For any couple hopelessly in love, tying the knot to solidify their unison with that perfectly romantic wedding only seems natural. But whilst you can’t put a price on love what about the wedding? As uncomfortable as it may be, the soaring prices of weddings and in particular wedding catering prices can leave many with a bad taste in the mouth.

In fact, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission estimates the average cost of a wedding in Australia is $36,200 with a greater chunk of this being spent on wedding catering including food and alcohol. And this is only on paper! Just as every couple is different, so is every wedding and associated wedding catering costs that more often than not, are actually much higher!

So how can you ensure your wedding catering costs are not leaving you facing a dead end of debt?

Happy tummy, happy wedding, happy ever after!

Witnessing a shift from cookie-cutter weddings, the emergence of social media and hip food and beverage trends have fuelled greater temptations for more and more couples to create their own wedding catering styles reflecting their personalities. Whilst this is good, unfortunately, it often means more expensive catering choices for food and alcohol than the good old classics.

So, it pays to think of what you really need vs. what would be nice to want!

Time is of the essence

As basic as it sounds, your wedding catering prices vary dramatically depending on the time of the ceremony and after party, as this will determine to a large extent, the type of catering needs. For instance, a breakfast wedding buffet where people normally don’t have appetisers would cost significantly less than a formal black tie wedding reception.

Likewise, an outdoor BBQ lunch wedding catering, street food stalls or afternoon-tea parties with Beer and Wine can be just as impactful as an evening cocktail wedding and will be much more cost-effective than expensive bubbles and accompanying Hors d’oeuvres.

Overall, a day wedding can be lighter for the wallet than an evening cocktail when it comes to wedding catering especially from an alcohol perspective as people may tend to drink less during the day.

Likewise, a peak season wedding would mean peak season wedding catering prices so consider your choices and try to opt for a time that of course works for you and your budget e.g.: weekdays, or just before the start of or end of summer or public holidays or even school holidays.

Consider part catering

Where budgets play a big role in ascertaining wedding catering prices, consider the option of part catering. Talk to your preferred caterer to see if the total costs can be modified if you choose to supply your own homemade desserts with the catered mains, or supply your own alcohol taking advantage of the excellent supermarket offers and opt for a food only catering package or even supply your own wait staff and servers where possible to eliminate this aspect of the cost.

Opt out the options- Choose Wisely

To keep your purse strings as tight as possible and not have this impact your food and beverage choices; limit your options. Consider only 1 or two appetisers rather than a selection. Same goes for the main. Try eliminating Soups where possible for example on a hot summer’s day, opt for just salads whereas in winters, go for soups and bread rather than salads. Likewise, use the wedding cake with ice cream as a dessert as opposed to having a premium selection of sweet nothings.

Where possible, limit your beverage choices too; Beer, Wine and Bubbles along with a few non-alcoholic options would save you a good few hundred dollars as opposed to cocktail concoctions.

From Paddock to plate

Ask your caterer to source fresh and seasonal produce as opposed to indulging in exotic, off season ingredients and items. Fresh and seasonal produce grown locally is not only going to be cost effective and healthier, they may require less transportation from the source as well as less storage and refrigeration, thus being more economical and as well as sustainable.

At the end of the day, your wedding should be a sweet memory for all and for all the right reasons, so be as creative, imaginative, playful and wise as possible with your catering choices and presentation. Whilst catering is a vital part of any wedding, it’s the atmosphere and vibe that you create and present that will make the food taste even better!

Are you planning your BIG DAY? Do you want to know more about wedding catering costs/prices? Get in touch with the Caterers on the Directory…..

Caviar Catering & Events

Caviar Catering & Events are a dedicated team of professionals specialising in weddings and other celebrations. They believe that personalisation is key and will happily work with you to create a truly memorable menu that perfectly suits your budget, tastes and theme.
With strong connections to local, quality suppliers, they source only the freshest and highest quality produce. They can provide a full food and beverage service with their wonderful wait staff and take care of all the finer details so you can relax and enjoy your special event. They do your day, your way.

Lamont’s

Lamont’s has decades of experience across the state creating individual and personalized events. a premium catering experience in iconic locations.

The Perth Catering Co.

The Perth Catering Co. provides innovative gourmet catering for all events including weddings. They are culinary experts that live and breathe food. They don’t compromise on any aspect of their service. They always use the freshest local seasonal ingredients and bring you a diverse and delicious range of menus and cuisine. At The Perth Catering Co., their clients are their priority. They go above and beyond to make your next event one to remember. Their passion is to bring your vision to life, creating mouth-watering food that delights the senses.