There are many things to consider when choosing a catering venue. Here are a few that, in my professional opinion, are the most important for your big day.
1. Quality of food:
Always, always, ALWAYS, request a food tasting. Some venues will gladly offer a complimentary tasting while others wont even mention it. In my opinion a food tasting is as important as the brides wedding dress. You do not want to go into your reception without prior knowledge of the quality of food being provided. The last thing you want is to get to your reception and realize that the soup is served cold and the chicken has an awful béchamel sauce on it.
2. Overbooked?
Find out how many events are being held at the reception venue on your date. Some venues only hold one event at a time while others will pack in as many events as their venue can handle for the day, this is good for business but bad for you. With the amount of NJ weddings being booked this year, finding out how many events are being held will give you a better understanding to the attention to detail that will be placed on your wedding and your wedding only. The more events that are being held the thinner the staff will be spread and the easier it might be to overlook a minor detail for your event.
3. Bridal assistant:
Will your catering venue provide a bridal assistant? Your wedding day is a hectic and can be overwhelming. As a bride your only job that day should be to look beautiful not to worry about where your shoes are, getting yourself a drink or bite to eat, or retouching your makeup. Reputable catering venues staff professional bridal assistants that will be at your side helping in whatever you may need on your special day.
4. Glamour shots:
Some catering venues have beautiful gardens or grounds that are perfect for picture taking. Your photographer will take some time to pose you for glamour shots with these gardens/grounds as a backdrop. Consider this when booking a catering venue as this detail will come into play on your wedding day. https://www.tronweekly.com/ If these grounds are available it will save you time and planning. If not you will have to find an alternate location for your glamour shots.
5. In house services:
Does your catering venue offer in house services? (DJ, photography, videography, florist) In some cases these in house services are beneficial as they can save you money by bundling services together. In some rare cases, however, the catering venue will require you to use their recommended services in addition to the catering services. This can create conflicts in your planning if you really like the catering venue but are not satisfied with the recommended services that are being offered.
Hope you found these tips helpful. Always keep a checklist of whats most important to you when choosing a catering venue, or any services for that matter, for your wedding day.
-Michael Marquez
Mystical Entertainment, LLC