The Ultimate Wedding & Event Catering Checklist

6+ months out

• Lock the date and venue — confirm whether the venue permits external caterers
• Set a total catering budget (food + staff + delivery + drinks + dietary extras)
• Draft an approximate guest count with a ±10% band
• Shortlist 3 caterers who have catered your religion / cuisine / event type before
• Ask each caterer for a sample quote using the same brief
• Confirm venue kitchen access, power, water, refrigeration, and lift access

3–4 months out

• Choose your caterer and sign the booking contract
• Book a tasting with 2–4 attendees (ideally with the person paying)
• Send the caterer your venue's floor plan and load-in restrictions
• Agree menu draft — mains, sides, vegetarian %, dessert, canapés
• Send dietary survey to all guests (halal, vegan, gluten-free, nut allergy)
• Confirm bar and drinks — is the caterer supplying, or are you dry-hiring?
• Confirm whether crockery, cutlery, glassware, and linen are included

6–8 weeks out

• Finalise menu based on tasting feedback
• Confirm final dietary breakdown from RSVPs
• Agree service timings: canapés start, dinner call, dessert, evening food
• Confirm staff numbers on-site (chef, servers, front of house, wash-up)
• Confirm setup and clear-down windows with the venue
• Book any specialist extras: live chaat station, dessert bar, tandoor demo

2 weeks out

• Send final guest number (usually the contractual 'guaranteed minimum')
• Confirm any last-minute dietary requirements
• Share final run-sheet with venue and caterer
• Confirm parking / unloading access for the catering van
• Confirm allergen documentation and Food Standards Agency rating for venue records
• Pay balance per contract (typically 7–14 days before)

Day before + day of

• Share day-of contact numbers with all suppliers
• Confirm arrival time for caterer (usually 3–4 hours before service)
• Assign one point of contact on your side — not the couple/host
• Do a final walk-through of the catering area with venue and caterer
• Take photos of the food setup before guests arrive (for reviews later)
• Assign someone to pack away gifts / leftovers / hire equipment

After the event

• Confirm any hire equipment returns within the agreed window
• Leave a review — it means everything to independent caterers
• Ask for the allergen sheet if you didn't receive it for your records
• Share event photos with the caterer with permission — helps future clients

Per-head portioning cheat-sheet

Realistic amounts we use for South Asian buffets in the UK. Adjust upward by ~15% for outdoor summer events and ~20% for weddings running past 8pm.