Blog Post # 13 Food tasting and booking your caterer.

You should try and figure out your reception food at least 6 months in advance.

So one of the largest expenses when planning a wedding reception is the food. There are SO many different ways to incorporate the foods you love that won't break the bank. So don't Skimp on the food. There are ways to feed people well and not spend a fortune. Some wedding venues use preferred caterers for their events, while others are open to outside catering. You will need to check first with your venue and see if you have to use their caterers, then you can book an appointment to taste some of the reception food. Our daughter had to use one of the preferred caterer's that the venue used as part of her contract. They actually had several choices that ranged in price from inexpensive to high end. Just make sure to figure out your budget and stick to it. My daughter chose to do a buffet instead of plated meals, which ended up serving more people and was cheaper. They chose broasted chicken, pork loin, green beans , potatoes and bread. The caterer also included 3 appetizers with the cost per person, which they served after the wedding while the wedding party took photos. Snacks keep everyone happy while they wait!

Be creative with your food choices and have fun! There are so many kinds of foods available that you can pretty much serve anything. We have seen choices like, picnic food at an outside wedding, a taco bar, a pig roast, Asian, Italian or Indian food. Specialty pizzas and so on. Food trucks are a great way to get around using a specific caterer. Sometimes your appetizers or desserts can be served out of a food truck and this is great fun for your guests! We even had a friend who rented an ice cream truck in addition to the traditional cake that was served. My daughter and son in law incorporated special Elephant cookies and Petit Four mini cakes in Elephant treat boxes as a special addition for dessert. This showcased Dylan's Indian heritage and helped them celebrate his family traditions. Remember: as long as everyone is fed well, you can consider your wedding reception a success!

Photo by: Kellie Strong

Photo by Jackie Adelmann Photography

Photo by: Kellie Strong