What to Ask Your Caterer, Baker, and Bartender Before the Wedding Tasting

The food that you serve at your wedding is one of the core details that couples and their guests will remember for a long time.

In order to create a menu that is both flawless and in line with the theme of the wedding. This will help elevate the wedding ceremony experience and your taste buds.

Importance of Communicating with Vendors

During the planning process, the bride and groom have an ideal vision that they would like to bring to life during their big day. This includes location, decor, attire, and most importantly, the food. To ensure that the wedding couple gets everything they want, there needs to be taste tests with caterers, bakers, and bartenders to execute their vision.

Feedback allows the providers to refine their dishes and make adjustments so that they meet the couple’s expectations. Communicating builds a rapport with the providers and ensures a smooth coordination for exceptional service on the wedding day.

Coordination beforehand allows the couple to be able to discern the logistics of preparing the food, how it will be served, distance from the kitchen to the dining area.

TIP: If you are unsure that you want to use a third-party caterer or bartender, check if the wedding venue allows it or if there is a fee applied. Options like the QD Venue on Breezit offer both in-house and outside caterers for the host’s convenience.

General Questions That Apply to All Food Providers

 

Questions to ask that are applicable to all food-related vendors

• Does the catering company offer customizations that reflect cultural backgrounds?
• Does the wedding caterer offer options for guests with allergies and dietary restrictions?
• What are some of the popular menu, drink, and cake options for weddings in the related theme?
• How do seasonal ingredients affect the menu options?
• The availability of the provider for the wedding date.
• How many samples can be tasted during the taste-testing session?
• What are the fees related to the testing, and if booked, can they be applied to the final bill?
• Will the bartender, chef, or baker be the one preparing the items on the wedding day?
• When do the final guest list numbers need to be approved?
• What is included in the service, such as cutlery, linen, glassware, crockery, etc.
• The policy of the vendors in terms of last-minute changes to the menu or guest count fluctuations.

TIP: Be sure to consider all the wedding-related food, not just for the ceremony, such as the rehearsal dinner, welcome party, and farewell party that occur during the wedding weekend.

Questions for Caterers

These are questions to specifically ask the catering company when making appointments

• Portion size: How are the full-meal portion sizes in comparison to the full-meal sizes?
• Plating: Are there photos of the plating and how the dishes will be served?
• Type of Dining: Do they offer seated dining, food stations, and buffet options?
• Drinks: Is Champagne and sparkling wine offered in the wedding package? What are the brands and wine types available?

TIP: Ask the wedding caterer what the ideal sparkling wines and Champagnes are to pair with the menu choices.

Questions for Bakers

Cakes are an integral part of the wedding reception and the focal point of your wedding day. The baker may also provide desserts for the ceremony.

• How many cakes does the baker deliver on a single day?
• Ask to see a portfolio of previous cakes.
• What are the different flavors, fillings, and frostings available for tasting?
• Is the baker able to mix and match the different flavors and frosting for different tiers?
• Is the baker able to replicate a design or create a custom wedding cake for the couple?
• When will the cake be baked and delivered for the wedding day?
• Will the baker set up the cake and provide a cake stand for the event?
• Will the baker be able to coordinate with the florist or wedding planner to match the cake?
• Which is the best champagne or sparkling wine to pair with the cake for an ideal toast after the cake cutting?
• What are the desserts that complement bubbly the most?

TIP: When going for cake testing, avoid drinking wine, Champagne, or coffee between samples, as this can affect the perception of flavors. Rather, use water to cleanse the palate.

Questions for Bartenders

The wedding bartender can be a part of the venue, or they can be hired specifically for the event.

• Is the bartender licensed and insured to cater to the event?
• Ask if the bartender can provide their experience history and references to look into?
• Ask if they can provide sample signature drinks or custom cocktails for weddings?
• Do they have accommodation for non-alcoholic beverages or low-alcohol options for guests?
• Do they provide local or craft spirits, beers, and wines?
• How do they provide and serve bubbly for a toast?
• How do they handle the chilling and serving of sparkling wines and bubbly for the wedding?
• Can they help estimate how many bottles are needed to serve the guests?
• Do they have a per-bottle or per-glass charge for champagne services?
• What is encapsulated in the bar packages?
• How many bartenders will be present, and how do they manage service flow?
• What happens to the leftover alcohol after the event?

Tips for Food Taste Testing:

• Carry along a notebook or a recorder to take notes and photos of the testing.
• Don’t be afraid to ask the vendor for adjustments and substitutions to be made to the menu.
• Make sure to clarify costs, hidden fees, and contract details with the vendors.
• Bring along inspiration, photos, and Pinterest boards to communicate the vision of the wedding plans to the vendors.
• Trust the vendor’s expertise, but also make sure that the wedding couple’s needs are heard and accommodated.

Conclusion

When planning for the wedding, couples need to ask their vendors a number of questions to ensure that the vision for the big day comes to life. This relates to food-related vendors as well. Your caterers, bartenders, and bakers will host taste testing ahead of time, to help the wedding couple pick out the options that best suit their needs and tastes.

Thoughtful planning will ensure a personalized, seamless, and memorable day for couple and guests.