Private Caterer for your Wedding part 2

I love being able to use a private caterer for your wedding day food. As a real foodie I know that it will ensure that your wedding has the food and service that you desire. With a wedding menu designed exclusively for you. Usually there are no minimums and/or limitations with what you can request.

I lean towards the boutique companies as I find they have fresh, new and creative ideas and they typically prepare most items on the menu from scratch using the freshest of ingredients. They tend to shop using local farms and food suppliers and a lot of them like to buy organic and usually hit the markets within 1 to 2 days prior your event to ensure only the finest and freshest ingredients are being used.

It take a lot of hours to prepare and cook food for a party so typically your caterer will have a kitchen that they prep all the food in prior to your wedding day.

Once on the job site they then go to work cooking and finishing your food. If the job site has no kitchen one has to be built. While building an offsite kitchen is not a big deal, it does however cost some money. And you cannot assume that the cost of the kitchen is something that is paid for by the caterer. On the contrary, it is a cost paid for by the client. In addition, a lot of caterers may need to rent platters and serving utensils. Again, this is a cost passed onto the client.

Often times venues such as private homes, mansions, beaches, warehouse spaces require that you bring in a private caterer and most likely you should assume that you are at a space that is pretty much a blank slate which means you, the client get to bring in the dishes, forks, knives, glassware and just about everything else that you need to feed and service your guests. Your caterer can arrange for all this if you choose the go that route. They typically charge you the cost of each item plus 20% for arranging the rentals. You can have your wedding planner arrange the rentals or you can try and do it yourself. We will discuss rentals at a later date.

If you found this article helpful or interesting please leave a comment. Let me know your thoughts, If you have any questions or need any information or would like to see me write about a topic you need help on let me know. If you don’t want to leave a comment below you can always email me: Julia@eventuresinc.net or simply visit our website at www.eventuresinc.net.

Grace, Gratitude and Happy Planning!

Hiring a Caterer to Cook for Your Wedding?

Before you decide to have your wedding at a private venue or your home I think it is very important to understand how caterer’s charge.

Typically, private caterers break down the cost of the meal as follows: food per person, and an hourly fee for their staff inclusive of: head chef, assistant chefs, scullery, managers, waiters and bartenders.

The size of the event and the scope of the menu will usually determine how large a staff is required to service your event. In general most catering and staffing companies require a 5-hour minimum per party. In addition to the food and labor fees you can expect to see a tax and a service charge on your bill.

Generally the per person food charge will cover the cost of the food and the initial food prep at the caterer’s own kitchen. The hourly fees kick in once the caterer arrives on site at the venue where the wedding or party will take place. Typically, your caterer will base their estimate on the following: average event is 5 hours which consists of 1 hour for cocktails, and 4 hours for the reception. Additional hours may then be added for the set up/installation and clean up at your location. By and large, for a small event of 200 guests or less with a minimal amount of set up the caterer will frequently add 2 hours for installation and 1-2 hours for cleanup. These times are a guideline and may differ based on size of the wedding, the menu and the party’s overall flow of events. Furthermore, if you have a killer party that goes into overtime expect to pay additional sums of money to the staff.

Additionally, when choosing to work with a caterer at a private venue or home you should be aware that you will have to rent everything that will be used for your event to take place. It is a good idea, especially if you choose to not work with a planner, to schedule a walk-thru of the venue space with the caterer, prior to your wedding. This will allow the caterer to scope out the site and know how best to use the space. They will also be able to help you create a rental list of items that they may need to best execute the menu.

I hope you found this article helpful and informative. If you have any questions or need any help please feel free to contact me or leave comments. I look forward to helping you have a stress free event.

Grace, Gratitude and Happy Planning!