The food at your wedding can make or break the reception. If your menu is interesting, the food is delicious and abundant, and the service is top-notch, your guests will always remember yours as a terrific event. On the other hand, if the food is bland and uninspired, the dinner cold, and the portions skimpy, this will also leave an impression, just not the one that you want. This is why finding the perfect caterer for your wedding is so important. Not every caterer is a great fit for every bride and groom, though; these are some tips on how to find the caterer who is right for you.
The absolute best way to find a top-notch caterer is through word of mouth. As soon as you get engaged, start asking anyone and everyone. You can seek recommendations from your reception venue, recently married friends, wedding consultants, bridal shops, photographers, and even the store where you get your bridal jewelry. As a secondary approach, you can also check out local wedding chat boards online. You may not find out which caterer is best, but you are sure to come across the horror stories that let you know which companies to avoid at all costs.
Bridal shows can be another place to meet with caterers. One advantage is that you will have a chance to briefly meet a lot of different vendors, see their sample menus, and get a sense of their prices. You may find that you instantly click with a few caterers, or that you are turned off by others. This is a decent resource, however, it is important to be aware that many of the top firms operate mostly by word-of-mouth recommendations, and do not bother participating in bridal shows. You may be able to get a general sense of the caliber of the caterers you meet at a particular bridal show by taking note of the other vendors in attendance; as a rule of thumb, the best gown shops, bridal jewelry designers, stationers, and so on will all choose to attend the same selective shows.
If you have a special menu in mind, it is very important to make sure that the caterers you interview are experiences with creating the type of food that you desire. Someone may be a whiz at classic French cooking, but if you have your heart set on an Asian-fusion menu, they may not be a good fit for you. Ideally, the caterer that you end up choosing will also have worked at your wedding venue on previous occasions. It can be really helpful to have a caterer who already knows all the ins and out of the kitchen facilities, especially for outdoor locations.
Your caterer is someone with whom you will be working closely, so personality does matter. There are some caterers who are open to working with you as a creative partner, while others come across more like imperious masters who are all-knowing. There is a place for both styles; if you are a true foodie, you will enjoy an open partnership, whereas couples who know little about menus and ingredients might be happier with a caterer who will take care of everything for them.
The absolute best way to find a top-notch caterer is through word of mouth. As soon as you get engaged, start asking anyone and everyone. You can seek recommendations from your reception venue, recently married friends, wedding consultants, bridal shops, photographers, and even the store where you get your bridal jewelry. As a secondary approach, you can also check out local wedding chat boards online. You may not find out which caterer is best, but you are sure to come across the horror stories that let you know which companies to avoid at all costs.
Bridal shows can be another place to meet with caterers. One advantage is that you will have a chance to briefly meet a lot of different vendors, see their sample menus, and get a sense of their prices. You may find that you instantly click with a few caterers, or that you are turned off by others. This is a decent resource, however, it is important to be aware that many of the top firms operate mostly by word-of-mouth recommendations, and do not bother participating in bridal shows. You may be able to get a general sense of the caliber of the caterers you meet at a particular bridal show by taking note of the other vendors in attendance; as a rule of thumb, the best gown shops, bridal jewelry designers, stationers, and so on will all choose to attend the same selective shows.
If you have a special menu in mind, it is very important to make sure that the caterers you interview are experiences with creating the type of food that you desire. Someone may be a whiz at classic French cooking, but if you have your heart set on an Asian-fusion menu, they may not be a good fit for you. Ideally, the caterer that you end up choosing will also have worked at your wedding venue on previous occasions. It can be really helpful to have a caterer who already knows all the ins and out of the kitchen facilities, especially for outdoor locations.
Your caterer is someone with whom you will be working closely, so personality does matter. There are some caterers who are open to working with you as a creative partner, while others come across more like imperious masters who are all-knowing. There is a place for both styles; if you are a true foodie, you will enjoy an open partnership, whereas couples who know little about menus and ingredients might be happier with a caterer who will take care of everything for them.
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Wedding
