How to Make Sure Your Wedding Catering is Perfect

So, you’re planning your wedding catering and you want to make sure it’s perfect – you’re in the right place!

Catering is one of the biggest things any couple has to organise, and it can transform a wedding day from great to brilliant. But it’s not exactly a small task, and definitely not something you’ll want to leave to the last minute.

That’s why I’m here to breakdown all the things you need to consider when arranging your wedding catering, so you can truly make it a feast to remember. Let’s begin…

Getting yourself organised early

“Fail to prepare, prepare to fail.” That’s how the saying goes, and it certainly applies to planning your wedding catering. The sooner you start thinking about it, the easier it’ll be to iron out any potential problems.

So ask your wedding venue what catering options they provide. You might assume they can cook up your dream food no fuss but the reality is often quite different.

Venues may have set menus themselves and some won’t even have a kitchen. Make sure you know exactly what they can do or you risk being hit with a nasty surprise down the line – and nobody wants that.

Check out this blog I’ve written on the other key questions you should ask your wedding venue.

If your venue does offer catering, great! If not, it’s up to you to sort it.

Do your research – read reviews, ask friends and family if they have any recommendations, check caterers out on social media. Some caterers offer taste tests and this can be a great way to check the quality (and presentation) of the food yourself.

Once you’ve found a caterer you’re happy with and worked with them to create a bespoke menu, send it out to your guests ASAP. We all have those people in our life who take forever and a day to respond to things like this, so give them as much time to reply as possible.

This is important because as soon as your caterer knows how many of each meal they need to create, they can start ordering stock and getting everything sorted. It’s up to the caterer to give you your dream meal but you can make it easier for them by providing info in a timely manner.

Reducing your stress

Planning a wedding is stressful enough, so you should always look to take options that make your life that little bit easier.

If your venue can make food on-site, it’s a good idea to use it. They may not be able to offer 100% of what you have in mind but going your own way and arranging all the catering yourself is a big task, and too much hassle for many couples.

Bringing in food yourself means it’s up to you to fix any problems that arise and when you’ve already got a million and one other things to worry about, it’s just not worth it.

Your guest list is another thing you need to consider – having hundreds of people come will certainly make for a lively atmosphere but it may be harder for the caterer to create intricate, time-consuming dishes for each guest.

With a large guest list, you’re better off going for a slightly simpler menu (or even a buffet), to make life a bit easier for your caterer AND to reduce the risk of the meal falling behind schedule.

It’s also more cost-effective doing this.

Being strict with your budget is something you should always try to be anyway. I’ll admit, it’s easier said than done when crafting your dream day but maintaining a bit of planning-discipline – especially when organising catering – will stop you getting stressed about over-spending.

For more tips on how to create a cost-effective wedding budget, check out this blog.

Another great way to reduce your stress levels is by hiring a wedding planner. They’ll arrange timings for your wedding feast and ensure everything runs smoothly on the big day, allowing you to sit back and soak it all in.

Click here to see the other reasons you should consider hiring a wedding planner.

Crafting the perfect menu for everyone

Ultimately it’s your wedding, so what you say goes. It’s the most special day of your life so you deserve full control over what you eat.

That being said, it’s important to accommodate for everyone else coming to the wedding too.

When collecting food choices from your guests, include a section where they can tell you about allergies and dietary/religious requirements. It’s also a good idea to provide a few choices of meals (including a pretty simple one) for those picky eaters we all know.

As mentioned earlier, if you’ve got a large guest list, platters and buffets can be a better and less formal option than an individual, specially-crafted sit-down meal. It’s easier for the caterers, cheaper for you, and people will generally end up with more food, ensuring there are no tummy rumbles throughout the day.

Using locally sourced, seasonal, homemade food is another way to reduce costs and air miles, saving the environment and your wallet. Food made in this way (rather than being brought it from external suppliers) often tastes fresher, healthier, and just a lot nicer too.

That’s what we do here at The Old Wheat Barn. If you’d like to see some other ways you can make your wedding that bit more sustainable, check out this blog I’ve written on the topic here.

Sorting out those little extras

As much as a wedding is a huge event, you need to keep the little things in mind as well.

Providing your guests with drinks isn’t exactly a little thing but it’s something that often gets overlooked, as many couples just assume a venue will have every beverage under the sun.

And while that can be true, sometimes it isn’t, so check what drinks your venue can provide. It might be included it in the quoted price or they may offer a drinks package for an additional fee.

If the venue doesn’t have any kind of drinks service, it’s up to you to bring a bar in yourself, so find out what your venue does ASAP.

As well as a wedding feast at lunchtime, consider providing your guests with a lighter evening meal, and canapés throughout the day. Obviously there’s no need to go over-board and spend unnecessarily, but you don’t want your guests going hungry.

Throwing some shapes on the dancefloor builds up quite the appetite, after all.

Click here to see all the food options we offer with weddings at The Old Wheat Barn.

And that’s it – everything you need to keep in mind when planning to ensure your wedding catering is absolutely perfect.

If you need any help with anything, don’t hesitate to get in-touch. And if you’re still venue-hunting and you’d like a show-around of our beautiful Old Wheat Barn, book a viewing by emailing me at sally@pinkpigfarm.co.uk.

Happy planning!