Choosing a Caterer

One of the biggest expenses a couple will have on their wedding day is catering.  While there are so many caterers out there, how do you know which one to select?  The cool thing about caterers, especially if they are a selected few "preferred" caterers at your venue (where you have to select from only their list), is that they want your business.  That being the case, you'd never want to select a caterer based on a menu alone, or a price point alone.  Make sure you TASTE THE CATERER. 

I will share a personal story from this weekend. 

My hubby-to-be and I have been on the hunt for a caterer since selecting our venue.  We were given a list of three cater choices we could use - one on site and two others.  Since the one on site was the easiest to check out, we decided to line up a tasting with them.  This caterer was Cafe Merlot.  (More to come about them in a minute) and that's been lined up for quite some time.  We went to a local Bridal Bazaar and came across a caterer who said they just got approved as an approved vendor at Bernardo Winery, so we figured why not try them out too?  Although they were a bit more expensive in pricing, we figured it certainly couldn't hurt to have options.  Now let me tell you something about both of these caterers.  Both claimed to meet our budget expectations.  Both said they could make a customized menu for our wedding.  Both were friendly and offered up convenient times for our tastings.  I honestly thought we'd have a difficult time selecting a caterer at this point - especially if more expensive caterer was beyond better than the first. 

For any San Diego brides, I'd like to offer a quick review of both of the caterers we've selected to taste and why this becomes ever so important.

Encore Catering was the first caterer that we tried (the one that we ran into at the bridal show), and we had high expectations based on their price point.  We were asked to select 5 different appetizers to try (and she surprised us with 2 more based on some personal requests about what we wanted for our wedding).  We get there, and we walk into a warehouse that's decorated like various weddings (to give you an idea of how they can decorate).  Then you sit down and the girl started to give us item by item.  She explained, by title what the dish was that we were trying - and asked us questions as we were tasting it.  In my opinion, when forming any ideas of opinions of food or the services you're looking to bring on to your wedding - it is one of those things that you need privacy to discuss out of range of your vendor.  In this case, the girl sat in front of us, asking questions about our wedding, how we met, what we thought of the food etc.  Now, the food wasn't all that horrible - however, if you are paying a premium price you'd expect a lot more - not just something anyone can really whip up on a Saturday afternoon.  While the price point was similar to our next tasting and caterer, Encore Catering - albeit a "full-service" vendor (flowers, dj, coordination etc), they are providing the food and everything else is something that is additional costs.

Now, on to Cafe Merlot.  We came into this catering, expecting something similar to Encore ( I mean, how experienced were we?).  Our caterer (Toni) automatically sits us down and offers us a mimosa.  We're off to a good start at this point.  She proceeded to give us a tasting of about 10 different appetizers (literally full plated dishes) and would bring boxes as we go.  About half way through, she could tell we were getting full but let us know we needed to make room because there were about 6 other dishes coming our way.  The food was amazing.  The home-grown ingredients, succulent flavors and amazing presentation was too much to bear.  We were already leaning towards Cafe Merlot, but after tasting how she brought our menu to life and offered additional suggestions, we were sold.  In addition to the fantastic food - she left us alone at the table to discuss amongst ourselves (but secretly took note of our reactions and shared thoughts).  We walked out of there with 2 full bags of food that will literally last us several days (thankfully because we didn't make it to the grocery store this weekend).  Anyway, beyond all of that having a really realistic price point, Cafe Merlot also provides all of the linens, silverware and glasses (yes, even champagne flutes) at no additional cost - unlike Encore Catering.

I guess the moral of the story is to be sure to check into your options - because you never know what is out there.

Now, here are some questions to ask your caterer when researching for the meal you will serve on your special day!  Good luck!

