Wedding Catering Tips

We must have catered for literally hundreds of weddings in locations as far-flung as Port Elizabeth, Still Bay, Swellendam, Darling, Riebeek Kasteel and Robertson. Stellenbosch and Paarl seem metropolitan by comparison!

Every wedding is individual, so we tailor the menu around the bridal couple’s preferences. However, just because the menu is different, doesn’t mean that there aren’t a few constants.

In no particular order, here are some of the things that we’ve learnt (or think we have) about wedding catering:

• Canapés are a more costly menu item than plates of food, but they set a fabulously glamorous tone to the celebrations.
• Remember to include a couple of vegetarian dishes for those guests who don’t eat meat.
• Apart from plated food being more cost-effective, we always advise against a buffet. After the first table has helped themselves the platters look terrible (and all the avo has been picked out of the salad!).
• A table buffet is a different thing altogether, because guests pass smaller platters around at their own tables. If you have guests who don’t know each other this is a great way to help break the ice. Who would have thought that “Please pass the salad” could be a conversation starter?
• Believe it or not, the catering is not the expensive part of the reception. Things like décor, hiring, venue hire, and staff are what really rack up the costs. A slightly more expensive venue that provides crockery, cutlery, tables, chairs and kitchen equipment could be very good value.
• It is always a good idea to have a tasting of your menu with the chef, who will get to know your likes and dislikes, but most importantly it will give you peace of mind for the big day.
• Use a reputable staffing company as the food might be glorious but it may not get to the table in one piece or be ice cold due to slow service.
• Use your wedding cake as the dessert and add seasonal berries or ice-cream when plating it. You don’t need to have wedding cake as well as a dessert course.
• Rather than having a plated dessert opt for a buffet (unlike main course buffet, it is possible to have a dessert buffet that looks good), as guests would rather hit the dance floor than have to sit down to yet another course. Guests then have the option of hitting the buffet table at their own pace.
• We have had great success with our ‘raid the larder at midnight’. This is also an opportunity to use leftover meats in schwarmas if you went for a buffet menu.
• Make sure there is not a very important sporting event on the day of your wedding. The last thing you want on your beautiful day is to have the groom and his friends cheering on the Bokke (even if they’re beating the All Blacks 50-0!).

If you’re interested in seeing what we can do for your wedding, use the quote request form to send us a message, or phone us on 021-4657888.