What Should I Ask a Caterer?

Here are some basic questions to ask your Des Moines Caterer for your wedding.

• Will they be cooking on-site or reheating the food? If they plan to reheat something delicate like salmon, it won’t taste as good—especially if they microwave it.
• Are they able to create a custom menu, or do you have to choose a menu package? If you’re really into food, you’ll want to be able to work with a caterer to create a unique menu that includes the quality and kinds of ingredients you want.
• What sorts of spreads can they do? The main types are: buffet, sit-down multicourse meal, family-style dinner, brunch, or appetizers only.
• What accents and garnishes will there be? Will they add decorative fruit and flowers to a buffet? Is that cost included in the price per person or is it extra? For a plated dinner, will the plates have any garnish on them or will they be unadorned?
• What type of serving pieces will the food be presented on? If you’re having a traditional wedding, you may not want modern geometric platters. If you’re going for a colorful outdoor event, you probably won’t want restrained white china.
• What will the servers wear? Make sure their uniforms fit with the style of your event.
• Who will be on-site during the event to manage it? Can you meet this person before the day of the event?
• Does the company also make desserts or cakes? If it does, can you use an outside source if you want to?
• Regarding the rentals (plates, flatware, linens, tables, chairs, serving pieces, etc.), will a wide selection of styles and price ranges be available to choose from? And is the caterer responsible for the pickup and return of the rentals?
• Additionally, ask open-ended questions, like those you would pose at a job interview, so you can get a feel for the caterer. (For example: “Tell me about a wedding you were really proud of catering—what worked, what didn’t?”) Turk says he’d “approach it like a date.” You’re going to be spending serious time with this team, and you want people you can trust.