15 July 2026
15 questions to ask your wedding caterer before signing
Two menus at the same price won't necessarily include the same service. These questions help you compare the food, staff, drinks and charges that sometimes come to light too late.
One quote is €110 per person. Another is €125. The first looks more attractive until you add staff, crockery, coffee and travel costs. To compare two caterers, you need to look at the complete service, rather than just the menu price.
You don't need to know the catering business inside out to ask the right questions. I simply suggest getting answers you can compare before signing.
1. What exactly does the price per person include?
Ask for a written list: drinks reception food, the meal, bread, water, coffee, service, crockery, table linen and clearing up. Note which items are still optional extras.
2. How many canapés are planned for the drinks reception?
The number of pieces doesn't always tell the whole story. Ask how long service will last, how the food will be brought out and whether there will be food stations or more substantial options. A two-hour drinks reception needs a different approach from a forty-five-minute interval.
3. Are the staff included?
Check the number of waiting staff, their working hours, who supervises them and the overtime rate. Ask what happens if dinner runs late.
4. Are furniture and crockery included?
Plates, glasses, cutlery, tablecloths, napkins, poseur tables and buffet furniture may come from the caterer, the venue or a hire company. You need to know who orders, delivers, sets up and collects them.
5. How does the tasting work?
Is there a charge, is it deducted after you sign, or is it included? How many people can attend? Are the dishes you taste exactly the ones in the quote?
6. What is the deadline for changing guest numbers?
Ask when final numbers are due, the minimum you will be charged for and the rules for late cancellations. This deadline should be clear in the contract.
7. How do you handle allergies and dietary requirements?
Vegetarian meals, pregnancy-related requirements, severe allergies, gluten-free food and children's menus each need a different approach. Check how the information reaches the kitchen and how plates are identified during service.
8. What meals are provided for children and suppliers?
Ask about the price, what's included and when they're served. A photographer or DJ who is served very late may miss an important moment in the evening.
9. Who provides the drinks?
If you supply the wine or champagne, is there a corkage charge? Who receives, stores, chills, opens and serves the bottles? What happens to anything left over?
10. Are soft drinks, water, ice and coffee included?
These small items are easy to overlook. Check quantities, bar opening hours and what replenishment is planned during the evening.
11. What do you need at the venue?
A catering preparation area, water supply, sockets, electrical capacity, cold storage, lorry access and a waste area: share the venue's limitations and get confirmation that the facilities are suitable.
12. What are the travel and delivery charges?
Ask whether these also cover collecting equipment the following day. For a remote estate, check any additional staffing, parking or accommodation costs.
13. Who clears away and cleans?
The caterer's responsibility may end at the tables, leaving the kitchen, floors or waste to the venue or the couple. Make sure the responsibilities in the two contracts fit together.
14. What happens if we cancel or postpone?
Read the payment schedule, the amounts retained, the options for postponement and what happens if the caterer can't provide the service. Don't rely on a spoken answer alone.
15. Who will be there on the wedding day?
The person you meet at the tasting won't necessarily be on site. Ask for the name or role of the person in charge, their arrival time and who will receive the final information.
The most useful comparison
Put the quotes side by side and create one row for each of these questions. You'll see what's included, what's still unclear and what needs a price. The best caterer isn't automatically the cheapest or the most spectacular: it's the one whose proposal suits the way you want to host your guests and whose delivery is clear enough for you to understand.
If you're still finding it difficult to choose between two proposals, I can help you review them during a coaching session. You keep the choice of food and atmosphere; we simply put the services on a comparable footing.
You keep the choices. I’ll handle the rest.
You might need help with all your plans, coordination before the day or simply a professional view on one decision. Let's start with what you've already arranged.
Let’s talk about your wedding
