How To Avoid Hidden Costs in Wedding Catering

When planning a wedding, it's all about budget. Thus, the last thing you want when booking a catering team is to be hit by a bunch of hidden costs.It seems sneaky (because it is!), but there are a lot of ways that catering teams can add hidden fees to your wedding day menu, which, understandably, comes as a shock to many couples.

Of course, there are ways to avoid this happening in the first place, and here, you’ll be walked through some of the most common hidden wedding catering fees and how to prevent them from being an unwelcome add-on come payment time!

Service and Staffing Fees

A wedding catering company worth its salt will make it crystal clear if they charge additional fees for their staff at your wedding, such as servers, kitchen staff, and bar staff. However, some companies don’t andjust assume that this is required by the couple. Be sure to ask about these fees (if required), and, if you’re having a wedding buffet, it may be worth paying a bit more to the venue for their staff on the day, as this can often be more affordable.

Equipment Rental

This is something that often slips the mind of couples when it comes to booking a catering team. When hiring a team to cook the food, did you inadvertently also book the equipment? The renting of things such as cutlery, glasses, and plates can add hundreds to your bill. You can, of course, bring along your own cutlery and make it clear that you don’t need to rent additional items, or you can compare external equipment rental costs for larger weddings.

Set Up Fee

You’ve booked a catering team to cook the food for your wedding; are they going to be setting it up too? Withwedding buffets, there’s not necessarily a right or wrong way to set up the food, but some catering teams will make the assumption that you want them to place the nibbles in a set order. This will then be included as a set-up fee, and it can be very costly. So, ensure that the catering team knows to drop the food off at the venue and then get some of your family or friends to help you put it out.

Overtime Charges

If your wedding reception overruns, some catering teams may charge an hourly rate for the staff who have to stay on. This usually includes the kitchen staff, the waiting staff, or the bar staff. To prevent this, make sure that you and all of your guests are crystal clear about event duration times and create a timeline for your reception that allows space for toasts, photos, and even some delays.

Corkage and Cake Cutting Fees

OK, this is a bit of a shocking one. When booking your wedding catering, there may be the additional feature of some champagne or a wedding cake, which, if you’re being frugal and don’t want the extra hassle of booking a different baker, you may want to book it with them, as it seems cheaper. However, some catering teams may add on a corkage fee (per bottle of champagne or wine opened) and even a cake-cutting fee, based on how many slices of cake you serve. To avoid this, you can provide your own alcohol and cake or negotiate a flat rate fee.