Spring and summer signal the return of nice weather. As April showers fade into memory, most people think about getting outside to enjoy sunshine, nature, and warm temperatures.
When planning an event, you wan to have as much fun in the sun as everyone else! Many people plan summer weddings to take advantage of the ideal climate, and a good number of those weddings take place outdoors where everyone can bask in the sunny fun. But outdoor weddings come with a whole host of new considerations—not the least of which is your catering. If you’re planning an outdoor wedding, follow these tips to find great catering.
Think about Venue
Maybe you have a dream venue in mind. Maybe you don’t. Either way, before you settle on your venue, pause to take stock of what facilities they have available for your caterer. Do they have a prep kitchen or other facilities that the caterer can use? If not, you’ll need to work closely with the caterer to ensure that everything will be ready when it arrives on-scene for the Big Day. You may even need to revise the menu!
What Do You Need?
Most people assume their caterer will look after the food—and the offerings stop there. The truth is, your caterer can and will do so much more. Think about what you’ll need for your outdoor wedding: Tables and chairs are a must if you’re having a sit-down meal, but your outdoor venue may not provide them.
Check out what the catering service offers for outdoor weddings. If your venue can’t provide something, you’ll need to make sure that the caterer can. Most qualified caterers have a list of preferred rental companies they work with that can promise quality items and great prices.
Experience with Outdoor Weddings
Outdoor wedding catering comes with it’s own challenges. Is your meal set up outside, maybe on a lawn? The ground might be uneven, which increases the risk of spills and tumbles. Hot weather could melt your beautiful wedding cake. How will you keep flies out of the punch bowl?
An experienced caterer knows all of this, and they’ve also had a chance to develop strategies to ensure your outdoor wedding is as smooth as possible. While they can’t guarantee everything will be absolutely perfect, they should know enough to ensure you avoid disaster!
Fresh Ideas
You might have a particular idea about what you want to service at your wedding. Or maybe you’re hoping to mix it up a bit and doing something new. Either way, you want to wow your guests, and your caterer should be able to help you with that.
One of the keys to getting great outdoor wedding catering is to look for a caterer that’s on top of the latest trends and has some fresh ideas of their own. They’ll be able to offer feedback on your ideas and present you with more options for making your wedding a unique and memorable event.
Great Staff
Experienced caterers hire experienced staff, which helps ensure that everything goes off without a hitch when you’re getting hitched. It also means you’ll feel comfortable and confident in your caterer’s ability to handle just about anything the day—or Mother Nature—decides to throw at you.
Your caterer should be just as willing and able to provide great outdoor wedding catering as they can for an indoor event. If the caterer—or anyone on their staff—has a bad attitude towards taking things outside, you might reconsider your choice.
Great Reviews
Before you decide on a company to provide outdoor wedding catering, check out some online reviews—or get word-of-mouth recommendations from friends and family! A truly great caterer should be able to provide you with any number of recommendations from previous (and repeat) clients.
If your caterer doesn’t have great reviews or won’t provide any, it’s probably best to steer clear! A caterer’s positive testimonials says so much about their expertise and the services they provide, follow your gut to find the best caterer for your event.
