Expert Catering Tips

With the amount of people you need to accommodate, it’s no wonder why weddings are so expensive.

The amount of money spent on food, specifically, can reach well beyond the thousands.

In order to save money and still make an impact on your guests, try to incorporate the following tips to reduce your catering budget.

1. Change up the seating: Instead of having the traditional sit down reception, try to add a little flair to your wedding and make it more like a cocktail hour. You can reduce the amount of money you spend on table and chairs and your guests will be more apt to mingle. For older guests and children, you can still create a reserved seating section for them, but for everyone else a lounging area will suffice.
2. Choose a tapas menu: If you don’t want to stick to the normal chicken or fish menu, then incorporate a tapas menu into your reception. Many people will appreciate the variety and it won’t strain your budget. Space out the dishes throughout the evening so nobody ends up filling up on one item.
3. Get a smaller wedding cake: Not everyone is a fan of cake, so instead of shelling out hundreds of dollars on a 6 tier wedding cake, opt for a smaller cake and add a few other desserts for some variety. There are several options that exist when it comes to dessert, but also think about accompanying elements like a cool coffee station if you’re serving traditional desserts.
4. DIY entertainment: While having a DJ or band is important, it may not be necessary for the entire reception. It may be a nice touch to include a music request card with your invitations when you mail them out and dedicate the last two hours to your guest’s requests. That way you get a wide range of tunes that will keep everyone up on their feet and engaged as they wait for their special song to play.
5. Mix it up:  When it comes to alcohol, certain brands are more expensive than others, so try to mix up the pricier items with the less expensive brands. Most of your guests probably won’t have a preference anyways, and you could end up saving about 30% on the cost of alcohol.

In the end, creating a memorable culinary experience at your wedding doesn’t have to cost you a fortune. By following these tips you will be able to fulfill your wedding day dreams while staying within your budget. Your guests will have a good time and nobody will even realize you were “cutting costs.”

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It doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg.

With hundreds of mouths to feed it’s no surprise that it’s one of the most expensive undertakings.

The average amount of money spent on food is about $50-$90 per head, but this cost depends on the type of food, number of courses and the caterers.

Regardless, most brides and grooms overspend on catering, so here are a few great tips on how to manage your costs within your spending limit.

Prepare the Correct Amounts

One of the hardest things to do when planning a wedding is estimating how much food you will need to prepare. Coming up with an exact amount is nearly impossible, but estimating a few extra rounds of  hours de oeuvres in case two or three additional guests arrive is ideal. Going beyond that is the easiest way to pay for too much food that will go uneaten.

Balance out Expensive and Inexpensive Food

Planning a menu for your wedding is extremely important, especially if you are preparing to have a large crowd. In order to accommodate your guests while sticking with your budget, try to substitute some of the luxury foods with some inexpensive foods. This is will ensure that you have plenty food to serve for less of the cost.

Utilize the Great Outdoors

There are many different types of catering companies, but some of the most loved are those that welcome the outdoors. This not only gives your guests a chance to mingle in the fresh air, but it also a great way to lower some of your catering costs so you can splurge in other areas of your wedding. You can grill specialty meats or partake in some home style barbecue, the sky’s the limit.

Although the food is the final call on if the wedding reception was a success or not, it doesn’t mean you have to overspend on food that no one is going to eat.

Satisfying your guests is important to you, but remember this is your special day and they all came to celebrate you and your new spouse. Don’t let catering fumbles and quandaries detract from the real reason you are having your wedding in the first place.

By following these tips you will be able to get way more out of your catering, which will ultimately enable you to splurge on more important aspects- like the honeymoon!

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The traditional wedding cake is almost as widely recognized as the traditional wedding dress.  Both are white (a symbol of purity, hope, and so forth) and each has been in wide use for several generations.

Of course, weddings date back farther than either of these items, so to call them “traditional” by historical standards is probably a bit premature, but our mothers, grandmothers, and even great-grandmothers probably embraced both items and the symbolism behind them, so at least they have been able to withstand the ever-changing tides of the fashion industry.

Unfortunately, you may not be the strictly traditional type.  But don’t let that stop you from eating cake (or a reasonable facsimile).  There are plenty of trendy, non-spendy alternatives to serving a big, white cake at your wedding reception, and here are some options to consider.