1.  What is your philosphy on food preparationa and approach/style?
2.  How large is your staff?
3.  How will the waitstaff be attired?
4.  What is your experience like with weddings/events?
5.  When do you need the final count for guests?
6.  What is the cost difference for buffet vs. sit down?
7.  Do you provide alcohol or am I able to bring my own?
8.  How much per head for regular meals, child meals and/or staff meals?
9.  When is the tasting and what does it entail? (Additional Costs?)
10.  How many servers are available during buffet, passing hors d'oeuvres?
11.  What is the cost per person for wait staff?
12.  Are there any standard chefs fees? Tax and tip included?
13.  How are leftovers handled?
14.  Rentals? (if not already provided) and costs!
15.  What is the deposit and when is it due?
16.  What is the cancellation policy?
17.  How much is set up/tear down and are there fees included for this?

Well, that's it folks! That should be enough information to get you started.  Honestly though, from what I've seen with just the two caterers that I've met with so far in planning my wedding - you can tell the difference right from the get-go because a lot of them (seasoned and experienced) will provide this information up front.  But, these questions are helpful when you have one of the girls that I dealt with at one of the caterers.  Get all of the information up front, taste the food and make an objective decision before signing the dotted line!

Again, best of luck!  If you have any feedback - let me now!  Feel free to comment!

Top 10 ways to save money on a wedding

A wedding is supposed to express you and your fiance's individual style.  But does it have to come at such a pretty penny?  The average wedding could cost anywhere between $20,000 - $30,000.   Here are some ways to help you have the wedding of your dreams when you're looking for ways to save money every step of the way.

1. Prioritize:  The first thing you should do, is sit down with your fiance and decide together what's most important for you on this very special day.  There are so many directions you will be pulled when deciding on your wedding and before any outside influences come in between you and your planning bliss, make sure you and your future hubby-to-be are putting what you want first.  This way, for instance, if flowers aren't as important to you - you will resist the urge to splurge on roses at the suggestion of your florist etc.  My suggestion is to make a list of the top 3-7 things that are important to you on your special day and build your budget from there.

2. Guest List: Weddings can cost up to $300 per person to throw.  Yes - I know that sounds outrageous, but if you have a $30,000 wedding for 100 people (which is easy to let happen sometimes when you splurge on everything you want), that is what you might be looking at.  That being said, the easiest way to save money on a wedding is limit your guest list.  I know it's more difficult than it sounds at times, but if your parents or in-laws are trying to invite the entire neighborhood that you grew up on, put your foot down and just say no. 

3. Food and Catering Costs:  Food can be of the most expensive things at a wedding. Some ideas instead of having a full wait staff serve a 5 course meal could be a buffet, or a luncheon instead of dinner.  Some couples will even stick to appetizers instead of a full meal to save on costs and guess what....that's right, your guests will still enjoy themselves.  The important thing to remember, is that they are there for YOU, not the food!

4. Location: There are several beautiful high-cost venues you can select from in any city where you decide to marry.  However, on the flip side - there are also several low/no-cost venues you can select from too.  Find a church that will donate it's space, or use an outside venue in a public park.  Utilize your surroundings and bring in the natural beauty for a one of a kind wedding, with little to no cost.

5. Wedding Attire:  There are several options for selecting wedding attire and dress at low costs.  Many general bridal shops will have designer knock offs at low prices (i.e.David's Bridal) and many styles you can choose from.  There are also outlets and used dresses you can choose from.  When trying on dresses, try on styles that will require little to no alterations as that can get costly too.

6. Flowers and Decorations:  This can be costly if done the wrong way, and affordable if done the right way.  To save on flower and decore costs, choose a venue that is already beautifully decorated and use it to your advantage.  Otherwise, you can find several DIY projects for decorations as well as buy wholesale flowers and create your beautiful displays at a fraction of the cost!

7.  Save the Dates and Invitations: Invitations can be VERY pricey at times.  Save by either making this a fun DIY project with your bridesmaids, ask for RSVP's to a wedding email that you can set up or select simplistic versions and make inclusions yourself.

