| With all eyes on our economy and many of | | | | utensils and a large platter for a dish they |
| today's couples cutting their wedding budgets | | | | provided, also had been asked if we had |
| drastically you may be looking to cut your | | | | toothpicks and plastic cups? |
| catering budget by considering other catering | | | | As wedding planners, we are definitely prepared |
| options such as a restaurant to provide the | | | | on site with an "emergency kit" for the wedding |
| catering for your wedding day. Even though the | | | | day; however, our "emergency kit" doesn't |
| restaurant "per person prices" may sound | | | | contain these types of "catering" items. These |
| tantalizing and excitingly low there is definitely a | | | | items were definitely the responsibility of the |
| whole lot to consider when using a restaurant to | | | | caterer. |
| cater your event off restaurant property. | | | | Lastly, another restaurant caterer we used was |
| A few major things to consider... Is the restaurant | | | | informed during our numerous planning meetings |
| caterer...o Knowledgeable and experienced with | | | | and in the contract what was required of them. |
| your room set-up and room capacities?o | | | | Part of the services we requested was the |
| Responsible for the set-up and tear-down of the | | | | set-up and tear-down all of the tables and chairs |
| tables and chairs , clean up of rental facility and all | | | | for the reception. The day of the wedding, this |
| event equipment needed (china, stemware, | | | | did not happen. The restaurant caterers actually |
| flatware, chargers, serving utensils, chaffing | | | | showed up late and when they arrived their only |
| dishes, coffee and hot water carafes, water | | | | and main focus and concern was prepping and |
| pitchers, ice, salt & pepper shakers, | | | | setting up the food and wine bar. With no further |
| beverage napkins, toothpicks... the list goes on and | | | | time to delay, our amazing staff had to jump into |
| on)?o Providing the appropriate number of staffing | | | | action and set-up the reception venue promptly |
| (cooks, servers, bartenders, banquet captains, | | | | to keep everything on schedule. At the end of |
| food runners) to manage your size of group for | | | | the reception this very same restaurant caterer |
| all facets of your wedding (cocktail hour, dinner, | | | | rushed off without notifying to us they were |
| cake-cut, food prep, bar service, etc.)o Staffing | | | | leaving and had left all of the food behind in the |
| professional in appearance, demeanor and attire?o | | | | chaffing dishes and did not place any of the |
| Experienced at catering weddings with a large | | | | remaining food for our client into containers as we |
| number of guests in attendance?o Able to provide | | | | had previously requested and agreed upon. |
| you with a solid contract for all that will be | | | | Without a doubt, professional and experienced |
| required for your food and beverage needs, | | | | wedding caterers are prepared beyond belief. |
| equipment rentals, specific list of their | | | | Some caterers even travel to the reception |
| responsibilities and staffing required on your | | | | venue with trailers containing fully operational |
| wedding day?o Prepared and able to work within | | | | cooking kitchens, if there is no kitchen available at |
| the limitations of your rental venue kitchen | | | | the reception venue. They are able to set-up, |
| facilities?o Able to provide the proper license(s) | | | | tear-down and clean up at light speed - really. |
| and obtain the necessary permits to serve food | | | | They are very efficient at what they do and can |
| and alcohol within the specific county/jurisdiction | | | | rearrange an event space in less than one hour - |
| where you will be holding your wedding reception? | | | | if this is all the time that is allowed in between |
| In the past, at the request of our clients, we | | | | wedding functions. Professional wedding caterers |
| have used local area restaurants (which were | | | | also know how much rental equipment is needed |
| their absolute favorites) to cater their wedding. | | | | to execute your event perfectly to even |
| The food may be great, however the catering | | | | remembering the smallest catering detail such as |
| service and follow through may be a very | | | | toothpicks. |
| different and unhappy story. | | | | Hiring a professional and experienced wedding |
| On two occasions, the day of the wedding while | | | | caterer from the start will most definitely take a |
| setting up, we had experienced a few a | | | | lot of the guess work out of all of the intricate |
| challenging moments working alongside restaurant | | | | catering details for your special wedding day! |
| caterers: we were asked if we had serving | | | | |