How to Book a Wedding Caterer
- 1). Set your catering budget and know what you want. If you enter into the search for a caterer without a budget or a list of possible menu items, you can get in over your head before you realize it. You can make changes to the menu once you get a caterer booked, if needed.
- 2). Ask friends for referrals. Chances are you have friends and family who have gotten married recently. Some may have horror stories while others might be singing the praises of their caterer. Using your friends for a referral will help to avoid some of the less professional caterers that might be operating in your town.
- 3). Call all the caterers you are considering based on the referrals given by your friends. You first questions should be about the date of your wedding and if they are available. Some weekends, especially in the summer and fall, are booked months in advance so you might not be able to get a booking with your first choice. If your date is available for them to cater, set up a meeting where you can go over a menu and discuss terms.
- 4). Sample some of the caterer's items that would appear on your menu. Before signing a contract or paying a deposit ask the caterer to provide you with some samples of the food they would be serving. if it's not to your liking you can either make suggestions or move onto another caterer.
- 5). Get a contract. If you don't have a contract there is nothing binding them to perform the catering job to your specifications. The contract should include the price, date, venue, menu and time for arrival.
Source...