Food and drinks play a significant role in ensuring that your guests leave your wedding with a memorable experience. They will also account for one of the most considerable portions of your budget. According to a wedding planner, the rule of thumb is the venue, food, bar, and staffing costs are about 50 percent of your overall budget when planning a wedding in Canada.
Whether you prefer a sit-down dinner, cocktail hour with passed appetizers, or a hot buffet, finding the perfect caterer is the first step. It’s essential to prioritize the process of selecting a wedding caterer, as your choice of caterer can set the tone for your event.
Hiring a wedding caterer might seem challenging, especially in a city like Toronto, where you can access many catering services. Fortunately, we can simplify the process by breaking down all the essential aspects you must consider when hiring a wedding caterer in Toronto, like McEwan Catering, for a successful event.
The food that is served at your wedding has an important role in determining the overall wedding experience. Most of the guests, if not all, will look forward to the food that is provided on your wedding day. So, you do not want them to be unhappy with the meal offered while everything else was done to perfection.
Most wedding vendors offer a wedding tasting session before you book your order. With this option, you can actually see, taste, and experience the food that will be served on your wedding day. We suggest that you take your caterer up on this offer of wedding food tasting and make sure everything is just right, so there are no regrets later.
As with anything wedding-related – from the bridal shower gifts to choosing the perfect ring, there is a catering tasting etiquette that you should adhere to. We will be looking at the do’s and don’ts of wedding food tasting etiquette. But before we move to this list, let us first try to understand what you can expect at your tasting session.
Planning a reception can seem overwhelming at times. There are so many decisions to make. One of the decisions involves deciding if you will serve wine. If you do plan on serving wine, how much do you need? What kind of wine is best for wedding receptions? Here are some tips regarding wine for wedding receptions.
When deciding whether or not to have wine, you may consider your own preferences, the rules for the venue, and what your guests may want. If a reception is held on church property, serving wine may be prohibited. Certain venues don’t allow alcoholic beverages. Some religious families may be offended by serving wine.
If you decide to serve wine, knowing how much wine is needed can impact the couple’s decision on the wine budget and the types of wine to be served. If less wine is needed, couples may be able to serve more expensive wines without breaking the wedding budget. A cheaper wine may be needed if more bottles of wine are necessary. Once you know how many bottles of wine you need, you can figure out what types of wine fit within your budget.
How much wine is needed for wedding receptions? A convenient formula is to take the number of guests and divide that number by 2.15. The answer is the number of bottles of wine that will be needed. In addition to weddings, this general formula works for all kinds of events. A standard wine bottle is 750 ml or 25 ounces. This means that each bottle holds five servings of wine that are five ounces each.
The types of wine that people typically drink is influenced by the season and whether the wedding is indoors or outdoors. Autumn through spring, people tend to drink about 50% red wine with sparkling and white making up the other half. For summer outdoor weddings, people tend to drink much more white wine if the weather is warm. White, red, and sparkling wines are more equally divided for outdoor wedding receptions.
Other things will affect the type of wine that people will want to drink such as the menu choices. If you serve only beef, more people will gravitate towards red wine. If chicken, fish, and seafood are being served, more people may choose white or blush wine. A champagne toast may add drastically to the amount of sparkling wine needed.
The length of the reception will impact the amount of wine consumed. The standard formula is often what caterers use for a wedding reception that is approximately two hours long. If the reception will last significantly longer, you may need to add more wedding reception wine. If you know that many people on your guest list do not drink wine, you can tailor your total accordingly. However, it’s always better to have a bit too much wine rather than coming up short.
More helpful tips to plan a great wedding reception can be found on the Best for Bride blog.
It is important to budget everything at your wedding. Only then will you stick to what you can afford. A common mistake is to not account for the overhead costs when booking a service or vendor. These aren’t usually stated upfront, and unless you ask, you may have a nasty surprise when you receive the final bill.
These are the usual areas where couples wrongly budget and it leads to costs they didn’t expect.
Shipping Costs for Invitations
Vendors usually do not mention charges inclusive of shipping when you place your order for your wedding invitations. Remember that the bulkier your card is, the more postage stamps or courier charges it will cost. Where hundred or more invitations are concerned, this can quickly add up, especially if many are to be sent overseas. When you receive an estimate for invitations, make sure you account for the postage charges as well. You may rethink your preferences when you figure it in.
Wedding dress fittings and alterations
via Best for Bride
It is unlikely to find a dress that fits perfectly when choosing off-the-rack. Every bride requires minimum alterations. Alteration services depend on the extent and nature of the work involved. You may have to pay more if you want custom changes, such as changing the neckline or adding sleeves.
First, fix an amount and set aside roughly 20% of it for alterations. Inform your bridal consultant of your wedding dress budget and mention that it is inclusive of all the overheads, so she can direct you to suitable ones. Make sure that you choose a dress that doesn’t need too much work by choosing the right size and finding one that has most of the features you desire.
Taxes and extras on services
There are taxes on everything from venue booking to caterers, florists and other services. The actual rate may depend on the amount you spend. Find out the cost inclusive of taxes, so you know whether what you chose is an option you can afford.
Extra charges at the reception include costs for cutting and serving the cake and serving wine. Unless you take an all-inclusive package where the cake and drinks come with the venue, it is likely you will have to pay the staff who perform the service. Make sure you discuss the rates before committing to the deal.
Cleaning up
If you have chosen a full-service, cleaning up after the function is usually included. However, if you are only renting the place and arranging the caterers and decorations yourself, you have to arrange for clean-up following the function, or else pay for it. Even if you book a full-service venue, make sure you know about any extra charges you may have to pay for late-night cleanup, should your party extend beyond midnight.
Extra equipment and overtime charges
Unless you stick to your original wedding schedule, you have to compensate for any extra time your service providers spend at your wedding. This applies to the band, DJ, caterers, wedding photographers, wedding officiants and wedding makeup artists. Book with a realistic time schedule, and you shouldn’t have to pay too much extra. Any additional equipment such as speakers or microphones, that will be required at your venue, will come at an extra cost. So, check this outright in the beginning.
For more wedding tips and advice, visit us at Best for Bride.
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