Choosing your wedding caterer is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make for your day – and it’s one your guests will definitely remember. The right team will serve food you love, keep service running smoothly and let you relax and enjoy every moment instead of worrying about whether plates are going out on time.
Start by getting really clear on your vision and budget. Do you imagine a relaxed, rustic sharing feast in a barn, a formal three-course dinner in a country house, or a laid-back marquee with picnic-style food and fizz in the sunshine? Think about how you want your guests to feel: are you aiming for “black tie and champagne” or “garden party with bare feet and blankets on the grass”? Once you know the feel of your day and a rough spend per guest, it becomes much easier to shortlist caterers who are a good fit.
Next, focus on local experience and reliability. Look for caterers who regularly work in Cambridgeshire, Rutland, Lincolnshire and the surrounding areas, and who know your chosen or shortlisted venues. A team that understands local roads, travel times and venue access is far less likely to be caught out by practical issues. Familiarity with specific venues also means they’ll know which menus work best in which spaces, where the power points are and how service flows in that setting.
When you review sample menus, pay attention to both flavour and flexibility. You want dishes that excite you and feel like “you”, but you also want a team who can adapt to your tastes, incorporate seasonal ingredients and create appealing options for vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free guests. Ask to see examples of how they’ve customised menus in the past – for instance, incorporating family recipes, cultural dishes or favourite ingredients – to see how open they are to tailoring things around you.
Always try to arrange a tasting before you book. Use this as a chance to experience the food exactly as it might appear on the day, but also to ask practical questions and get a feel for how easy they are to work with. Ask how they handle allergies, how many staff will be there, what time they arrive and leave, and who will be your main point of contact from now until the wedding. Notice how they respond: do they listen, make suggestions and put you at ease?
It’s also worth talking through logistics in a bit of detail. Ask how they handle changes in guest numbers, what happens if the weather forces a change of plan, and whether they can coordinate with your venue and other suppliers. A good caterer won’t just talk about the food; they’ll be thinking about timings, speeches, photography and how everything flows together.
Finally, trust your instincts. You will be in regular contact with your caterer in the run-up to the wedding, so you want a team that feels responsive, calm and genuinely invested in your day. If you feel listened to, excited about the food and reassured about the logistics, you’re on the right track.
If you’re planning your wedding in Cambridgeshire, Rutland, Lincolnshire, Peterborough or the surrounding areas and would like help choosing the right catering style and menu, find out more, contact Jeeves Catering today on info@jeevescatering.com.
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