04 Aug Ten Questions Every Bride Should Ask When Hiring a Wedding Caterer (Course 1)
So you’re a bride-to-be? First off, congratulations! On getting married, certainly, but also for being thoughtful, organized and totally un-Bridezilla-like enough with your wedding planning to read this post!
If you’re even an inch into the process, you’ve already got a LOT to think about (even more if you’re Pinterester …). But that same diligence and care your mom’s putting into recommending doily lace patterns should go into choosing your wedding caterer to ensure you get the kind of unbelievable cuisine and smooth, dedicated service that’ll make your big day everything you ever dreamed of.
Here’s the first helping of ten questions you should ask before you say “I do” to your wedding caterer!
(And yes, we’ve taken the liberty to answer a few … ok, all of them!)
- What kind of service do you offer?
There are about as many options for service as there are varieties of funky Etsy place cards. Whether you’d like a plated dinner, staffed hors d’oeuvre stations, a help-yourself buffet, etc. your caterer should be able to adapt their service to your vision. Luckily Blend can provide them all!
- Do you specialize in a certain type of cuisine?
You probably don’t want to get your duck confit and charred corn gnocchi with piave and maitake mushrooms from Jimbo’s Char Pit Mobile Matrimonial BBQ Wagon. Ask your caterer what their kind of cuisine they do best before you tell them what you want.
Of course, here at Blend, our specialty is variety. So even if you do want your guests to move from pan-roasted halibut with citrus buerre blanc to a hearty 12-hour soy-balsamic glazed tri-tip, we got ya covered. Check out some of our sample wedding menus here (but be warned, these are just the tip of the fresh, organic iceberg lettuce).
- Sounds delicious! Can I have a taste before I decide?
You want your menu choices to be a wonderful treat for all those people who came out here to watch you get hitched. Your caterer should want that, too! If you’d like to make sure your options taste on a plate as good as they sound on paper, a truly invested caterer should be proud to arrange a little sampling session.
- My hubby-to-be’s family likes to imbibe … Do you provide beverages?
Depending on their license, some caterers can handle some or all your alcohol (and non-alcohol) needs, from supply to service. It’s important to determine how much of the beverage front is going to be covered by the venue, your own family and the caterer. No matter how much you want (or don’t want) from each entity involved, your caterer should let you decide how you want it arranged.
For the record, when it comes to non-alcoholic beverages, Blend’s got you 100% covered. When it comes to alcoholic beverages, the licenses we carry give us options:
- You can provide all alcoholic beverages, and allow us to supply soft drinks, juices, glassware, ice, mixers, and garnishes and/or bartenders.
- We can arrange for a hosted bar service or a no-host bar service by a third party (we know plenty).
5. My family likes to “get down”! Do you know any DJs and other entertainers?
Some caterers do, some don’t. But if you need an entertainer / MC / 20-piece string section band to play your wedding march, a good caterer should be connected enough to make some good recommendations.
While Blend focuses on the food, we have terrific relationships with people throughout the industry who specialize in providing you with all sorts of wonderful music and entertainment. Being a catering company in Lake Tahoe and Reno means rubbing elbows with all kinds of helpful and talented people!
Click here for Course 2 of some great questions to ask your caterer-to-be before you accept his or her proposal!