Wedding Wednesday: Caterers and the Menu

I already talked a little bit about how you can be unique by incorporating special foods into your wedding meal, but there are a few more considerations to make when selecting a caterer and other catering options. As I've said with some of the other vendors, choosing a caterer that has some familiarity with your venue can be beneficial. They'll already know the requirements about where they can and can't set up, as well as what access they have to a kitchen and/or supplies. It's also good to talk with other brides (or people) who have used that caterer--while you'll likely get an opportunity to sample their food items, something they serve you fresh may vary in taste when it has to be prepared in bulk and served at a wedding. You'll also be able to find out from previous patrons if the caterer provided good, timely service--the caterer probably won't admit to getting bad reviews in these areas.

Of course, many venues require you to use their caterer, so you might not have to worry about those considerations (although it's always a good idea to check into the caterer before finalizing your decision on the venue). But you'll still need to decide how to serve your food, generally either a buffet or plated dining service. Buffets are generally cheaper, although many people view them as less formal. However, I think they are perfectly fine, and certainly less work. Unless you plan to serve all of your guests the same meal, doing a plated dining service requires you to track menu selections of your guests, as well as devise a way to convey that information to the serving staff (usually done using the place cards). Additionally, doing a buffet allows you a little more freedom when it comes to special diet considerations. As long as you offer a variety of foods on your buffet, even people with special diets (like vegetarians) can pick and choose the items and still walk away with a full plate of food. Forcing them to pick an entree for plated dining service means they may not be able to eat all the food on their plate, or it may mean you need to offer additional options to accommodate their needs (which can drive up the costs with some caterers). Don't panic too much about what people can and can't eat, though--many people with very restrictive diets (like those with Celiac disease) often understand that caterers at large events like weddings won't be able to provide options suitable to their diets so they will make alternate arrangements on their own.

Most people will remember the quality of the food versus the elaborateness of the decor, so make sure you pay consideration to this when budgeting for and selecting a caterer. And don't be afraid to step out of the box and do something original--if I'm ever invited to a wedding where they serve ribs the bride will win major points in my book!