Making catering arrangements

Catering arrangements are a very important part of your wedding day, as you will want to look after your guests well and it is normally a long day for everyone. Many people will have travelled considerable distances to be with you on the day, so the least you can do is make sure they are well fed and watered! Of course, the amount of money you can spend on catering is practically limitless. If you really want the best you can hire a private chef to produce a five-course banquet to your exact specification. Alternatively, you could spend next to nothing if you ask friends and family to help make a buffet. Most people opt for something in between these two extremes.

Before you decide on anything, you will need to think about when and where your guests will want refreshments. Most wedding ceremonies take place in the early afternoon (1 or 2 pm) so the majority of guests will have eaten lunch beforehand.

Wedding dinners can be lengthy affairs, with several courses and speeches, and you probably want to allow plenty of time for dancing afterwards, so don’t start the meal too late. You could consider starting the meal at around 5 or 6 pm.

Weddings also tend to be a great excuse for a good drink – and you should try to make sure that people aren’t drinking on an empty stomach. If your guests are heading straight to the reception venue they could face around three hours drinking time before the wedding dinner starts. If this is the case, it’s a good idea to make sure that plenty of snacks are available to accompany the drinks.

You might decide to offer some refreshments immediately after the wedding service but before the main reception. This could be something like a glass of bubbly and some snacks, tea and cakes, or cucumber sandwiches.

Similarly, if your guests eat early and are dancing the night away, you might consider keeping them going with a late night snack.

Remember to cater for any children who are invited, or any guests with special diets (e.g. vegetarian or wheat-free). You should also ensure that soft drinks are available for those that are not drinking alcohol.