A wedding reception – quite possibly the most important party of your
life, full of your nearest and dearest, and the only day at which you
are truly king and queen for the day!
But planning wedding receptions takes a great deal more time and energy than the service, the dress, or the speech for that matter. A wedding reception is a real reflection of you – do you want something low key and relaxed? Or do you want a formal banquet in a castle with a seven-course meal and rivers of vintage champagne? There are so many choices and options that, at times, it can be utterly bewildering.
So, when choosing a wedding reception caterer – such as Absolute Taste or Alison Price - it is very important to establish a few things straight away. Can they work within your budget? Can they travel to where you want them to be? And would they be able to provide all the drinks too, and research possible venues?
Because it’s not just about the food of course – these companies can help you think about decoration, lighting, linen, staff uniform, candles and table centrepieces, food styling, flowers, and even entertainment. If your wedding reception caterer suggests other suppliers along these lines, it is a good tip to ask for testimonials that might give you a steer on whether they really know what they are doing. If all the other brides were happy, there’s a good chance you will be too!
Wedding reception caterers can vary hugely in price and in product. Low key, casual and less formal weddings may benefit from smaller, more relaxed (and likely cheaper) wedding caterers. But if budget is no issue, then nothing is impossible, and you can find companies who will provide ice bars laden with the finest caviar and the most superb cocktail barman serving martinis to your guests until the early hours.
Often the best wedding caterers also work in conjunction with wedding planners – companies that specialise in planning every last detail of the big day. These planners may hire the caterer for you, but only after you have had huge input and maybe even visited two or three caterers to get a feel for their individual style and service. Linda Cooper weddings for example work with a number of high-end wedding reception caterers such as “rhubarb” food design.
The main thing about wedding caterers is getting them to work well for you – don’t feel you cant ask for a bespoke menu for example. If the company’s menus don’t offer what you are looking for, always ask if they can create one just for you. Any good kitchen and event team should be able to tailor what they do to your exact requirements, and if they don’t – look elsewhere!
As far as the chosen menu is concerned, if the produce is excellently sourced and superbly cooked, even sausages and mash can be perfect for a wedding meal. As a rule, try to stick with what is seasonal. Popular choices still tend to be chicken, lamb, beef and salmon. They're generally well liked and, if the wedding reception caterers are any good, they don't have to be boring either.
And if the budget isn’t quite tallying up, then good wedding caterers should be able to suggest great ideas and clever ways of doing things within your budget. If you want to save money, consider serving substantial canapés or bowl food instead of a starter, or a very luxurious chocolate wedding cake as your pudding. What about a tower of initialled fairy cakes as your wedding cake – not only are they a stunning wedding centerpiece, but they solve the problem of wedding favours for guests too!
Overall, the best wedding reception caterers are those who specialise in making a dream day a total reality, while you just sit back and enjoy yourself. Find one of those, and you’re almost there…
