Catering Confidential: Top Advice for Brides from the Pros
Finding the perfect caterer for your wedding day is every bit as important as selecting a great venue or wedding photographer. So how do you know which event catering company is right for you?
Nina Ruebner of Hugh Groman Catering & Greenleaf Platters shares some helpful tips for selecting a caterer as well as some pointers for sticking to a budget.
1. Choose a caterer you trust. Then trust them to do their job. We know it’s difficult to let go when you are planning a wedding, but that’s why choosing the right caterer for you is so important. Once you’ve chosen well, they can take so much of the stress off of you by making recommendations based on their expertise and experience.
2. Choose food that YOU love and try not to worry about pleasing all of your various guests. You will never be able to satisfy everyone’s food issues, so go with what you like and chances are your guests will like it, too.
3. If you have a set budget in mind, don’t be afraid to share it with potential caterers when requesting a bid. A good caterer will not charge you more if you have more money. They will, however, know what they can and cannot propose to you based on what you are prepared to spend.
4. You don’t HAVE to have a wedding cake. A lot of people these days are choosing alternatives to a big fancy wedding cake. Cupcakes are one popular alternative. Or, do a dessert buffet with several of your favorite desserts for your guests to choose from.
5. When asking for proposals from caterers, the more information you have about the event, the more accurate a proposal you’ll be able to get. Some of the things that caterers ask when writing a proposal are:
- Location of wedding
- Guest Count
- Do you want to serve alcohol and if so, just wine/beer/champagne or do you want specialty cocktails?
- Will you need to rent plates, glassware, utensils, linens, tables, chairs, etc.? (Sometimes these are provided by the venue and sometimes not.)
- Do you have allergies to any foods that need to be kept off the menu?
- What time will your wedding start and about what time do you think it will end?
- Do you need flowers?
- Do you want to serve coffee/tea?
- Do you plan on having a wedding cake?
6. Consider a buffet if you are trying to cut costs. Buffets can be just as elegant as seated meals but are usually slightly less expensive than seated meals because they require fewer servers. Buffets also allow for more variety.
7. Consider not having a seating chart. It’s true, some people like to know where they are sitting and have an assigned spot. But for every one of those people there’s someone who doesn’t like where you’ve placed them. We’ve found that putting together a seating chart can add quite a bit of stress for you, especially given the inevitable last minute additions, cancellations or no-shows. So, it’s really OK to just let people choose a seat.
8. Consider an electronic invitation. If your heart is set on a beautiful printed invitation, of course, go for it. But if you are on a budget, want to be more green or don’t have an interest in a printed invitation, there is nothing wrong with an evite. It will make it easier for your guests to RSVP and save you time and money.
9. Lastly and most importantly, when planning your wedding, try very hard to follow your heart and really think about what YOU want. Everyone is going to have an opinion and tell you “you shouldn’t do this” or “you have to do that.” If you stay true to what you really want and what makes you happy, you’ll have less stress and a more enjoyable celebration.
Hugh Groman Catering and Greenleaf Platters is a niche catering company serving the San Francisco Bay area, providing delicious, fresh and elegant food perfect for the do-it-yourself bride. Their food is delivered on beautiful white ceramic platters with silver serving ware. Their focus is on seasonal, fresh and mostly organic food and a zero-waste and elegant event.
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[...] The Indie Bride: Catering Confidential: Top Advice for Brides from the Pros [...]
Having worked with Hugh Groman Catering before, I know that they serve up great food and have a fantastic crew. Their advice presented here is so helpful and so practical. They really have their clients’ best interests at heart!
My desire was to have a wedding that was just a big party made up of my favorite things and Hugh came through with the most amazing food. He had great ideas and suggested we do several small plates to make it more social. Hugh and his staff were so thoughtful and happy. I still get compliments about the food at our wedding. I’ve recommend Hugh many times.