Many reception sites have catering restrictions, which are typically detailed in the provided contract, and many may insist you use only their in-house catering service for your reception dining. Other venues require you to hire your own catering service and wait staff, as their accommodations and staff may be limited. For the best reception meal, try these catering tips!

In-house catering tips
If your venue requires in-house catering, fret not. Most credible venues have professional arrangements with quality vendors, so you're in good hands. You may not be able to hire the Top Chef you wanted, but rest assured, you'll still eat very well at your wedding. In-house caterers can provide you with a wide variety of meal options, but you can always work with the head chefs to design your own menu items.

 

If you hire your own catering service

If your venue permits you to hire an independent company to cater your reception, then you have plenty of options. To narrow down your choices, it may help to consider a few factors. First, you should consider the number of guests who will be attending your wedding. You need to know how many mouths you have to feed in order to properly establish your catering budget. Next, discuss menu options with your partner. It may be easier to decide on a chef or a catering company if you can agree on the type of food you would like to eat at your wedding. If you are interested in adding a cultural theme to your cuisine, you may want to consider hiring the cooks and wait staff of an ethnic restaurant to provide authentic meals and reliable service at your reception. If you and your partner frequent a particular restaurant or follow  certain chef's innovations, you may want to contact the restaurant's manager to negotiate private event details.