What’s one area you shouldn’t skimp or compromise on when it comes to your wedding? We would say food. On a normal day, we are particular about what we eat and how it tastes so of course for a day as important as your wedding day, the stakes are even higher. It will not be just you consuming the food; your guests will be eating it too. Finding a good caterer is key.
A good caterer does not have to be expensive. A good caterer also does not have to be well known. At the end of the day, high cost or a famous name does not necessarily equate to great taste and quality. Have you ever gone out to eat and thought to yourself, “I would have done a better job if I had cooked this myself” or “My mother’s chicken tastes so much better than this”? You see the point we are trying to make.
On the note of your mother, she may be an excellent cook (as most mothers are). This does not necessarily mean however that she is able to cook for your multitude of guests. It is possible she may do an excellent job and leave you and your guests licking your lips, but the truth is that cooking a small dinner as your mother is used to doing, is very different from catering for a big event. Even the food of the best caterers sometimes falls off as the numbers increase. Not everyone can cook well in mass quantities. Apart from the concern about quality, you also do not want a situation where there is misjudgment of the quantity of food required, leaving you with an embarrassing situation where you run out of food to serve your guests.
When choosing a caterer, do your homework. Give the caterer a guide as to the type of food you would like and have him/her provide you with sample menus. One of the most important things you should do is arrange a tasting. You should let your taste buds get a taste of what they will experience on the big day. You need to know that the food will be up to the standards you expect. In some cases, a caterer serves up absolutely amazing dishes but it may just be that he/she is not skilled in the preparation of the particular dishes that you want on the menu. This is another point to note.
Once you have selected your caterer be sure to ask if there is anything he/she requires of you. For example, you should be advised whether or not you are to provide wait staff or if this will be taken care of. Quite often, a family member to prepare a special dish to be included on the menu. You should advise your caterer of this beforehand; one, as a general courtesy and two, some caterers are not keen on the idea of food not prepared by them being served along with theirs for fear that the dish is not tasty and is mistaken for their work.
We leave you with this. Put effort into selecting your caterer. Don’t have your guests leave your wedding commenting on how lovely the décor was, how great the DJ was, the beauty of the wedding dress…but how terrible the food was…
WEDDTV 