Every Single Question You Need to Ask Prospective Wedding Caterers

There are so many aspects of a wedding that make it special. To the newlyweds, it's celebrating their love as a married couple with their nearest and dearests; to the guests, it's the music and food (and having a great time toasting the duo of the day, of course). That's why it should come as no surprise that some of the most significant (and costly!) decisions you need to make for your wedding revolve around food and beverage. If the venue you've selected doesn't include catering, you'll need to hire this essential vendor yourself, and because food and beverage tends to be one of the most expensive line items in the entire wedding budget, choosing a pro who can deliver excellent food and service is key.

For those reasons, hiring a wedding caterer on your own can be pretty complicated—your go-to restaurants might not caterer events of this size and it's unlikely that you've ever hired the types of professionals who do. So, where do you start? Whether you’re hoping for a sit-down dinner or an extended cocktail hour with lots of passed appetizers, there are a few things you need to do when chatting with prospective wedding caterers. Here, we outline the steps to take before setting up those initial meetings and every single question you should ask during your first conversation.

Tips for Hiring a Wedding Caterer

You've chosen your wedding date and booked the venue, so the next step in your planning process is to hire a caterer. Follow these tips for finding a shortlist of caterers you want to interview for the big job.

First, determine your budget.

As with most wedding-related tasks, it's essential that you know much money you can spend on food and beverages before you start taking meetings with caterers. This will make every conversation far more productive—if you're able to give prospective vendors a number, they can share realistic options that work with your price range. Map out your entire budget, then allocate what you can for food and beverage, before you even begin researching pros.

Ask for recommendations.

First and foremost, check if your wedding venue offers catering. If they don't, see if they have a preferred vendor list of pros they've worked with in the past. Still coming up short? Ask other trusted wedding vendors on your team (a planner, for example) for their recommendations. When all else fails, review real weddings at or near your revenue, read online reviews, ask family members and friends for their suggestions, or take to social media.

Start your search early and be ready to book.

Once you create a short list of wedding caterers you'd like to meet with, start booking those appointments. These crucial vendors can usually only work one wedding per day, which means their schedules fill up fast. Get your meetings on the books and be prepared to move quickly once you connect with a caterer you love.

Head into your appointments prepared.

Now that those meetings are scheduled, it's time to prepare your questions. Though many caterers won't allow for a food tasting until after booking, it certainly doesn't hurt to ask if sampling is an option when you chat. Another important step in prepping for these appointments? Preparing every question you need to ask. That's where we come in.

Questions to Ask Your Wedding Caterer

To be sure you go into that first meeting prepared, we’ve rounded up a list of questions to consider as you’re finding the best wedding caterer for you.

Venue and Availability

• Do you have availability on our wedding date?
• Do you have any other obligations that day?
• How will your staff balance multiple events that day (or weekend)?
• Have you ever catered at our venue before?
• Can you accomplish our vision at our venue and with our budget in mind?
• What are your specific needs to be able to cater at our venue?
• How much space will you need at the venue?
• How much time will you need for set-up and clean-up at our venue?

Food and Drink

• Do you have a static menu, or can you create a custom menu based on our preferences?
• Do you have options for cocktail hour, or do you strictly caterer the reception meal?
• Can we sample some of the food ahead of time?
• What are your most popular dishes?
• Do you charge a bulk fee or cost per person?
• What is the difference between a plated meal, buffet, family-style, etc.?
• Can you make kid's meals?
• Can you provide vendor meals?
• Can you take care of various allergy/dietary requests?
• Will food be made on-site or brought in?
• When will you need final menu choices?
• When will you need a final headcount?
• Where do you source your food from?
• Can/how will you handle last-minute requests?
• What are the portion sizes?
• What do you do with leftovers?
• Do you make wedding cakes as well?
• If not, will you provide cake cutting services?
• Do you offer other desserts?
• Can you provide bartending services?
• If so, will we need to provide alcohol, or can you?
• Are any non-alcoholic beverages included in the food costs?

Logistics and Details

• How many weddings have you done in the past?
• Do you have photos of past events and references from past clients?
• What practices do you have in place around food safety?
• Do you provide linens, table settings, and accessories?
• What colors and style options do you have for linens, table settings, and accessories?
• If you don’t provide linens, table settings, etc., will you handle coordinating the rental?
• Do you provide front of house staff (i.e. servers) or do we have to hire our own?
  
• If you do, what is your typical server to guest ratio?
• Do you have a maître d' who oversees all food service?
• Will your staff handle setting place cards and menus, if desired?
• Do you have the proper catering license requirements, as well as liability insurance?
• Will we need any special event permits? Will you obtain those?
• Will there be an onsite coordinator day-of? Can we meet them ahead of time?
• Can you provide a copy of your standard contract?
• What is the amount of the deposit due to hold our date, and when will the remainder be due?
• What is your cancellation policy?
• Do you offer a payment plan?
• Are gratuities included in the final cost?