Catering often soaks up 45-50% of the total wedding costs. The choices you make here are constrained by budget -- grandiose ideas on limited budgets won't get you very far here. The food will dictate the mood of the wedding as much as the location will. Great food means great memories.
WEDDING SECRET #67. MEET WITH AT LEAST THREE CATERERS.
Share your dreams and plans for the food you BOTH want to share with friends and family. Good caterers listen. Find a caterer that responds to these desires and offers that personal touch. Eliminate caterers that DON'T specialize in the cuisine you seek.
WEDDING SECRET #68. SAVE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS: MANY RECEPTION SITES PERMIT YOU TO BRING YOUR OWN ALCOHOL.
For 100 guests, we suggest the following quantities:
9 cases of beer
5-8 cases of wine
Vodka 5 liters
Gin 3 liters
Rum 2 liters
Scotch 2 liters
Bourbon 2 liters
Vermouth 750ml
Kahlua 3 liters
WEDDING SECRET #69. HOW MUCH CHAMPAGNE TO BUY.
A case (12 bottles) is equivalent to 60 glasses. Guests typically drink about one glass at cocktail hour. Factor in a half-glass for the toast and you've got it: about 1.5 glasses per guest. Multiply that by your guest count (say 100) and you have 150 glasses of champagne to account for, or about 30 bottles.
WEDDING SECRET #70. SAVE MONEY ON THE COCKTAIL HOUR.
Limit hor d'oeuvres. Consider three or four food stations, instead of eight or nine butler-passed hor d'oeuvres.
WEDDING SECRET #71. PITFALL: NEGLECTING THE DETAILS OF DINNERWARE.
Great food is cheapened by poor presentation. Ask about the china, the silverware, the glasses, napkins and tablecloths.
WEDDING SECRET #72. A TASTING FOR TWO IS DIFFERENT FROM FOOD FOR 100.
Consistency, timeliness and ample portions are the hallmarks of a successful catering operation. Some caterers offer "open-house" tasting dinners, where many couples congregate and sample food for 150-200. Sample the service, the attention to detail, and most of all, the taste.
WEDDING SECRET #73. YOU'RE NOT PAYING FOR FOOD, YOU'RE PAYING FOR SERVICE.
Catering companies and hotel kitchens make their money on service. All add a 15-20% "Service Charge" to their estimates. The food is a slender margin for them. So when you're deciding between the hand-carved prime rib vs. tenderloin medallions, always remember that the labor-intensive food drives cost.
WEDDING SECRET #74. ASK ABOUT THE RATIO BETWEEN SERVERS AND GUESTS.
Under-staffed receptions means longer lines, cold food and frustrated guests. Look for a ratio of 10 guests to each server or less.
WEDDING SECRET #75. BUFFET VS. SIT-DOWN, WHICH ONE?
Sit-down dinners typically require more service and expense. But cost shouldn't be a deal breaker. Consider these factors. The way food is served should suit the families and the location of the reception. East-coast families may be accustomed to sit-down, full-service dinners. If you're having a barbecue on a ranch, chances are a buffet is perfectly appropriate. If you want a buffet, for example, the room has to have enough space for the serving tables and lines of people. Consult your families.
WEDDING SECRET #76. VENDOR MEALS NOT EVERY VENDOR WANTS ONE.
Caterers charge less for vendor meals. So be sure to ask your vendors (DJ, photographer, wedding coordinator, etc.) if they want to be fed. This sounds crazy, but some vendors may decline a meal for dietary or other reasons.
WEDDING SECRET #77. PITFALL: THE "FINAL COUNT" KNOCK-OUT PUNCH.
Every caterer will need the "final count" the number of people they need to feed. Typically you provide this a week or two prior to the event. Take your expected guest count and subtract 15% from that total. Caterers ALWAYS cook a little extra food for their staff. On the day of the event you can revise your numbers upward and still be fine. The last thing you want is to pay extra for food no one will eat except your ravenous DJ, photographer, videographer, catering staff, florist, etc.
WEDDING SECRET #78. PITFALL: THE "SUBSTITUTE" CLAUSE.
If you're a gourmet and truly want a particular entrée with specific ingredients, make sure it's guaranteed without the classic "or substitute entrée" clause. Caterers (especially in smaller markets) are often at the whims of supply and demand. This means that if you want air-dropped sushi toro in Chicago you had better get a guarantee, otherwise it could be 3-day old medium-grade tuna.
WEDDING SECRET #79. HOTELIERS MAKE MORE MONEY ON ALCOHOL THAN THEY DO ON ANY OTHER SERVICE.
Forget the rental fee, the catering costs. For hoteliers and licensed reception sites that pour and serve, there's no better way to profit. Negotiate a flat fee for alcohol to be served at the wedding reception. NEVER opt for "consumption." Whether or not you've got a drinker's crowd, the staff will open a bottle of wine for every table. Have you seen half-filled bottles whisked away by staff? Don't pay for "consumed" alcohol that you have no way of verifying.
WEDDING SECRET #80. INEXPENSIVE CHAMPAGNE FOR SIPPING.
If you're having a champagne toast, find out if the guests will see the champagne being poured. If not, it's a good place to save some money by selecting an inexpensive brand, since most people just sip for the toast! It may enable you to spend a bit more on the wines you'll be serving with dinner.
WEDDING SECRET #81. HOW TO KEEP FROM GETTING DRUNK FROM THOSE TOASTS.
It's your wedding day, and here's how to stay on track. When family and friends toast your marriage, you're not supposed to drink, nor hold your glasses up. Just look the speaker in the eye and thank them.
WEDDING SECRET #82. ASK FOR A LEFTOVER'S BASKET.
Between entertaining guests, taking pictures and dancing your first dance, chances are you won't have time to eat a full meal. Arrange for the catering staff to provide you and yours with a basket of goodies to munch on when the party's over.
101 WEDDING SECRETS
