So your partner finally popped the question, the glasses have been put down at the engagement party, and now it is time to start planning your wedding in Sydney.
Weddings come with many costs, especially in a large and in-demand city like Sydney, but perhaps nothing effects the experience of your guests more so than the quality of catering on the big day.
Here is a list of key questions you need to be asking your caterer before booking them-
Does the menu price include wait staff?
Quite often wedding caterers in Sydney will provide you with a quote to supply the food only. This can be in the form of a drop-off or the quote may just cover the cost of cooking and plating the food up. Nobody wants to be running around working on their own wedding day, distributing food, waiting on tables, or scraping off plates. Be sure that the wait staff are included in the price and are of sufficient number for the size of your wedding, or be sure that you are made aware of their costs per staff added to the quote for the supply of the food.
Do we have to pay for the hiring and laundering of plates, cutlery, linen etc?
Again, this can be another hidden cost or worst still something that is overlooked leaving your guests hungry and you looking rather foolish on your big day. There are many items to consider such as glasses, napkins, tablecloths, plates, etc if you are organizing your own wedding. Even if you are looking to use an in-venue service in Sydney, many will charge additional fees for the laundering of linen. Be sure that this is either included in your caterer quote or you are aware of its additional costs.
Do you cater for dietary requirements? And if so, what are the options?
Most wedding caterers these days will cater for dietary requirements or allow for food allergies. But quite often the alternate options are dull and bland. Be sure to ask your wedding caterer what menu options they have available or better still, if you are both based in Sydney, try to arrange a tasting sample and take one of your friends with dietary requirements along with you.
Has your wedding caterer worked in the specific venue or used the type of hired facility before that you are looking at hosting your wedding in?
Every venue is unique and so is every kitchen with its range of appliances and fit-out. Harder still is if you are looking at something like a marquee or hiring a large corporate entertaining space in Sydney that isn’t specifically designed for hosting catered events. It will give you peace of mind if your caterer has worked out of your chosen venue before. If not, ensure that they have inspected it thoroughly, or are directly involved in the hiring of the catering equipment to ensure they are able to deliver your chosen menu on time and expertly prepared. After all, that is what you are paying them for.
Weddings are a glorious occasion with many hours spent going into their planning. Be sure to book your venue and engage your wedding caterer’s early as Sydney is not only a busy marketplace, it is also a popular destination for out of town folk to hold their wedding. By asking some of the difficult questions of your wedding caterer early and having confidence in them moving forward, will give you more time to plan the other elements of your wedding and give you confidence you and your guests are going to get the best out of your big day.
