Top tips to consider when catering for your guests at Arbutus Weddings

The prospects of planning a wedding can be daunting, especially when it comes to planning the wedding menu, and there is a large volume of guests to cater for. There are so many dietary requirements to cater for, along with the stress of planning the rest of your special day. However, this is where Arbutus Hospitality come into action, with a bit of forward planning, and a huge helping hand from our team of specialist staff, planning your special day can be so much fun.

To help with the stress we have given some top tips for catering success to ensure your magical day goes exactly as planned.

First things first, confirm your guests’ numbers, as with any large-scale project planning ahead is a must. Before settling on a menu or even going on a taster, try your hardest to nail down your guests’ numbers as soon as you can. This can be done by sending out little RSVP a couple of weeks in advance of the tasting, giving you a good overview of how many guests will be in attendance.

Trust your caterer when they give you advice.

Don’t rush when making decisions around your food and drink menus for your wedding and when you meet with the catering organiser for a tasting, make sure you ask him or her lots of questions: Will the food be cooked on-site or brought in already prepared? What if we change our minds at the last minute? etc. This is to help you decide which option would be best for you.

Don’t lose your mind when dealing with dietary requirements for your guests.

Dealing with everyone’s dietary requirements when preparing a menu for your reception can make your head spin, whether they’re unable to eat dairy or gluten or suffer from a particular allergy.

But there are certainly ways in which you can manage your guests’ intolerances while still sticking to the dishes that you want to offer on the day. Speak to your caterer about options available, many offer a wide variety of gluten-free dishes and delicious dishes that may be altered to you and your guests’ preferences.

Don’t be afraid to be upfront about your budget

After all it’s your special day and making sure everything goes as stress-free is the key. There’s absolutely no point in over budgeting as everything can have alterations and still be as perfect as you have planned. Before meeting with your caterer figure out what your budget is and be honest about it when you show up. After all it gives us an understanding of what we have to work with and lets us come up with fresh ideas to help make that all important statement.

If you would like to find out more information about the packages available, please do not hesitate and contact a member of our professional team. We will be more than happy to assist in making your day as special and as magical as you have planned.