What’s for Dinner?

Bon Appetit Y’all

From plated dinners to food trucks set up outside the reception venue, the options for feeding your wedding guests are growing every day. We recommend tackling this to-do fairly early in your planning process just because the best caterers tend to book up well in advance. Don’t assume that your catering costs as are going to be similar to costs at a restaurant. In most cases, it is more expensive because catering is personalized to your tastes.

If your venue comes with a caterer or if you’re using an outside caterer, meet with the person who will be providing food for your wedding. Talk with them about your wedding plans, sample some of the dishes they recommend, and get comfortable that this caterer will truly treat your guests well. Most caterers will offer a few selections for you to try to get an idea of what they recommend for your event. This tasting is definitely on our list of our favorite things about planning a wedding.

A buffet dinner is most likely going to be the most economic way to serve all your wedding guests a good meal without blowing your budget. Interactive food stations set up around the reception room are a trend with weddings right now. These stations are usually hosted by a chef or member of the catering staff to help your guests customize their selections. Having these stations spread out keeps down the line of guests waiting for food. However, one of the quickest ways your catering bill can add up is for the labor your catering company provides to the event. Take a close look at how many servers, chefs, or other staff they have allocated to your event on the invoice, and ask your caterer if there’s any way to cut down those costs. It can be as simple as opting for stationary instead of tray-passed appetizers.

Find your caterer at tbgvendors.com/catering

Be sure that you and your new spouse take the time to eat during the reception! You’ve got a night full of dancing and merriment ahead of you so you’re going to need the food!

Catering & Rehearsal Dinners

Let Chef Robert make your wedding unforgettable with a custom-designed, made from-scratch meal for you and your guests.

903.821.8115 chefrobertaranson.com

QUESTIONS TO ASK

Can you provide examples of suggested menus and prices?

Considering our needs and budget, what suggestions do you have?

When is the deadline for making menu selections?

Are you familiar with our wedding site?

Do you have any kitchen requirements?

Do you have a minimum? If so, how much?

Are tax and gratuities extra?

Does the cost cover set-up before the reception and clean-up following?

How long will the food be available to guests? What happens to any leftover food?

What are your deposit and cancellation policies?

Do you provide staff to serve, refresh the buffet, tidy up used dishes, etc.?

Do you supply and serve beverages? Is there an extra fee for this service? Are you licensed to serve alcohol?

What is the deadline for the final guest count?

Do you provide linens, dishes, cutlery, or other service items? Are there options for me to select?

Are you able to handle special requests such as food allergies, kids menu, etc.?

Will you cut the cake and supply plates and forks? Is there an extra fee for this?

UPSCALE DINING... THE WAY IT WAS MEANT TO BE.

CATERING REHEARSALS RECEPTIONS

115 S. TRAVIS ST. SHERMAN, TX 75090 903-892-8409 WWW.FULBELLIS.COM

You should plan to feed any wedding professional who will be there with you at the reception. This includes your photographer, videographer, DJ and band at a minimum.

Before you sign contract with your vendors, make sure you understand what the vendor is expecting to be fed. Some vendors are okay with not being served the same meal that guests will receive. Talk to your caterer about what they offer for vendor meals. Sometimes it is included in your catering fee, while other times it is at a lower price than food for your guests, depending on what is offered. When you’re confirming your final guest count, be sure to give your caterer the final count for vendor meals, too.

Food display by Kirby’s Steakhouse

HAPPINESS ON TAP

SERVING PROSECCO & CRAFT BEER

Bubbles and Brews Dallas cindy@getcozybars.com 214-957-8561 @bubblesandbrewsdallas Bubbles and Brews OKC OKC@getcozybars.com 405-255-1239 @bubblesandbrewsokc

Bubbles and Brews

SERVING ALCOHOL

If you are planning on serving alcohol at your wedding, you will want to bring this up with any venue as you are touring to get an understanding of their policies. Some venues require couples to hire their own bartender and an off duty police officer for security. Others will provide one or the other. If your caterer can offer bartending services, then try to work a deal into your catering package. It may be more economical to supply your own alcohol if your venue allows it, even if they charge a corkage fee. If you’ve ever ordered a drink in a restaurant, you know that mark-ups on alcohol are quite steep, so you’re better off stocking the bar yourself, if that’s an option.

The cost of providing alcohol to your guests should not be overlooked or underestimated. Determining your booze budget is the first step in deciding which kind of bar you want to have at your wedding. You want everyone to have fun but serving alcohol at your wedding can easily break the bank without some careful planning in advance.

Purchasing alcohol in bulk from Costco or Sam’s is an economical choice for couples who want to be mindful of their alcohol budget. But the costs still add up. One way to minimize alcohol costs is to only serve beer and wine, but if your heart is set on serving liquor, having a signature cocktail or two on your menu is an economical option.

If an open bar simply doesn’t fit into your budget, there are a few other options you should consider before going straight to a cash bar. You could choose to have an open bar during cocktail hour, then switch to wine and beer only for dinner and dancing. If the cost is still too steep, try to host at least part of the evening, then switch to a cash bar during dancing. If your guests want a third or fourth drink, they’ll be more willing to take out some cash if their first and second drinks were free.

This is also an appropriate moment to bring up insurance. Anyone serving alcohol needs to have liability insurance, including your caterer. If your wedding guests leave your party after taking advantage of the open bar and injure themselves, a third party or damage property, you could be held responsible. Liability insurance will minimize how much you’ll have to pay if something goes wrong.

Marriage means sharing the rest of your life with your best friend, knowing that there is always someone by your side, through all the ups and downs, and that you will always have someone who has to laugh at your bad jokes.