How to choose a wedding caterer
Before shortlisting your wedding caterers
Before even approaching caterers, try and have an idea of the kind of wedding catering you want to provide for your guests. Are you looking for BBQ catering or do you prefer an a la carte catering menu? By narrowing down the options, you can concentrate on caterers with experience in the right area. Then, look at where they are in relation to you and/or your wedding venue. This will help you to decide how feasible it will be to attend menu tasting sessions and even whether they will be able to travel easily to your venue.
Questions to ask your shortlist of wedding caterers
Once you’ve narrowed down the field, you need to enquire about availability on your chosen date; if they are unavailable , it may make your decision that much easier. Enquire whether they’ve catered for a wedding at your venue before and ask about their pricing structures in relation to your specific needs including approximate numbers, date, and time. Research reviews from past customers – do they have testimonials on their website or star reviews on, for example Trustpilot and Google? It is also vital at this stage, before considering a firm booking, to ensure the caterer has all relevant and current compliance and insurance certificates in place.
Things to consider ahead of your final decision
There can be many ‘hidden extras’ involved in wedding catering so arrange a telephone or in-person meeting to understand exactly what will be included. Longstanding and experienced wedding caterers like The ALS Group will offer menu tasting sessions and will be happy to adapt sample menus to create a bespoke wedding breakfast just for your special day. They can also arrange for serving and/or bar staff to attend, as well as providing venue décor, crockery and table linen and entertainment. Make sure you know what services are included in the price and which will be charged as extras, and ask whether the caterers will lay tables and whether they will clear away. Finally, agree payment terms and get written confirmation of all decisions.
Once you’ve booked a wedding caterer
In the run up to your big day, keep in touch with your caterers and see if they can give you a rough idea of their timeline for the day to help you put plans in place around them. Ensure you know the latest they will need final number and menu choices by from you, as this may dictate the wording of invitations.
Wedding catering from The ALS Group
Based near the cathedral city of Lincoln, The ALS Group has thirty years’ experience in providing a one-stop shop for your wedding. Our expert team of wedding caterers use only the best, locally sourced ingredients and can offer a wide choice of wedding breakfast. Whether you prefer an informal hot buffet menu or a traditional wedding breakfast menu, followed by canapes and a buffet for evening guests, we can help you plan the perfect feast. And if you prefer to use just one supplier, we can also provide a comprehensive range of wedding services from dance floors and disco hire, to photobooths and candy carts and everything in between!
To get your wedding catering under way, just email us or call on 01526 397995 today for an informal chat.
