From childhood to adolescence and now adult life, our one catalyst of attending someone’s wedding is the shaadi ka khaana! Do not deny that your eyes gleam with joy when you spot the chaat counter or when the champagne pops open during the cocktail. As a guest returning from a wedding, our discussion is dedicated 30% to the couple, 20% to the venue and décor, and 50% to the food spread. So, it’s only natural that when it comes to your wedding you will want the catering to be fab. Here are a few things to discuss with caterer who does justice to your standards.
1. Turn the table, ladies!
Unless you are an HR or an investigator, chances of you interviewing someone are pretty slim. But your wedding is the perfect opportunity for role reversal, and it’s your bridal right to grill the catering company before you decide to entrust them with an important part of the wedding. Because happy tears and a dessert station go hand in hand!
Make sure you ask the caterer everything from the number to the kind of weddings they have catered, their specializations and menu offerings, if they do custom menus, if they require any permit and who would be responsible for that, and if soft and hard drinks are included. Trust us, don’t hold back.
2. No, the trousseau is not the only thing you have to design
Getting your menu designed is as important as getting your outfits designed, because, after scanning your outfit, all the guests want to do is scan the food! Once you have decided whether you want a classy sit down dinner or the great Indian stand up buffet, discuss with your caterer the options that they would suggest depending on your budget and accordingly design your menu with them. Don’t be overwhelmed with everything they have to offer to you, be the Head Chef of your own wedding!!
Once the menu is set, you should discuss the tasting of the menu. Ask if you can attend one of their catered weddings. This is the most direct way of experiencing the wedding food!
3. Because presentation and server skills are as important at a wedding as they are in Masterchef
It is really important that you discuss with your catering company the presentation of the food and the ratio of servers to guests. How will both the food and servers be dressed? Discuss the timing and rounds of appetizers and the main course. How will the counters be dressed? No matter how good the food is, if the presentation is shabby and the server is not happy to serve the guests, the best automatically becomes the worst.
PS: Extra points for presentation to those who serve gol gappas in shot glasses, and other innovative ideas!
4. Getting down to business
Money matters, and with a substantial share of your wedding budget being dedicated to food it is important that you discuss everything related to the payment with your caterer in advance. Don’t give anyone a chance to fool you with hidden costs. If there are any extra taxes, food decoration charges or cake cutting charges, ask about them before and be clear.
Another business you should discuss with your caterer is about how they will manage leftover food, which obviously tends to be in huge quantities at Indian weddings. While everyone will be at your wedding to be a part of your happiness, go a step further and talk to the caterer if they have any tie-ups with organizations that help in channeling the leftover food to orphanages, old age homes etc.
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