How to Choose Your Wedding Caterer
Photo by Shane Long
Deciding on your wedding venue and caterer are two of the most important (and monumental!) steps to take while planning your wedding. Together, they typically amount to roughly 50% of your wedding budget, so feeling excited about both is key. Sometimes deciding on one will mean you have also decided on the other because there are venues with exclusive in-house caterers. However, at The Outpost Center, we love welcoming a complete variety of wedding caterers!
In order to assist you while you’re researching wedding caterers, we thought we would highlight the top three things to keep in mind.
CATERING/SERVING STYLE:
There is not a right or wrong way to serve your wedding menu, but you will want to work with a caterer who can serve in the way you’re imagining. We suggest talking to them about their preferred methods as you determine if their style will match with your vision. Below, we’re highlighting a few of the most common serving styles:
Buffets: Buffets are typically the most informal, and the feel is likely exactly what you’re envisioning. Your menu will include a variety of options, and guests will serve themselves. Tip: Ask your caterer how they invite guests to the buffet. In order to keep a sense of order in place, the best caterers won’t invite all guests to the buffet at once. Staggering is key!
Stations: Stations are similar to buffets because guests will visit the stations with the menu options that interest them the most. The biggest difference, however, is how the menu is served. Stations are always staffed with a member of the catering team who will serve the guests. They act as a great option for clients who want to establish an informal feel with a slightly elevated serving style.
Family Style: When couples choose family style, they are preparing for their guests to pass plates of food at their tables and serve themselves there. This style offers a great opening for communication and conversation to occur among guests who know each other as well as those who may be meeting for the first time.
Plated: Plated is the most formal way to serve your wedding menu, and it’s also the most expensive. Through this serving style, guests will most often note their menu choice on their RSVP card, and the catering team will confirm their choices as service begins at your wedding reception. Plated meals also often involve more than one course. If you’re envisioning a first course of salad, followed by the main course, and ending with dessert, this serving style might be for you!
MENU:
Most often when you’re deciding how to serve your wedding menu, you will also choose the fare you would like to offer to your guests. You will want to talk with your caterer about the options they include in their packages, but choosing what to serve is not the only important factor. You will also want to explore how they handle things like dietary requests (think: vegetarian meals) and food allergies. Before moving forward, you will all want to be on the same page.
Of course, the other important thing to consider is your actual wedding menu! The key questions here: Do you like what the caterer serves? In order to answer this question, make sure to schedule a tasting with your caterer where you will be able to try the foods your team will serve for your guests at your wedding. Obviously, the goal is to make sure you like the taste of what will be on hand!
PROFESSIONALISM:
We could not highlight how to choose your wedding caterer without mentioning their professionalism combined with their ability to create and serve your wedding menu is paramount. You want to work with wedding professionals who are kind and talented at their craft, which definitely extends to your wedding caterer.
Make sure to research your caterer and read reviews online. Ask your caterer if you can get in touch with a few of their past clients to hear about their experiences, and talk with your wedding venue about their experiences working with the team you’re considering. Collectively, couples and professionals alike are happy to speak highly about those we love just as much as we’re eager to help you to pivot away from those who won’t have your best interests at heart. Asking questions and doing your research is key!
Have you decided on your wedding caterer? How did you make your decision? Let us know in the comments!