Snack service for the office

Posted on: 27 July 2018

Wedding food is a complicated thing to arrange, with plenty of things to think about at the planning stage. Although the wedding service itself is the truly important part of the day, you'll want to make sure the wedding catering keeps all your guests happy so they have a memorable time.

So that you get a proper idea of what food you can expect on the day, it's wise to arrange a tasting session, and most caterers will suggest arranging one before you make a final booking. When you arrange this session, it's a good idea to give the caterer certain information in advance, so they can tailor it to your wedding. Here's what to tell them.

Approximate guest numbers

While you don't need to get final numbers until you confirm your catering booking closer to the date, it helps to have a rough idea of how many people will be attending.

If you're having a huge wedding, some dishes might be impossible for the caterer to prepare to scale, which can leave you disappointed.

Whatever the size of your wedding party, a good caterer can help you decide on the type of food to serve, by recommending what works best with a group that size.

The likelihood of special diets

Many people have dietary restrictions for health or ethical reasons, and it's important to be aware of how many of your guests may fall into this category.

If you let your caterer know before your tasting session, they can give you an idea of the dishes they're able to prepare for guests who are vegan, vegetarian, are members of a religion with dietary restrictions or have an allergy or intolerance.

The type of venue you're hiring

The most important thing to let your caterer know is whether your wedding is indoors or out, as this will have an impact on the sort of food that can be served.

It can also be helpful to have some idea of the layout of the venue, the seating arrangements and what equipment will be available, if any.

What time of year you're getting married

Caterers often like to use seasonal ingredients, so some dishes may only be available at certain times of the year.

By letting your caterer know when your wedding will be and arranging the tasting at the right time, you won't be trying any food that can't be provided on the day.

A rough idea of your budget

With the price of catering varying considerably depending on the dishes served, it's best to know in advance how much you're able to spend.

Tell the caterer your approximate budget and they'll only show you the food that's affordable based on your funds.