20 Questions to Ask Your Wedding Caterer

Don’t skimp on the food—prioritize it! While it may sound cliché, couples likely hear this advice from their parents repeatedly. Food often takes up the largest portion of any wedding budget. With guests being so meticulous, newly engaged couples must carefully select the right wedding caterer.

These 20 mind-boggling, food-related questions will help you narrow down your choices, select the best catering provider, and create the unforgettable wedding you deserve.

1) Can you cater to our chosen location? Is there an additional charge if the location is outside the city?

2) Do you provide a banquet coordinator who will take care of everything on the wedding day itself?

3) Do you have wedding packages? What are the inclusions of each package? Do you have an ala carte food choices?

4) Do you specialize in a particular cuisine? Can you serve Italian, Japanese, or native Filipino cuisine, for example?

5) Do you have preset menus? Can we customize our menu?

6) Can you accommodate theme menus along with the appropriate décors?

7) What food choices will you recommend? What if we want a particular dish to be served? Will you accommodate our request?

8) Are you using fresh produce? What if we prefer organically farmed ingredients? Can you accommodate such request?

9) Can you accommodate our and our guests’ dietary restrictions, if there are any?

10) Which is the best option given our budget: appetizer stations or passed appetizers?

11) Which is the best option based on our budget: plated or buffet? If we choose buffet, are the costs of the other food stations inclusive or not?

12) Are the buffet tables and appetizer stations fully decorated?

13) Are there any package upgrades such ice sculptures, chocolate fountains, cappuccino machines, etc.?

14) What about children’s meals? Are there separate meals for them? How much do you charge per kid?

15) Are the packages inclusive of the wedding cake? Do you have samples that we can browse? Can you accommodate our request if we have a cake design of choice?

16) If we outsource our wedding cake from another vendor, will you require a cake-cutting fee?

17) Are the packages inclusive of desserts other than the wedding cake? Can we choose our own dessert(s)?

18) Are the packages inclusive of other paraphernalia such as the guest book, pair of dove in decorated birdcage, souvenirs, etc.?

19) Do you offer food tasting for free?

20) What type of fabric do you use for skirting cloth? What kind of dinnerware, glassware, and flatware do you use?

The questions above clearly focus primarily on the food. However, it’s just as important to delve into drink-related questions. This includes both non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages, ensuring every aspect of your menu is covered.

Consider asking these questions:

• Are the packages inclusive of the sparkling wine or champagne for post-ceremony toast or not?

• Do we have to pay a corkage fee if we are going to provide our own wine?

• Can you accommodate our request for specialty cocktails?

• Are you going to serve alcoholic beverages? What brand(s) and until what time?

• Can you set up a minibar with bartenders?

• Can you serve coffee and/or tea after the meal? What brands of coffee or tea do you serve?

There are catering-related questions that may affect how organized your wedding will be. These questions include:

• Are the packages inclusive of the service charge and tax?

• What is the ratio of the server to our guests? Will we be required to pay extra for additional servers?

• How are the servers and/or bartenders be dressed?

• How much time do you need to set up?

• Can you assist with other activities such as choosing a theme or looking for a venue?

• Will we be charged with overtime fees if the wedding runs longer than contracted? Is the charge per hour?

• What are your payment policies? Do you accept check, credit or debit cards or PayPal?

• Is a deposit required for holding my date? Will the deposit be reimbursed if we aren’t able to pay the downpayment?

• How long until our slot will be released if we aren’t able to pay the downpayment?

• Is the downpayment fully deductible from the total cost?

• How long can we expect the contract after booking? Are you going to provide us a revised contract if there are any changes in menu choices?

• What are the inclusions of the contract?

• What are your refund policies? What about the cancellation policies?

• What are the other fees and costs involved that we must know of?

Further, your quest for the best wedding caterer doesn’t stop at asking the right questions. There are various factors to consider as well.

1) Per pax

Keep in mind that wedding caterers typically charge per person in addition to providing a quote for a wedding package. Moreover, some caterers require a minimum number of guests to include basic amenities like setup, a sound system, or a Tiffany chair upgrade.

Therefore, don’t focus solely on the per-person charge. Instead, bring a calculator with you when visiting the wedding caterers on your shortlist to ensure you account for all potential costs.

2) Leftover

Leftovers are one of the most overlooked aspects of wedding catering. To avoid any confusion, clearly establish what should be done with the remaining food.

As the client, you can request the caterer to wrap the leftovers and allow your guests to take them home. Alternatively, you can instruct the caterer to package the leftovers and deliver them to a nearby charity. By planning, you can ensure the food is put to good use.

3) Cleanup

Another commonly overlooked factor is cleaning up after the event. You need to clarify with the catering provider who will handle the cleaning.

Although cleaning is usually included in the catering package, it’s always wise to confirm who will manage the dirt and trash. This ensures there are no surprises on the big day.

When planning the menu, be realistic about your food choices, considering your budget and your guests. Ask as many questions as possible to ensure clarity and alignment.

Furthermore, the catering company representative should willingly and confidently answer your questions. Pay close attention to how the representative responds and behaves during your conversation.

If the representative hesitates or struggles to provide clear answers, it reflects the level of service the caterer offers. At this point, recognize when it’s time to stop asking and move on to the next caterer on your list.

Choose Hizon’s catering for your special day!

Make your event unforgettable. Have your venue, catering, and styling all taken care of. Inquire now!

Wedding Guides