Why your caterer is so important on wedding day
For the last few weeks, I have been working behind the scenes with one of our favorite caterers CenterCut Catering. Getting my hands dirty has let me venture past the realm of planning and allowed me to see the back bone that really keeps this industry going. I have always known the importance of really good food at a wedding, but the efforts the caterer puts into it was really eye opening.
Your caterer is one of the most importantaspects of your wedding.
Photo Credit: Image Blue Studios
a. They makesure your food is hot and ready on time. Without having a planner or someone to direct the flow of events this can become a difficult task. Especially when you have one person telling you the dinner will begin right after the first dance, but they under estimate the uncle who had a little too much to drink and winds up giving an inaugural speech than a brief toast.
b. They make sure everyone gets their food quickly. There is nothing worse than having everyone at your reception get up at the same time to wait in line for the buffet…I mean we all saw what happened in Atlanta during snowpacalpyse 2014. A good caterer like Center Cut Catering knows the worst guest is a hungry guest, so they will prepare the buffet line so that you don’t have a long wait or line out the door. They are used to preparing for functions of 200+ so a wedding is a piece of cake!
c. Catering is hard work! Your catering team is constantly prepping and cleaning in the kitchen and they’re on deck for whatever is next. Here are just some of the important things your catering team does on wedding day so please keep this in mind when you see the service charge and/or price for servers.
i. Your catering team: Drives to the venue, unloads the food, sets the tables with china, flatware and napkins, sets up the chaffing dishes, sets up and prepares the appetizers, gets the buffet ready for dinner, serves the guests, replenishes the buffet as needed, buses the tables, washes the dishes, cuts the cake, serves the cake, continue washing of dishes (my least favorite part) and begins packing up items to take home. Not to mention the chefs who have been cooking all day for the event, and if you order BBQ the good stuff starts slow roasting and smoking up to a day before the event.
ii. The price of gold: In past month’s we have seen gas prices drop but corn and meat prices continue to climb. Even with wholesale prices these commodities don’t come cheap, next time you’re at dinner look at the price of red meat or even chicken and remember the last time you paid $15 for a grilled chicken breast. ..plus tax and gratuity? Unless you are going to a fast-food chain for your wedding chances are your menu prices are going to start at about $30+ per head.