Long after the confetti is cleared, the dress packed away and your honeymoon tan has faded, one of the longest lasting memories that you and your guests will take away from your Big Day is the food.

It’s the one thing that everybody just loves to compare at your average Asian wedding. You can have the most amazing venue, décor and outfits but if the catering isn’t up to much then all your hard work will go down the drain – along with all that left over food.

Choosing the right caterer can be a potential minefield of tastes, menus and cost, however the best place to start is at somebody else’s wedding. Every Asian social calendar is filled with numerous cultural engagements; so if you go to one and love the food, find out who provided it. Alternatively, remember an event you’ve been to where you were going back for seconds and ask the people behind it who catered for them.

If you’re starting from scratch or following a tasty lead, then there are few essential steps that you will need to follow:

STEP 1
Once you’ve decided on the venue you need to find out if they have in house caterers or if they allow outside caterers to come in. If you have the option to go for your own caterer its important that you go for someone who deals specifically with weddings as they should be able to meet all your requirements. Magazines, Wedding Directories and forums are good places to gather research and whittle down the companies that are suitable for you.

STEP 2
Once you have a shortlist of potential people you want to consider, check out their websites to get a feel of the company. In the unlikely event they don’t have a website, request a company brochure or further information about the services that they offer.

STEP 3
By now you should have anything from two to four catering companies to consider. The next step is to set up face-to-face interviews with them, where you can discuss their services fully. Go in prepared having at least an idea of what you might like on the menu.  The best way to make the most of your session is to ask about these main areas:

THE FOOD

• Do they specialize in certain types of food? Can they offer specific types such as halal, vegetarian etc?
• What options do they have for starters, the main course and the dessert?
• How many options can you sample?
• How long and how much of their food is pre-made and if so, do they use fresh or frozen foods?
• When do you need to finalise the menu?

THE VENUE

• Do they know the venue? Have they catered there before? Can they accommodate either buffet or sit down theatre style seating?
• Does the venue need to have all the necessary kitchen appliances? If they don’t, can the catering company bring their own equipment, for example a fridge etc?
• Can the company provide any necessary rentals such as tables, place settings, linens etc? Is any of it inclusive?
• How long do they need to set up and break down at the venue? Will they take care of it or are you expected to help?

THE SERVICE

• Will serving staff be included in the package?
• If you have a bar, will they be able to provide a bartender?
• What will the staff be wearing?
• Are they catering for any other weddings on the same day? If so, do they have the staff to cope and will it affect your booking?

THE COST

• What are their prices? Do they include gratuity charges, corkage etc?
• Do they have any discounts, promotions or packages available?
• Are there a minimum number of guests that you need to have? When do you need to give them a final number? (Remember to include other service providers such as you cameraman, DJ etc in your list.)
• What is their cancellation policy? Do you have to provide a deposit, if so how much?
• When is the whole balance due?

Get all these ingredients right and you and your guests will be enjoying the sweet taste of successful catering.