So you finally decided the date and venue for your big Bengali wedding? The next step is to select the right catering service. In a food loving culture like ours, especially for weddings in Bangladesh, the decision about who should be given the huge responsibility of providing the meal for the wedding reception is not something to be taken lightly.
You can look for wedding caterers in many places such as the internet, yellow pages or local publications. But your best bet would be getting a reference from friends or family members, who have availed their services before. Before you approach a wedding caterer for a Bangla Marriage, ensure that you are armed with all the information you need to base your queries on like wedding date and location, number of guests expected, theme of the wedding and type of service needed i.e. Buffet or sit down dinner.
Here are 5 tips on how to make your selection process a little easier
1. Food
Find out if the catering service will provide special types of food like typical Bengali food for your Bengali Marriage reception. Ask where the food would be prepared, on site or do they have their own arrangements. If not, is there any additional charge? If you want a wedding cake to be provided, ask for specifications such as whether it would be made as per your specifications. You can also inquire about the leftover food. Some wedding caterers offer packaging of the leftover food while others simply dispose of the leftovers.
2. Cost for Catering
You should find out from the wedding caterer the average price range. Find out whether the cost is decided per food item or a flat rate. Also ask whether it is inclusive of linens, tax, etc… Also remember to ask if they would charge a catering fee.
3. Additional Services
Ensure you ask about the additional services such as set up and tear down of the tables, placement of table cloths/skirts, silverware. Also ask if they also provide you with a wait staff and what sort of uniforms they have. The servers too should also be available for your Bangla Marriage reception.
4. Caterers Background
Several wedding caterers go out of business in a few months. Question them about how long they have been in existence and if they can provide you with references. This is important as you will be paying a sizeable sum of money as a deposit. Ask the wedding caterers whether they have catered the location before as the knowledge of the location would definitely help the wedding caterers ensure a smooth flow of service at your Bengali Wedding reception.
5. Contract
Once you finalize the wedding caterer for your Bengali Marriage, ensure that your contract includes everything that you will pay for, specifically labor, equipment charges, and services to be provided by the caterer on the day of the wedding. Make sure timings are specified and that there is a guarantee from the wedding caterer for the services to be provided as there have been instances where wedding caterers have backed out in order to cater to a larger function.
If you keep these things in mind, you would be able to find the perfect catering service to celebrate this once-in-a-lifetime occasion. Ensure that you compare at least a three catering services before you make the final decision to mark the happiest day of your life.
