple Proposals

You must be able to compare and contrast the cost, and the only way you can do that is to get multiple proposals from different caterers. You can then differentiate the menu, the service, and the prices. It is also important to provide the caterer the final headcount of your guests, so they know how much they should prepare in terms of food and how many people they need to deploy to your venue.

4. Ask About Linens and Dinnerware

Your venue might not provide tables, chairs, linens, and dinnerware. If that is the deal, you need to ask your caterer to provide these items. This may cost an extra fee, but maybe you can negotiate well with the caterer.

5. Communication is the Key

How the food taste is the most critical part of a caterer’s job, but how they treat their clients is even more important. If the company is slow at getting back to you with the information you need, maybe they are not the right caterer for you. Consider crossing them off the list of your preferred suppliers.

6. Arrange for Food Tastings

Now that you have a shortlist of caterers, you can schedule food tasting with each of the service providers. You cannot sign the contract without having a sample of their food. After all, they are going to serve this to your guests, so you have to know how delicious (or not) it is.

7. Read Reviews

This is one of the first steps you need to take when choosing a caterer—read reviews about the company you want to hire because these testimonials would tell you a lot of things about the quality of the food and the service.

8. Sign the Contract and Choose the Menu

Read the contract thoroughly and as soon as you understood every little detail, sign on the dotted line. After that, choose your menu and coordinate the motif of your wedding and other details the caterer needs to know. It’s important to always work as early as possible to give yourself more time to deal with future problems (as they arise).

Posted on by

Finding The Right Caterer For Parties

It is important to choose the right caterer for parties when hosting an event. The type of food, its flavor, and its presentation determines the success of your event.

There may be a lot of things riding on your decision of which caterer to hire, but you should keep in mind that food is important for parties. Think of it this way: A bad event can be salvaged by a good caterer while a good event with bad catering can send the guests heading to the doors, or worse, the restrooms.

Plus, the fact that the caterer is the number one or the number two most expensive item in your event list means that your decision has a budgetary element into it. Choosing a caterer will influence how much money you have left in your budget.

Responsiveness

Believe it or not, but the responsiveness of a caterer plays a critical role in the decision process. A lot of caterers claim to have the best-tasting food with the most competitive price, but it is a rare quality for them to both make quality food and be responsive to the queries and the ideas of the clients.

A caterer should be truly concerned with meeting the customers’ needs and wants. A caterer should not only be responsive, he or she should also ask questions about the theme of the event, the purpose, the budget, and the goals of the host.

Expertise

Not all caterers are perfect for every type of event. Some are more used to serving smaller, intimate-type social events while others are experts in catering for large corporations, weddings, and birthdays.

When speaking to a caterer, you need to be specific about the type of event you are planning. You should also talk to at least three caterers. Otherwise, you may end up selecting a caterer who isn’t a good fit for your event.

Menu Options

Most caterers have standard menus, but they should also be able to customize and personalize the menu according to the current trends and the theme of the event. An ideal caterer should be willing to handle or consider special requests.

If the caterer is not willing to adapt its menu or challenge its staff to create a customized menu, then that’s an immediate red flag.

Food Tasting

You have to attend at least three food tastings with different caterers to get the taste that you want. Never settle for a caterer that will simply give you a generic sample. You need to know what the food will taste like because, during the party, your event will be judged according to the flavor of your food.

You may request for the caterer to suggest wine pairings for the tastings too so you can choose the appropriate drinks.

Familiarity with the Venue

You need to have a caterer who is already familiar with the venue. The caterer must have worked in the event venue before to make sure that they are used to preparing the place for their buffet or sit-down dinners. They would be aware of the restrictions as well. For example, red wine and live flowers are not allowed inside historic house museums.