Eating well at a wedding is sacred! Especially in France, the land of gastronomy, where people like to enjoy and discuss what they have eaten. Enjoying a meal is not necessarily synonymous with a 4-star Michelin restaurant.
Often, it is enough to be served simply by a smiling waiter of a hot meal, made with fresh products to delight your taste buds.
But how do you choose a caterer to whom you can entrust this heavy mission with your eyes closed?
Word of mouth
First of all, think about throwing the nets around you. Perhaps a family member, friend or colleague has recently married and will gladly recommend their provider.
Perhaps you yourself have recently attended a professional union or event and enjoyed the catering?
Explore all the knowledge you can, word of mouth is often a reliable lead.
Tasting, the moment of truth
Then comes the time for tasting, i.e. the test meal.
Feel free to schedule several of them, at different caterers in order to better compare and be sure of your choice. Observe the professionalism and friendliness of the servers, this will give you a good image of the atmosphere in the company because it is also the one that will be at your table on the big day.
- Ask questions about the products:
- Where do they get their supplies?
- Where and how are the dishes prepared?
- How far in advance?
The answers will give you an idea of the freshness of the proposed cuisine. You can also look at the number of employees to get an idea of the size of the company and the number of weddings held per weekend.
Is it a family caterer or a large wedding factory?
Both types can have their advantages and disadvantages, but it is all this information acquired on the day of the test that should enable you to understand whether or not it is a qualitative caterer.
Presentation, taste, friendliness
Also pay attention to the presentation of the food on the plate, if it is served hot or if it has had time to cool down, which would reflect poor organization in the kitchen.
Check that the meat has been sufficiently cooked because there is nothing worse than being left with a rare meat when half of your guests will like a cooked meat at least medium.
Be aware that a catering service at the wedding is not the same as a restaurant service. The cooking of the meat is the same for all guests.
From an organizational point of view, the cook must be able to serve 150 hot plates at the same time, which is not the case in a restaurant where orders come one after the other.
Finally, consider asking for a small additional service to see how the butler reacts. Sometimes, when we ask for a new cutlery because we dropped ours on the ground, a clean glass or salt, we feel like we are asking for the moon.
On the contrary, the waiters should stay on duty because that is also the atmosphere that will be remembered from your festivities.
Analyse the estimates
You will notice that the few quotes you have requested do not include exactly the same items and that it is therefore very difficult to compare. Because a catering quote is not just a menu price!
Many hidden lines can cause the total price to change significantly, or even double it.
Note the number of cocktail items on the menu but also appreciate their quality: are they simple puff pastry petits fours or a real piece such as a piece of foie gras on a nice slice of gingerbread, a skewer of prawns or a large risotto glass with morels?
Identify the menu price including cocktail, starter, main course, main course, cheese and possibly the bride and groom’s cake.
Find out the price of the beverage package and check what exactly it includes.
Does the caterer charge a corkage fee on your alcohol bottles?
Usually they don’t take it anymore and that’s also what we recommend because it will be much more advantageous for you to provide your own bottles of wine, champagne or strong alcohol.
Identify the price of the service. From what time is it estimated? Does it include payroll taxes? What is the cost of the extra hour per server? In general, at least two servers should stay until the end of the evening.
Are tableware and kitchen equipment (such as ovens, ovens, etc.) included in the quotation?
What is the delivery rate?
Does your reception area require the caterer to take the waste and empty bottles with him/her? If so, there may be an additional cost to consider.
As you will have understood, no detail should be neglected when choosing the caterer, but it is worth spending some time there to avoid unpleasant surprises on the most beautiful day of your life.
Do not hesitate to consult our service to help you find quality wedding service providers.