Wedding Caterers

The largest portion of your wedding budget will go towards your reception venue and the food and drink served. This is just a fact. Eating experiences at wedding receptions run the gamut from very poor to excellent. Take your time when you start your search for a wedding caterer. It is an extremely important decisions. There is one thing that most people like to do. Enjoy good eating and drinking. So, the more you can ensure that the eating and drinking will be memorable at your reception, the better. We do warn you, you will need to be realistic. Depending on what your budget is, you may have to make some real choices as to which caterer you go with and how simplistic you make the meal. It can get very pricey very quickly. We can promise you this, the Las Vegas area has every level of caterer that you could possibly imagine so you will be able to find someone that satisfies your needs. There are a lot of factors to consider and we are here to help you as much as possible. We hope this guide helps you in your search for a wedding caterer that you will hopefully be satisfied with.

To start your search, you need candidates. We suggest that you start by talking to your inner circle of friends and family. They may have recommendations. Another possible source are your coworkers. Also, you can always do a Google search for wedding caterers in the Las Vegas area. Check out individual caterer's websites. From these various sources, you should be able to put together a list of potential caterers. Start going through the list and call each one asking them if they have your wedding date available. If they do not, you can obviously cross them off of your list. If they do, then ask when and where you could meet to talk about your catering needs.

Start by talking about food choices. Knowing your budget and the number of guests that will be coming, ask them what they would recommend in terms of a menu. Do they have a preset menu or can you customize? There are questions about food preparation that you might not think to ask but that we recommend you find out. For instance, do they use fresh meat, fish, and produce? If you need them to provide certain foods for special diets like vegan or kosher, can they accommodate such requests. Can they provide children's choices? Another thing a lot of people don't think about is what will be done with all of the leftover food. Does the candidate allow for it to be wrapped up so guests can take some home or can you specify that the leftovers be delivered to a local shelter?

Make sure you find out if your wedding will be the only one they are concentrating on. This is a very important issue to consider. It would be best in our estimation if you have their undivided attention. Also, consider their experience level. How long have they been a caterer and how many weddings do they cater for per year. We suggest that you look at some sample menus they have served at past weddings and setup a tasting of various foods that you might be interested in having served at your wedding. Food quality and taste should be your number one consideration so take good notes during the tasting.

Are they licensed? Do they carry liability insurance? Do they have a liquor license? Talk to them about ways in which you can save money without sacrificing on taste or quality. For instance, oftentimes a buffet style will be much cheaper than a sit-down dinner. In addition to food does their service cost include items like staff, linens, silverware, setup, cleanup, and gratuity. When given a price, make sure that it is a bottom-line price and that there will be no hidden fees that will pop up anywhere.

Have a discussion about the activities that will be happening and when including setup and cleanup. Have they ever worked with your chosen venue before? How much do they coordinate things with the venue? Are they used to doing this? Take all of the answers you have received and compare. For the one that rises to the top, ask them for a written contract spelling out every service that will be provided. Congratulations, you have just hired one of your most important wedding vendors.

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