Planning a wedding can be an extremely fun but frustrating experience. Not only are you becoming betrothed to your beloved but you're also planning the event of a lifetime. For many brides and grooms, this can be frustrating and for those dealings with long distance service providers (like wedding caterers), it can be even more frustrating. In this article, we'll discuss the benefits of hiring a local wedding caterer and how to insure that the person you choose exceeds your high expectations. So, sit back, relax, and get ready to learn all you can about local caterers.



First of all, let's discuss the benefits of choosing a local wedding caterer to assist you.

Here are the main reasons:

You are able to meet with them personally. By choosing a local wedding caterer, you will be able to garner their level of professionalism as well as their unique catering style before it's too late. In addition, you'll be able to meet with them beforehand, explain your unique needs and can even taste their culinary delights to insure that their food is delectable and meets your precise specifications.

You are assured of freshness. By choosing a local wedding caterer, you can be assured of receiving fresh food that has been carefully prepared and safely transported. Since your provider will have likely prepared it at their business and then bring it to reception facility (or even prepare it on the spot), you won't have to worry about contaminations or other issues with food deliverance and safety.

Your chosen provider will most likely have experience with your reception hall. The wedding community is pretty small regardless of where you live. In most instances, your caterer has experience with your chosen reception hall. If so, they will be familiar with the appliances as well as any rules. In addition, they may even know the wait staff or director of food services. Either way, 9 times out of 10, they can use their experience to your benefit.

You can easily make menu modifications. By hiring a local caterer, you can have last minute changes made by simply stopping by your local caterer's place of business. This will insure that they will make the necessary changes.

By choosing a local wedding caterer, you are helping a local business succeed. By staying local, you will not only help grow a local business but you'll make a valued contact that can in turn become a long term partner.

They can make substitutions. If any issues arise with the quality of the food, they can make quick substitutions by going to the local grocer or whipping up something in a pinch.

Now that we've discussed the benefits of hiring a local provider, here are some questions to ask your chosen caterer:

How long have you been in business?

What percentage of local clients do you serve?

Are you comfortable working with all sizes?

What are your payment terms?

What is your full cost?

What is included in the cost?

What gratuity will be charged?

How is it calculated?

Are you familiar with my wedding reception hall and if so, how many wedding receptions have you previously serviced at this location?

Where will you prepare the food and how will it be transported?

Does your fee includes any "catering fees" that the reception facility might charge?

What is your personal catering philosophy?

How do you handle emergency situations like dropped items, damaged food, etc?

Will you provide all supplies including table set ups?

In conclusion, choosing a local caterer has many benefits. Once you choose one that meets your expectations, make sure that you ask them the right questions. This will ensure that they provide you with the quality of service you've come to expect.