My Wedding Notebook Blog

Advice from an Industry Expert. 

Most couples find booking a wedding caterer one of the most daunting tasks. If you are fortunate enough to have a venue that doesn’t tie you into their in-house catering, the freedom can be pretty intimidating. With so many guests to feed, the pressure to please is real so we’ve conjured up a few tips to make the process more straightforward.

Taste Over Presentation

Yes, we know you want your food to be as ‘instagramable’ as possible… but if you’re paying upwards of £50 a head you expect the food to be blow-your-socks-off good. We highly recommend booking a caterer based on reviews raving about the taste of the food… not fancy pics that look the part but are seriously lacking in the flavour department.

Meeting Dietary Requirements

Stop the sighing! Despite the stereotype, veggie and vegan food – when done right – can be amazingly tasty. Your guests will be extremely grateful if you can cater to their needs, and you never know, you might find you have quite a liking for roasted aubergine.

Hidden Fees

Although we think it’s immoral, others do not and will quite happily charge you for corkage at upwards £10 per bottle, make sure you’re aware of these additional charges when budgeting or alternatively, find caterers who include the basics at no extra cost (psst… it’s us)

Quality Over Quantity

Now, we know it can be tempting to invite your dad’s friend Graham who DJ’d at your 7th birthday party but haven’t seen since. If you’re on a tight budget consider what you’d rather have – amazing quality, unforgettable dishes or double the guests, most of which you haven’t spoken to in the last 12 months.

Seasonal Planning

Realistically, if your caterer of choice is suggesting strawberries for your wedding in mid-January, chances are they don’t update their menus too often. Taking shortcuts when offering suggestions for courses is a big red flag! You simply won’t get the quality if the ingredients aren’t in season, and who wants to overpay for sub-par dishes? Certainly not us!

Getting What You Pay For

The phrase ‘cheap and cheerful’ doesn’t apply when catering for weddings. If the food is cheap, there’s usually a reason why. Make sure to check out testimonials so you know exactly what you’re spending that precious budget on.

It isn’t necessary to compromise taste and quality of your food, even when on a budget. A true chef will work with you to create the perfect menu without having to settle for substandard flavour.

Written by Kemp and Kemp – Award winning wedding caterers. Get in touch: 0800 644 4566 or email info@kempandkempcatering.co.uk for more information.