Selecting the right wedding caterer is one of the most crucial elements of planning your big day.
Get it right, and you and your guests will go away with a positive memory that’ll last a lifetime.
Get it wrong, and…well…doesn’t bear thinking about really.
The caterer you select will be down to your own personal tastes and preferences, but to help guide your thinking, we’ve broken down the key questions you should ask any prospective wedding caterer, so you’re left with no doubt what you’re getting on your big day, and there are no nasty surprises:
Can I eat anything I want?
Although lots of wedding caterers provide a range of food to choose from, most still have a set menu you have to stick to.
If you have a specific vision for the food on your wedding day, check with your caterer that they can actually provide this. There’d be nothing worse than going through the whole planning process assuming you’re getting your dream menu, only to find out a couple of weeks before that they can’t do it.
That’s the sort of stress you don’t need.
At Kemp and Kemp Catering, we can (and do) provide all foods from all cultures, and we make it all ourselves. That means whatever your dream cuisine is, we’ll make it happen.
What dishes do you make and what do you ‘buy in’?
Contrary to what you might expect, a number of wedding caterers actually source lots of their food and ingredients from external suppliers.
Not only does this cause unnecessary air miles but it also adds another link in the chain involved in getting your food ready for your wedding day.
Make sure you ask your caterer how much food they make themselves and how much they ‘buy in.’ If a large proportion of their food comes from external suppliers, that can be a real problem – if something goes wrong further down the chain, your caterer suddenly has to scramble around, trying to find a new supplier and jeopardising the entire meal.
At Kemp and Kemp Catering, we make everything ourselves; from custard to mayonnaise to Yorkshire puddings to each and every canape, our dishes are 100% our own.
We never bring anything in from external suppliers, reducing supply chain issues and air miles, while ensuring our food is ethically produced and incredibly tasty.
What does the price include?
You might assume that if a caterer is willing to provide you with your food that they’ll also supply cutlery, crockery, staff, and transport within their quoted cost, but that’s often not the case.
Ask your caterer exactly what it is you’re paying for. What’s included in the price and what costs extra?
It can be a nasty surprise finding out that the price you’ve paid actually only covers the food, and that you have to pay extra getting it to the venue, for staff to serve it and for cutlery and crockery for your guests to use.
These hidden expenses will eat into your budget and can result in you having to make cuts to other areas of your wedding, so make sure you know precisely what’s included in the price.
At Kemp and Kemp Catering, our price includes cutlery, crockery, linen napkins and cloths, staff, transport, and the food – that’s everything you need, all taken care of.
Can you feed gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan guests?
As we’ll all know, the number of people with different dietary needs and preferences has grown in the last few years, and obviously you’ll want to accommodate them to give your guests the best possible day.
Most caterers are able to provide gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan alternatives but it’s still a good idea to check, especially if a guest has a more unusual dietary request. You don’t want anyone going hungry on the day after all (or even worse, having an allergic reaction).
At Kemp and Kemp Catering, we’re committed to providing dishes of the highest quality to people of all dietary needs. Whether they need something gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, or anything else, our team can make it happen.
That means everyone has something delicious to eat on the big day.
Can I serve my own drinks without paying extra?
What’s a wedding without a few drinks?
On top of the food, you might think the price you’re paying your caterer gets you your drinks served as well, but that’s not always the case.
Whether or not drinks service is included depends on the package you’ve chosen, the venue you’ve selected, and sometimes the size of your guest list. So make sure you know whether that element of service is included in the caterer’s price – once you know, you can budget accordingly.
At Kemp and Kemp Catering, we serve your simple daytime drinks for no extra charge.
And that’s it! Those are the key questions you should ask your wedding caterer if you want to stay on top of exactly what you’re paying for, helping to avoid any last-minute panics when you find out you’ve got no plates!
Here at Kemp and Kemp Catering, we’ve been doing this wedding catering thing for a while now, and we’re pretty good at it (we are award-winning, after all).
With no set menu, couples can craft their own food journey, making every wedding truly unique and equally delicious.
If you want to talk through some options for your wedding, drop us an email on info@kempandkempcatering.co.uk and we’ll discuss how we can make your food dreams a reality.