8.  Photos:  Photography is generally about 8% of a total wedding budget, which can add up.  There are a lot of professional photographers out there and the prices range from inexpensive to very pricey.  The thing you do not want to sacrifice is value and quality - but at the same time, how much are you willing to spend?  Think....will you own the proofs, will you be buying multiple copies to save, do you get digital copies, do you have to pay additional costs for editing the copies?  These are all questions you have to ask yourself when selecting your photographer because good pictures do not have to cost you an arm and a leg.  Here's an idea:  if you live near a local arts college, community college or university, find photography students and get several to come shoot your wedding.  With several "eyes' you're bound to get a lot of good pictures at a discount (as students will often do for cheap because they are trying to build their portfolios). 

9.  Music:  Wedding DJ's and/or bands can get very expensive.  Shop around - I'm sure you'll find a good deal.  Sign up for contests, and go to bridal shows.  A lot of times, when you meet a DJ at a  wedding show they will have discounts included.  Ask around from your friends too - sometimes you will get a discount for being a referral of someone who has used the DJ's service prior to your event and for referring you.

10.  Open Bar:  While it's always fun to make sure your guests enjoy themselves, you can limit this expense by allowing only a select number of hours, or a selective (instead of full bar) be the choice for guests.  If you'd like, you can even select the liquors, beer, or wine that you'll be serving as part of open bar - and provide additional choices at an additional costs that your guests incur.  Chances are, your guests won't bawk at this, and to be even more honest - guests won't miss having premium liquor as well especially if there is other options provided at no cost to them.  If allowed to build your own bar and bring your own alcohol, (don't quote me on this) but I think that your local BevMo has a pretty good return policy (though you should plan accordingly to avoid major returns). 

I hope this helps!  I know that it certainly helped me to cut back when planning my own wedding.  I mean, these days...who isn't on a budget? 

Happy savings!

Couple Sells Ads to Pay for Wedding

Talk about a marriage of love and money. Tom Anderson and his bride Sabrina Root paid for their $34,000 wedding this weekend by selling advertising space at the ceremony and reception.

Everything from the wedding rings to a week at a penthouse in Cancun, Mexico, were donated after Anderson got 24 companies to sponsor the nuptials in exchange for having their names appear six times from the invitations to the thank-you cards.

Anderson, 24, a bartender, did cough up his own money for his wife's $1,400 engagement ring, while Root, 33, a hair stylist, paid $1,600 for her dress.

The groom got the idea of corporate sponsorships while working in a small struggling animation studio that often had to barter for services.

"So I was in a sales mode, and I got to thinking," he told the Philadelphia Inquirer, which ran a photo of the couple sitting among their corporate-sponsored wedding "gifts" in its Sunday editions.

The bride drew the line at having advertising banners draped across the aisle. But her perfume came from a local distributor, and coffee was provided gratis from a neighborhood supplier.

Advertisers had their names appear on the invitations and thank-you cards, on cards at the buffet, on scrolls at the dinner table, in an ad placed in a local independent newspaper and in a verbal "thank you" that followed the first toast.

The Inquirer said the groom had bought two addresses on the Internet's World Wide Web, namely: sponsoredwedding.com and weddingsponsors.com.

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Find a Wedding Sponsor

Want To Save On Wedding Costs? Try Sponsorships - Photographers, Caterers, Dressmakers Could Be Convinced To Sponsor Weddings

The average wedding these days costs about $30,000. How would you like to save some of that money? Sponsors could be the answer. A bride in Egg Harbor Township is trying to do just that. "I'm writing to offer you a proposal I hope you can't refuse, I'm a bride-to-be planning a dream wedding and I want you to be part of it," Stephanie Walsh wrote to prospective vendors.

For Walsh, part of planning her wedding involves how she is going to pay for it, so she is sending out solicitation letters to area vendors for donations in return for advertising. "Basically, just proposing to them that I'm willing to advertise their services at my wedding," Walsh said. She learned about the idea of sponsored weddings in Modern Bride magazine. "I'm hoping that I can get the food sponsored, maybe the limos, maybe photography," Walsh said.

