Weddings

Weddings are usually my least favorite catering job. From the beginning of the planning process there is a constant tension between the vision and the reality. Each wedding, which should be one of the happiest days of the couple that is getting married, seems to bring with it the best and the worst of the family dynamics. We have had our share of funny situations at weddings over the years, and this past weekend was no exception. From a caterer's perspective there are a number of things which make our job of building your vision of the day easier. For one thing, it always helps if the all the parties involved are clear with one another about what the budget is for the event. More often than not we, the caterer, get stuck between what is wanted and what can be afforded. I, for one, don't understand why people feel the need to invite every person that sat next to them in any class in high school. But, if that's what you want, then don't be surprised when the estimate for the food is a big number.

Another help would be to think about what it is you're asking us to do for you. I had a woman once call to book us to do an elegant sit down wedding event for 125 people at her lake home, outside, and to serve prime rib and lobster tails. She wanted linens, crystal, table service, the whole works. She wanted it for no more than $50.00 per person. She very graciously offered us her garage as a work space/staging area. Then she was surprised that we declined the opportunity to do the food for that event. For one thing prime rib and lobster tails are on the higher end when it comes to menu choices, but recreating a fine dining restaurant in your backyard is an expensive proposition. For another, if you think about the challenges you feel when you're cooking for a large group: getting everything done at the same time; keeping hot things hot and cold things cold; making sure that the vegetarians have an option. Well, think about those challenges, and then multiply the number of people by ten or twenty and try accomplishing this task in a garage without running water, and you can see my dilemma. Of course, just about anything can be done. However, the more time it takes, the greater the degree of difficulty, the more it's going to cost. Often folks will call wanting to have a reception with "heavy hors d'oeuvres," thinking that this will be less expensive than a meal. The truth is that if your vision is cocktail meatballs and cheese and crackers it will be less, but if your vision is artfully constructed canapes it probably won't be. The more times I have to touch something the more it's going to cost. I think what amazes me about this process is that people don't seem to understand that you're not just paying me to do the food. On more than one occasion someone has asked for a verbal ballpark of what something would cost. When that information is given there have been times when the response is that they could go to Sam's Club and buy bags of shrimp and little quiches for much less. And they're right. But then they need to factor in how much time it takes to go there and back; how are they going to store it; what are they going to do with the extra because they bought too much; can they make it look pretty on a tray, and so on. Because, you're paying me for the other things I bring to the table besides food, my experience. I have done more weddings than you and everyone in your family have ever been too, and, along the way, I've learned a few things. Like to put little wood squares underneath the table legs when they're outside so when folks lean on the tables they don't sink into the ground. You're paying me to have the knowledge and the connections to solve an unforseen problem on the day of the event in a way that your guests will never know there was a problem. Like this Saturday when six hours before the event there were no table linens (the bride thought the groom told us, the groom thought the bride told us). In one hour we had white linens on the tables because our rental center person called his laundry person, and we got the problem solved. I do owe them a plate of homemade cookies. My point is that you're paying for fifteen years of building relationships with folks who can help us solve a problem. If it were as easy as plunking shrimp down on a plate, anyone can do that!