Tier it up

A giant cake with loads of decoration can be fairly pricey.  So why not opt for something a bit smaller?  Instead of a tiered cake, provide guests with a pile of pastries, a cascade of cupcakes or cookies, or a veritable mountain of muffins.  Because of the logistics of decorating and transporting many small items instead of one large one, some bakeries may try to charge more for certain selections (cupcakes in particular), but often you can hit up a small local bakery for mass amounts of pastries and save a lot (especially if you’re willing to haul them yourself).

Get creative

Who said you had to stick to one cake?  By separating the layers, you can avoid not only the huge cost of one gargantuan cake, but you can get different flavors and decorations on each one.  And while traditional cake is a take it or leave it proposition, every guest should be able to find something to their taste if you offer an assortment of confectionary flavors.

Go homemade

More and more brides are opting to provide their guests with sugary treats that are made with love by relatives or friends.  This is not only an excellent way to cut costs; it can also be a great excuse to promote a little family unity before the big day (especially if you can get some of the groom’s side to lend a hand).

Get fresh

With food tastes trending towards healthier fare, it’s no surprise that many brides would turn to fruit as a good alternative to cakes or pastries.  You can still give all your guests the sugary after-dinner treat they crave without worrying if they’ll be on their way to the cardiac-care unit after the reception.

Make a splash

Fondue fountains are not only tasty, offering a diverse group of foods to be dipped into the flowing waterfall of chocolate, they also provide a lovely and delicious piece of art for your guests to enjoy before they take the plunge with a skewer full of fruit, baked goods, or marshmallows.  Best of all?  Everyone can get as much or as little as they want.

This article was written exclusively for STL Weddings by Sarah Danielson. Sarah is a writer for a culinary colleges website where you can browse schools and the latest trends in the culinary arena.

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Hide your wallet because the wedding catering bill comprises the largest slice of the wedding budget pie. Count on spending 1/4 of your wedding budget on catering. For 200 guests, the average cost of catering is near $6,000. Many brides consider enlisting the help of friends and family to cater the reception themselves, but if your guest count is above 25 you’ll probably want professional help.

Be sure find out whether or not the reception site you are considering provides in-house catering. Many large facilities, such as hotels and country clubs, require you use their catering services. Often times, they’ll provide you with a list of 3-5 caterers that do business with, and you can choose from that list.

The best way to find a good caterer is to ask your friends and family. Start with friends who have been recently married. If you’re looking for a caterer in the St. Louis, Missouri area, join our Facebook page and pose your catering question to our wedding professionals and other Saint Louis brides.

By asking for the real scoop, you’re sure to get the best, unbiased referrals that will lead you towards quality caterers. But more importantly, you’ll hear the catering horror stories of businesses to avoid because people love to talk about bad service.

Another great starting point is our St. Louis catering list or your local phone book, but please don’t let big, full-page ads in the phone book convince you that those caterers are the cream of the crop. Many such catering establishments purchase large ad space because they depend on high volume and purchasing food in bulk to maintain their business.

Therefore, if your reception party is going to be a small function (below 200) then they may not even allow you to book them.

On the flip side, don’t let the small ads fool you either, because they may possess more than enough talent and skill to oversee your wedding function.

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Finding the right reception site or caterer doesn’t have to be as hard as some people make it. The choice of the location and the caterer can sometimes carry the weight of the entire wedding reception. After being in business as a caterer for over 20 years there hasn’t been too many locations that we haven’t been exposed to. Some are wonderful to look at, but a nightmare to work in.

Never pick your location by just calling on the phone for information. Most rental sites will tell you what you want to hear. You need to see the place for yourself.

Never pick you location by price alone. Some locations might seem pricey and some might seem cheap. Most times you get what you pay for. If a location quotes a lower price it might be because it isn’t in a good location, doesn’t have tables, chairs, dance floor, kitchen or ample parking or bathrooms. Maybe the price quoted is only for the room or house and doesn’t include anything else including the setting up or cleaning up.

Some people in order to save money will opt for the lower priced sites and realize that they will have to put in a full days work before and after the wedding to get the place the way it needs to be for the reception. As long as you understand this ahead of time there will be no surprises.

