Answering the 34 questions for your wedding caterer provided by Hitched, if you would like to read the original article with suggestions from the wedding pro's at Hitched take a look here >>>>
1. Are You Free on Our Wedding Date?
You can ask our availability in the quote form on our website or through Hitched.
2. Will You Be Catering for Any Other Weddings on the Day?
No.
3. Have You Worked at Our Venue Before?
We’ve been catering in Stockport, South Manchester, Cheshire East since 2007, and have provided service at many venues, if we haven’t and you’d like us to familiarise ourselves with your venue our consultation service can include a venue visit.
4. Do You Specialise in a Certain Type of Cuisine?
We are quite lucky that in our 30 years in hospitality, we have been caterers in 2 countries, the USA and the UK both countries have influenced our menus, service and overall vibe.
5. Which Are Your Most Popular Dishes?
Couples like the menus that have a good mix of traditional British buffet fare and dishes that have American influences. The dish that gets the most compliments is our Chesapeake Bay Style Crab Dip.
6. Do You Offer Evening Food?
We can either set up your buffet or grazing table for your main wedding breakfast or set it up for your evening guests.
7. Can I See Pictures of Your Food?
Absolutely! There is a gallery on our website and Instagram @buffetheroes
8. Can I See Some of Your Reviews?
Yes, of course, we have reviews in various places however Trustpilot should be your first stop.
9. Do You Have a Set Menu or Can We Request a Bespoke Menu?
Yes, most couples do like our set menus and the full-service package is a pick n' mix style menu, however, we know some couples have their heart set on a specific dish and you only have to ask us, if we can do it, we will.
10. Where Do You Source Your Ingredients From?
We use local suppliers and British import companies when providing American dishes that use American ingredients.
11. Do You Offer Halal and Kosher Options as Well as Other Dietary Requirements?
We don’t provide Halal or Kosher foods, we provide personalised vegetarian boxes and are proud to craft individual and personal buffet boxes to meet your event's dietary needs, including Allergies, Gluten-Free, Vegan and Vegetarian.
12. Do You Offer a Children’s Menu?
Most Children will enjoy the menu you have chosen, however, we do have a children’s menu you can order, it is provided in a personalised buffet pack with activity sheets and stickers or for grazing you can buy the kid's pack and it's scattered throughout the grazer. Children under 3 don’t need to be added to your headcount unless buying them an individual buffet pack.
13. Do You Make Wedding Cakes? Will You Charge a Cake Cutting Fee?
We know an amazing cake designer and if you require a cake we can pass on her details. We don’t provide a cake-cutting service.
14. Do You Provide Silverware, Linen, Tables and Chairs?
We can provide details of a supplier for these items.
15. Will Staff Lay Out Place Names and Menus if Required?
No, as we don’t supply a silver service it would be the venue or yourselves who would lay your tables. We do provide candy and chocolates for your tables.
16. Do You Provide Bar Services?
No.
17. Will You Include Sparkling Wine for The Toast?
N/A
18. Do You Charge for Bottles Ordered or Bottles Opened?
N/A
19. Can We Provide Our Own Drinks but Use Your Waiters to Serve Them?
N/A
20. How Long Do You Need to Set Up?
· Your lay and leave buffet can be set up in 10 – 20 mins
· If you would like us to unbox your buffet ready to serve 15 – 30 mins
· If you have ordered the tablescape it would be 45 mins – 1 hr
· A grazing table is an art installation, installed at your venue, depending on your headcount it could take 30 – 90 minutes
21. How Many Waiters Will You Provide?
N/A
22. Is there a Fee if the Wedding Overruns?
N/A
23. Who Will Be in Charge of Coordinating on the Day?
Me, I am the owner, chef, and catering manager. I have many roles and will personally coordinate your catering on the day, both in the kitchen and at your venue.
24. Do You Charge for Menu Tastings?
A tasting box is included with a consultation or venue visit, put down your deposit for your wedding catering within 24 hrs of this meeting, and 50% of the cost will be discounted from your final balance.
25. When Can I Book My Tasting?
After you have booked your venue it’s time to hire the caterer. Catering is one of if not the largest expense of your celebration and therefore booking them super early in your process allows you to figure out your budget, know when to expect your deadlines etc. Find caterers who fit your budget and book your consultations and tastings 1 – 2 years out.
26. When Do I Need to Give You Final Guest Numbers?
7 days before your wedding.
27. When Do You Need a Final Decision on the Menu?
7 days before your wedding.
28. How do You Deal with Last-Minute Requests?
Last-minute requests for the caterer are very rare, and any request after 5 days before would need serious consideration. However, we do understand that even with the best planning things can come up and make things stressful, please don't hesitate to ask us as we will always do what we can to be helpful.
29. How Do You Charge? A Bulk Fee or Cost Per Head?
Most of our menus are cost per head.
30. Can You Provide Meals for Other Suppliers?
Yes, it is a common request for a meal to be provided for the photographer and DJ, it will be individually boxed for them. These meals are also included in our full-service package.
31. I’m Hiring an Outdoor Venue, Will You Bring Equipment Like Generators Etc or Do I Need to Hire It?
The only thing we would require is tables and we can advise you on how many feet we would require to set out your buffet.
32. Do You Ask for A Deposit?
Yes, a deposit is required to save your date in our diary.
33. When Do You Expect the Final Balance?
Your final balance is due 5 days before your wedding celebration.
34. What is Your Cancellation Policy?
For details of our cancellation policy and more go to the terms and conditions page of our website, everything you need to know about cancellations, how we work, deposits, payments etc is right there.
Thank you Hitched for providing 34 questions for the wedding caterer, if you have any questions outside of these don’t hesitate to ask and if you would like further information from us about your wedding catering please go to the wedding page.
Blog post by Lorna Robins head Buffet Hero a family catering business in Stockport. For more info contact us at info@buffetheroes.com www.buffetheroes.com