Judith Ann Graham, author of My Bride Guide, says that sponsored weddings can be a great way to save. "The whole point of getting things that are economically more feasible to us is very appealing," Graham said.

Retail experts say the idea will be appealing to sponsors, too, especially smaller, newer companies. "What a wonderful way to get your card, your logo, your brand out there to the general public," said Scott Krugman, of the National Retail Federation.

Welsh had some success with her quest. She thinks that she now has a photographer and videographer and a local eatery all interested in sponsoring her wedding. "I wouldn't mind business cards. I want it to be tasteful. I'm pretty much open to any ideas that someone would bring me," Welsh said.

Bride Sponsors

Bride Sponsors

DJ - Best in Class Mobile Music

   

Invitations -  Tony Wheeler

 

Wedding Gown - Provided by David's Bridal

  

Catering - Provided by Cafe Merlot

Venue - Provided by Bernardo Winery

 

Cake - Provided by The San Diego Culinary Institute

Open Categories

DJ - Email to Contact - Category Open

Photographer - Email to Contact - Category Open

Decorations - Email to Contact - Category Open

Bridemaid Dresses - Email to Contact - Category Open

Tuxes - Email to Contact - Category Open

Honeymoon - Email to Contact - Category Open

Rehersal Dinner - Email to Contact - Category Open

Photo Booth -  Email to Contact - Category Open

Travel -  Email to Contact - Category Open

Hotel Accommodations for family -  Email to Contact - Category Open

Brides Hair/Makeup -  Email to Contact - Category Open

Registry #1 - Schools And Financial Aid 

Save The Dates -  Email to Contact - Category Open

Registry -  Email to Contact - Category Open

Planning the Honeymoon

While you're in the thick of wedding planning – listening to dozens of bands, sifting through flower varieties, deciding whether to say the traditional words or write your own vows – you can hold on to one thought in the back of your mind. You're going to go on a honeymoon with your fiance that will be the vacation of a lifetime.
To make your honeymoon memorable, start planning early.

Find a friend in your travel agent: A travel agent can be a great help when it comes to planning your dreamgetaway. Some travel agents even specialize in honeymoon planning. They take into account your wants and needs, and help you plan the romantic, relaxing honeymoon you have always wanted.
Obviously, the Internet is a great source of travel information. But when it comes to putting those plans into action, such as booking plane tickets and making reservations, a travel agent can help make sure all the details are covered.
A good place to starting looking for a travel agent that you like and trust is to gather references from family, friends. Ask them to recommend someone that they've worked with so that you can get an idea of an agent's personal style.
Before visiting your travel agent, or exploring the many sites on the web, keep the following in mind:

• What is your ideal dream getaway? Have you always envisioned going to Europe for your honeymoon? Or lying on a beach? A travel agent can help make what you've dreamed about come to life.
• How long do you plan on being gone? If you work and can't be gone very long, you can still do a lot with well planned days. If you can take a longer vacation, there may be some destination options available to you that you hadn't considered.
• What is your honeymoon budget? Your budget certainly has an effect on where you go and how long you'll be gone. When you plan your overall wedding budget, don't forget about your honeymoon. That way, you'll be able to see how it fits into your big picture planning.
• What do you like to do? Whether you want to spend your honeymoon sitting on the beach, skiing down a mountain or relaxing in a spa, there is a destination that can provide all the activities you desire.

Desirable destinations: Do you want adventure or relaxation? Theme-park fun or old-world charm? The following list of suggestions might contain a honeymoon destination that is just right for you.
The adventure zone: Hiking, biking, swinging and surfing, these adventurous locales have it all:

• Costa Rica is truly an adventure zone. It offers hiking, white water rafting and even swinging from tropical trees.
• Hawaii, the islands of Aloha, offers many activities for the adventurous spirit. Here, you will find waterfalls, canyons, volcanoes, scuba diving and snorkeling. There are also bike tours available – even one where you ride in the moonlight down the side of a mountain.
• In Cancun, you can tour Mayan ruins and bird sanctuaries, not to mention great beaches and Oceanside resorts.

