Panning the Reception Part One "The Caterer"

Over the next few blogs I will be discussing the planning of your reception. Remember the wedding reception is your chance to share your happiness with friends and family.

Today's topic for planning the best reception is a discussion on "Helping The Caterer Help You".

The caterer is an important member of your wedding team. You can make your caterer's job easier by viewing the relationship as collaborative working toward the same common goal; the success of the event. Here are a few suggestions and advice on ways to make working with a caterer a positive, joyful experience for everyone.

1- Know your vision and make sure if the caterer can accomodate it. Think it through so you will be able to articulate your goals.

2-Stick to your vision. Speak up and insist on attention to detail. A wedding planner can be invaluable in helping fight for your vision.

3- Recognize the strengths of your caterer. Always ask what the company's signature and most popular dishes are.

4-Always be up front with your caterer on the amount of money you want to spend on your catering and stick to that figure. If you are firm about your budget then it is the caterer's job to work with that figure. Reliable caterers are not in the business of inflating budgets, certainly not at the expense of customer relations.

5-Always let a caterer know up front if there is something you really want on the menu and also let them know the items that you do not want on the menu.

6-Even perfectionists need to know when to pull back. You may have articulated a vision, but you don't neccessarilly need to know exactly how your caterer is going to achieve your vision.

7-Remember that the kitchen and waitstaff, managers, and bartenders are two parts of the same team. You will want to make sure that communication between the two is there so that your plans are carried out.

8-Don't forget to check on any site restrictions before your caterer gets to work.


I hope that this information is helpful, if you have additional questions concerning cattering please let me know.

Clay