A great working relationship with your caterer is key to planning a great wedding reception. The first step is to ask all the right questions, especially when you are in the interview stage. Before you sign a contract, be sure to ask these questions of your wedding caterer...
How Many Servers Will You Bring? If there is one thing which wedding guests find really frustrating, it is an endless wait for dinner to be served. It is critical that the caterer brings enough servers to get the meal served quickly and efficiently. There is nothing worse than a wedding where Table 1 is almost done eating before Table 9 has even been served their food. Be clear with your caterer that you want dinner to be served quickly, and be aware that you may need to pay for extra servers if they do not routinely bring enough to get the job done properly.
Do You Offer a Children's Menu? This is a key question for family-friendly weddings. Your flower girl is not just a miniature version of a bridesmaid in her fancy dress and jewelry, after all - she is a child. Most kids are not interested in eating the formal cuisine which is typically served for wedding dinners. Even if they do sample the food, there is no way that they are going to eat an adult serving. When you are paying $100 a head, it is painful to see a bunch of meals go uneaten at the kids' table! Smaller portions of kid-friendly food will save you money (use your savings to upgrade the bridesmaid jewelry gifts or add another day to your honeymoon) and keep your young guests happy, which is a win-win.
Can We Bring In Our Own Wine? The bar bill can be a huge part of the cost of a wedding reception. The mark up on beer, wine, and liquor is typically huge when purchased through a caterer. Some caterers will permit the hosts to bring in their own outside wine, beer, or liquor, which can add up to substantial savings. It may even be possible to return unopened stock to the store (be sure to check return policies wherever you buy). Although the caterer will likely charge you a corkage fee per glass served, it is still going to save you money to bring in your own alcohol if permitted.
Do You Make the Wedding Cake? A lot of caterers do not bake, so you may well need to hire a bakery to make your wedding cake. Find out how the catering company typically coordinates the delivery and set up of the cake with the baker - can the baker use one of their refrigerators, who decorates the cake table, etc.? There may be a cake cutting fee for serving a cake from an outside bakery, so do inquire about that as well. If the caterer does provide wedding cakes, be sure to find out if the cost for that is included in their initial quote per person.
Are Taxes and Gratuities Included In the Quote? No one likes to get a nasty surprise when they get the final bill from the wedding caterer! It is important to find out precisely what the original quote includes. You might think that the price is right, but if you have to add 20% or 25% to the initial estimate for taxes and gratuities, that caterer may end up out of your price range. Always be certain that you know exactly what is included before signing a contract with a wedding caterer.