Be a pampered pair: Almost any destination in the United States, as well as Mexico and the Caribbean, has a spa-like resort. Not only do these resorts offer recreational sports like golf and tennis, but they also boast a full-service menu of spa treatments. From manicures and pedicures to warm stone massage therapy, you can experience an array of relaxing and beautifying services.
Some resorts offer packages tailored to couples. Some also have classes such as massage therapy and yoga so you can take the relaxation techniques home with you.
Pick destinations that you're interested in, and search forbest spa resort in the area. You can be pampered from head to toe!
Old-world romance and charm: If you're looking for romance, history and a lot of sightseeing, Europe may provide the honeymoon destination for you. Keep in mind that to properly tour Europe, you may want 10 days to two weeks. Consider these European locales:

• England offers fun and relaxation with its small villages and big city sophistication in London. Get the best of both worlds by spending time in each locale.
• Ireland, the beautiful emerald isle, boasts historical castles and manor houses. And the Irish are famously laid-back and friendly to tourists.
• France has a beautiful countryside full of vineyards and gardens. And then there's Paris. Visit the Eiffel Tower, stroll the pathways next to the River Seine or share a glass of wine at a neighborhood bistro.
• Italy offers plenty of both romance and history. Tour Rome, the eternal city. Experience the beauty of Tuscany. Take a gondola ride in Venice. Every region offers its own distinctive flavor and atmosphere.

Feel like a kid again: A lot of couples go to Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., for their honeymoons. With luxurious hotels, plenty of daytime activities, and a nightlife all its own, Disney truly satisfies the child in all of us. Be a kid again on Space Mountain in Disneyland proper or on the coasters of California Adventure.
A little of everything: Where is the one destination that offers a little bit of everything? The good-time capital of the United States is located in fabulous Las Vegas, Nev., of course.

• Bungee jump at the top of the Stratosphere. Ride the roller coaster around the "skyscrapers" of New York, New York. Relax near the glistening beaches of Mandalay Bay. Fall into lap of luxury and dance with the fountains at Bellagio. Tour Europe – past and present – at Paris, the Venetian and Caesar's Palace. And don't forget to bring some gambling money.
• Vegas also boasts fine dining – almost every world-class chef has a restaurant somewhere on the strip.

"Insure" your good time: Every couple wants this dream getaway to go smoothly. But what happens when something goes wrong? It's a good idea to look into travel insurance to protect the investment you've made in your honeymoon. Unfortunately, it's impossible to predict accidents and acts of nature.

• There are resorts with hurricane and sunshine guarantees that give you the opportunity to come back to the hotel at a later date if the weather turns ugly.
• Different types of policies are also available to cover you while traveling. If you think you may need to interrupt your trip, ask your travel agent about the different types of travel insurance available. Even if you can't take your honeymoon at the time that you've planned it, you will still be able to enjoy it at a later date.

Packing for paradise: Whether you're skiing in the mountains or basking on the beach, you'll need to pack appropriately.
Your travel agent or airline website can provide reports from federal government on any luggage or carry-on restrictions.
When packing your carry-on luggage, don't include items that could be considered dangerous, such as knives or scissors. If you do, you will be stopped by airport security and the items will be confiscated. These items, as well as golf clubs, should go with checked luggage.
Your carry-on: Of course, there is always the chance that the airline could misplace your luggage. To make sure you still can have a good time and function normally while your luggage is being located, pack the following items in your carry-on:

• Important travel papers, such as tickets, hotel confirmations and rental car information.
• A change of clothes (weather appropriate for your destination) and swimsuit (if appropriate).
• A change of intimate items, such as underwear.
• Any money or travelers checks.
• Any forms of identification, including your driver's license, passport and/or social security card.
• Personal items, including cosmetics, medication, and contacts (don't forget solution) or glasses.

From the Article: Plan a honeymoon with personal style
Copyright 2010 The Daily Herald