Questions to ask a wedding caterer before you book

Catering is usually one of the largest parts of a wedding budget, and two quotes that look similar can include very different things. Knowing the questions to ask a wedding caterer helps you compare fairly, avoid surprises on the final bill, and choose someone who can feed every guest well. Use this list during first conversations and again at the tasting.

Availability and experience

• Are you available on our date, and do you hold dates with a deposit?
• How many weddings of our size do you cater in a typical year?
• Have you worked at our venue before? If not, will you visit it?
• Do you have the licences and insurance our venue requires?
• Can we see recent menus and speak to past couples?

Menu and style

• What service styles do you offer: plated, buffet, family style, stations or canapés?
• Can you adapt dishes, or create a menu around our families' cuisines?
• How do you plan quantities, and what happens if food runs short?
• Do you offer late-night food, children's meals and supplier meals?

Questions to ask a wedding caterer about dietary needs

• How do you prevent cross-contamination for serious allergies?
• Can you prepare halal, kosher, vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free meals, and to what standard?
• How are special meals labelled and delivered to the right guest?
• Are allergens labelled on buffets and stations?
• Do you need dietary details by guest name and table?

Our guide on how to manage dietary requirements for wedding guests explains how to collect this information.

The tasting

• Is a tasting included, and for how many people?
• When does it take place, and can we taste the dietary options too?
• Will the dishes we taste be prepared the same way on the day?
• Can we adjust the menu after the tasting?

Staffing

• How many servers, chefs and supervisors will there be for our numbers and service style?
• Who is the lead on the day, and will we meet them beforehand?
• What are staff hours, and are overtime charges applied if the reception runs late?
• Are bar staff included, or separate?

Equipment and rentals

• What do you provide: plates, cutlery, glassware, linens, tables, chairs, serving equipment?
• Is anything rented from third parties, and is it included in the quote?
• Does the venue have a suitable kitchen, or do you bring mobile equipment?
• Who sets up and clears down, and by what time?

Drinks

• Do you supply drinks, or can we bring our own?
• Is there a corkage fee, and what does it cover?
• How do you handle non-alcoholic options?
• Do you have the licences required to serve alcohol at our venue?

Price and contract

• What exactly does the quoted price per person include?
• Is there a service charge, and does it go to staff?
• Are taxes included?
• Are there extra fees for cake cutting, travel, delivery, overtime or late-night service?
• What deposit is required, and when are the remaining payments due?
• When do you need final numbers, and can they go down after that?
• What is your cancellation and postponement policy?

Our guide on how to compare wedding vendor quotes shows how to line quotes up side by side, and the wedding vendor contract checklist covers clauses to check before signing.

On the day

• How will you coordinate with the venue and our planner?
• How do you handle delays to the timeline, such as long speeches?
• What happens to leftover food? Can guests or family take some home, where safe and permitted?
• Will you feed suppliers, and when?

Red flags

Be cautious if a caterer:

• will not put prices and inclusions in writing;
• is vague about allergy handling;
• cannot provide references;
• asks for full payment far in advance with no clear cancellation terms.

After you book

Keep a single document with your menu, numbers, dietary list, timings and contacts. Share it with your coordinator and venue. Confirm everything again a few weeks before the wedding, and send final numbers by the deadline. Our guide on how to plan a wedding menu can help you shape the menu itself.

Good catering questions turn a nervous guess into a clear agreement, so that on the day the food simply works.