Some people think when they order chairs and tables, dance floors, lattice work, etc. that the rental people set it up when it is delivered. Wrong! They bring it and drop it off, unless you make arrangements to have them set it up. There will be an additional charge for this. Do not take it for granted that your caterer will do this for you either. Most caterers do not bring their own tables for the food and expect the tables they need to be there, setup and ready to go. They usually give themselves enough time to do what they have been hired to do and have no time to set up 150 chairs and 16 tables for your guests. They also usually do not supply the cloths for your rental tables either.

Now we’ll talk about the locations that might cost a little bit more. See what you get for the price your quoted. Do they supply tables, linens, chairs, dance floor if you need one? Does the place look great already or do you have to bring in a lot of decorations to make it look the way you want? Can you bring in your own alcohol or do you have to buy it from them? Do they setup and clean up the area you are renting? Will there be someone around to let deliveries in ahead of time. How is their kitchen? If your bringing in your own caterer this means a lot.

You might want a seated dinner for 100 people. If their kitchen is small and poorly equipped you’ll need to change your plans about dinner or your location. Can it seat 100 people and have room to walk, dance or mingle? If it rains or its cold, can everyone get inside and be together (not half upstairs and half down stairs)? When they say they can hold 200 people does that mean inside or does it mean using porches and lawns? Is it air-conditioned?

If your planning a bar ask how many bathrooms does it offer? You might laugh at this, but 100 people drinking beer and a one toilet bathroom do not go well together. If you have to use their caterer ask if this firm has references, pictures, insurance, and how long have they been in business. (This is important to know even if you hire your own caterer.)

Sometimes caterers can be like reception sites. If they quote you prices that are to good to be true there might be a reason for it. More then once I’ve had brides calling at the last minute crying that the caterer they chose couldn’t do their wedding because they went out of business, had to go out of town or were sick and had no one else to take over.

You need to deal with people that have a track record. Locations, caterers, florist, photographers, and limo services come and go. Make sure who you pick will be there 9 months from now. Ask the question ” What if ? ” If you do your homework you shouldn’t have any surprises hit you 2 weeks before the wedding.

I’ve had people say to me the day of the wedding “You’re the one person we know we didn’t have to worry about.” Think about it. Why did you hire the rest? If you’re not sure if someone you hired will do a good or great job why would you go with them?

Look around. Feel good about your choices in location, caterer, florist, etc. This is going to be one of the biggest days in your life and it should also be the most stress free one that you can possibly make it. Afterwards wouldn’t it be wonderful to get feed back like “The place was beautiful, the food was wonderful. We had the best time we’ve ever had at a wedding” and not “Where did you dig that caterer up from.” “At least the roof didn’t leak.” “No one really noticed the cake was leaning.” Or “That would have been a good picture if his thumb hadn’t gotten in the way.”

Make your choices wisely and make your big day fun for everyone.

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Ever notice how people always talk about the food at a wedding? The comments usually are discussed in the following order: how beautiful the bride looks, and some sort of comment about the food. Typical ones include, “there was so much food” or “the food was terrible.”

This is more than likely going to be the most expensive part of your wedding so be sure to take careful consideration when choosing the caterer and the food that will be served at your reception. To ensure your guests go home with fond memories and full stomachs take these suggestions into consideration:

Your guests are priority one, after all they are the ones eating the stuff
This is the most important factor in choosing the type of food you will have at your wedding. There are a number of things to consider with respect to the guests. For instance, if your wedding consists mostly of vegetarians then you should have a couple dishes that are suitable for them. You will also need to consider the cuisine of preference amongst your guests. Although you can never please everyone, don’t have seafood if you know that half of your guests are allergic to it. Consider your options here, they are vast. Don’t get set on something if it is not practical.

Entrée Choices
Next, you will need to consider how many choices of different entrees you wish your guests to be able to choose from. Most couples have two or three. If you have a very diverse crowd that requires special dietary needs than consider having three. This will also give you the liberty of having something that only a few people, including yourself will order and enjoy. Remember, the more choices of entrees, the more money you will have to dish out!

Take your wedding style into consideration
If you are having an outdoor summer wedding you might try serving a lighter menu consisting of salmon and salad. For theme wedding be sure to be consistent and have the meal, or dessert continue the ambiance you are creating around your wedding. For instance, if you are having your wedding around Christmas (and assuming you are Christian) an entree choice of ham or turkey might be a nice touch with frosted cookies in the shape of Christmas trees in addition to your wedding cake for dessert.

