Wedding Catering: your questions answered

Choosing your wedding catering shouldn't feel like homework. Here are straight answers to the questions we get asked most, from booking through to last orders on the dance floor.

If your venue allows outside caterers, or you want a menu your venue's in-house kitchen can't offer, you'll need to book independently. That's where we come in, across Rutland, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire and Lincolnshire.

How Do I Book a Wedding Caterer?

Start by looking at a handful of caterers whose style fits your day, whether that's a formal sit-down meal or a relaxed sharing feast. Ask your venue for their preferred supplier list too. Recommendations from other couples, and caterers who already know the venue, both count for a lot.

Once you've found a good fit, arrange an initial chat. It's free, and it's your chance to talk through your vision and get a sense of what's possible. Then secure your date with a deposit, ideally before you book your tasting, so you don't lose the date to another couple.

Will My Venue Handle the Catering?

It depends on the venue. Some insist on in-house catering. Others give you a preferred supplier list, or let you choose freely. Marquee and outdoor venues usually have no catering of their own at all, which is where we come in: full kitchen setup, equipment and power sorted on-site. Always check with your venue early so you know your options.

What Kind of Food Can We Serve?

Whatever suits you, within reason. Traditional three-course sit-down meals are still popular, but more couples are choosing grazing tables, sharing platters and interactive food stations instead. A formal seated meal doesn't have to mean formal food either, sharing platters and hands-on dessert tables work well within a seated structure.

Can Guests Choose Their Meal on the Day?

Usually not on the day itself. Most weddings use a set menu, with alternatives only for guests who've flagged a dietary need in advance. Tell your guests the menu ahead of time, on your invites or wedding website, so anyone with a preference can choose the alternative at RSVP stage. This keeps numbers accurate and costs predictable.

If you do want on-the-day choice, keep it to two or three dishes, or consider a food station where guests build their own plate.

Will You Cater for Dietary Requirements?

Yes, for genuine allergies and intolerances. Ask guests to flag dietary needs on your invites or wedding website, then pass the full list to your caterer well ahead of the day. Last-minute preference requests are harder to accommodate than genuine allergies flagged early.

Do You Provide Serving and Bar Staff?

Yes, and if you've booked a drinks package through us, bar staff come as standard. Worth asking any caterer about staff-to-guest ratios, and whether service extends to things like cloakroom cover, seating guests and cutting the cake.

Do We Need Evening Food?

We'd recommend it. If your wedding breakfast finishes after 7pm and it's the same guests all day, a cheeseboard or light grazing table usually does the job. For earlier receptions, guests get hungry again before the night's over, so a hot buffet, pizza or bacon rolls keep the dance floor going.

If you've got evening-only guests joining, give them something on arrival rather than leaving them to fend for themselves next to a picked-over buffet. A welcome drink and a proper spread go a long way to making them feel part of the day.

Get in touch to talk through your wedding catering, wherever you're getting married across Rutland, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire or Lincolnshire.

To find out more, please get in touch via the contact form on our website or by emailing us at info@jeevescatering.com.