How to choose your wedding caterer

Food is one of the biggest decisions you'll make for your wedding day, and one of the easiest to get wrong if you rush it. Here's how to find a caterer you can trust, in seven steps.

1. Research properly. Start online. Build a shortlist of caterers whose photos and menus genuinely appeal to you, not just the ones with the biggest ad budget. Ask friends and family who've married recently for honest recommendations.

2. Judge them on their response. Send enquiries to a few caterers and pay attention to how quickly and personally they reply. A caterer who's slow or generic before you've booked won't magically become responsive afterwards. Look for a team that answers your actual questions, not just a stock brochure.

3. Meet them. Arrange a call or a visit with your top two or three. Do they seem genuinely interested in your day, or are they running through a script? Trust matters here as much as menu.

4. Check how flexible they really are. Many caterers say "bespoke" but mean pick one from column A, one from column B. If you want a menu built around you, ask directly whether that's possible, and test it with a hypothetical dish or two.

5. Ask who actually cooks the food. Some caterers rely on pre-prepared, bought-in dishes to keep costs down, which is why you'll often see fixed menus. If quality matters to you, ask what's made in-house, from the mayonnaise to the stock. At Jeeves, everything's cooked from scratch, and we're happy to talk through exactly how.

6. Gauge their creativity. A good caterer understands what's in season and what grows well near your venue, and builds a menu around it rather than working from a fixed list regardless of the time of year.

7. Get it in writing. Ask for a written quote that spells out exactly what's included, and what isn't. Corkage, staffing, VAT: get it all down on paper before you commit.

Budget Honestly

Decide early how much of your budget catering deserves. If food isn't your top priority, a simpler package frees up money for other things. If it is, be prepared to pay for it, quality costs what it costs.

Before You Sign

Speak to a recent client before handing over a deposit. Ask about food quality, timing, communication and how the caterer handled the inevitable last-minute changes. Good food means nothing if service is chaotic on the day.

To find out more please contact us using on the website or by emailing us at info@jeevescatering.com