When speaking to different caterers be sure to find out what the specialize in. Also, ask if you can have a trial dinner with your fiancé and a few guests. A trial run will help you decide he the caterer meets your requirements. Ask the caterer if he will give you a list of a few past clients for you to contact.

At the end of the day, just be open to suggestions from friends, family and even the caterer. Make sure that when you do decide on a caterer and the type of food you are going to serve that you have a contract that consists of all the details. Don’t leave anything up in the air, this way nothing can be left to interpretation, resulting in less stress and headache in the future.

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If you’re planning a wedding in a location where you’re making the bar arrangements, it can be mind boggling. How much liquor should you buy? What kind do you buy? Can you return the unopened liquor?

If you have the ability to stock your own bar, it can save you lots of money! Here are some great tips and creative ways to cut your bar and liquor costs.

Get Help
Choose a reputable company that will consult with you and help you select the right wines, champagne, etc. for your guest list and menu. In addition, be sure they don’t charge for delivery and most importantly, that they will credit you for any unopened wine and spirits.

Think About Your Guests
Are they beer, wine, or hard liquor drinkers? This will help you to determine quantities. But remember, the choice is up to you as to what you serve. Maybe you want to have a cocktail reception with just beer and wine. Maybe you want to serve a specialty drink like a Mimosa or Bloody Mary for a early afternoon reception. 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.

Budget
Set a budget for liquor. A good liquor company will work with you to stay within your means. There are thousands of wine choices at different price points, so you can find one to fit your budget. In addition, you can choose between “top shelf” liquors or “house pour” liquors (i.e. Absolut vs. Smirnoff). When trying to determine how much to buy, you should ask the company you select to provide the alcohol, to make recommendations and help you to determine the appropriate amounts.

Be Creative
Instead of offering your guests the typical run of beers, try to include some of the newer micro-brewed beers. You can still offer the old stand-bys for those guests who are committed to “their” brands, but you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the feedback you’ll receive on being somewhat adventuresome! Consider an international coffee bar during the dessert hour. If you do, you’ll want to be sure to serve Kahlua, Bailey’s, Tia Maria, Grand Marnier and other cordials that your guests will enjoy with coffee.

Insurance
Check into liquor liability coverage. Does your caterer provide coverage? If so, find out how much. You may find that the hall carries some coverage and it will be important to determine their role.

The best part about putting together your own bar is that you can save a tremendous amount of money! Brides and grooms can keep their costs low….often under $5 per person for the entire evening! Not bad when you consider what it would cost at a hotel!

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Food plays an important role in the wedding festivities, so you’ll want to take plenty of time and care when choosing your caterer. Here are some great questions to ask your caterer to ensure that you have an amazing “wedding feast” without any surprises!

Menu Options and Reception Styles
There are so many food varieties to choose from when it comes to menu selection. You can have a traditional sit down dinner, buffet, food stations or a cocktail reception. It all depends on your personal preference and budget.

Budget
Let your caterer know your budget up front. Don’t assume that a buffet or food station is less expensive than a sit down dinner. It depends on the type of food served not how it’s served.

Food Preparation
Does the caterer use all fresh food and produce?
Will any of the food for the reception be frozen or canned?

Taste Testing
Ask if your caterer will do a “tasting” and when. This is where the bride and groom can go sample and taste some of the caterer’s dishes.

Yum Yum… Leftovers
Ask what is done with the leftover food. Particularly, if you are having a buffet or food station, there can be food leftover. Some brides choose to have the leftover food given to a homeless shelter or packed up and brought home. Some caterers do not offer the option because they can’t guarantee it’s freshness and they don’t want anyone to get sick if the food is not stored properly.

Ethnic Recipes
Ask if dishes can be prepared that are not included on the regular menu. Some brides have a special “family” dish they’d like or a particular type of ethnic food prepared. This is a great way to really personalize your dinner and reception.

Guaranteed Numbers
Many caterers will quote prices based upon a certain number or minimum number of guests. For instance, your caterer may have a minimum of 100 guests and if only 80 show up there may be an additional fee.

Wedding Cakes
Do they offer wedding cakes in their package? Can they make you a wedding cake?

Taxes and Gratuities
Are they included in the price or will they be added later? Find out what the final price is.

Ratio of Servers to Guests
Now, this will vary depending on the type of reception you have.

Dress Code for Wait Staff
How will the staff be dressed?

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