Wedding Caterers - The Best There is for the Most Important Day of Your Life

There is no doubt that one of the most crucial parts of a wedding day - well certainly for the guests anyway - is the wedding food. Lunch or dinner, budget or expensive, the wedding breakfast (as it is traditionally called) is immensely important. And by implication therefore, your choice of wedding caterers is crucial.There are a huge number of wedding caterers in the UK – companies who perhaps do corporate and private parties too, but who, overall, make wedding business their business.Most couples are faced with a dizzying choice. They may be looking for a relaxed hog roast or wedding barbecue, rather than a sit down dinner. Perhaps they want traditional Indian food? Or a Chinese banquet? And whatever the style and theme, they will certainly be looking for a cake! Whether the day is going to be formal and elegant, or relaxed and low key, you can be sure there are wedding caterers out there who fit the bill.The wedding meal is the part of the day where all the guests, young and old, and from both families - bride's and groom's - will sit down, relax and eat together. Of course, by choosing the right wedding caterers at the very outset, a couple can be sure that a team with relevant skills and experience will be responsible for getting the food and drink right on the day, so that all they have to do is worry about the vows!Wedding caterers can vary hugely in price and in product. Low key, casual and less formal weddings may benefit from smaller, more relaxed wedding caterers. But if budget is no issue, then nothing is impossible, and you can find companies who will provide ice bars laden with the finest caviar and the most superb vintage pink champagne.As far as finding wedding caterers is concerned, it pays to do some research - ask for recommendations, speak to brides, or to the staff at a venue. Alternatively, ask a photographer, florist or any other wedding supplier whether they can recommend a really good wedding caterer. Some of the larger more luxurious wedding caterers such as Alison Price, "rhubarb" or The Admirable Crichton can work in pretty much any space and even in any country, so don’t just assume you can’t have exactly what you want!Often the best wedding caterers also work in conjunction with wedding planners - companies that specialise in planning every last detail of the big day. These planners may hire the caterer for you, but only after you have had huge input and maybe even visited two or three caterers to get a feel for their individual style and service. Linda Cooper weddings for example work with a number of high end wedding caterers.The main thing about wedding caterers is getting them to work well for you - they should be able to produce exactly the kind of menu you want, offer you a tasting, work within budget, staff the event properly, and even sort the bar out. As far as food is concerned, if the produce is excellently sourced and superbly cooked, even sausages and mash can be perfect for a wedding meal. As a rule, try to stick with what is seasonal. Popular choices still tend to be chicken, lamb, beef and salmon. They're generally well-liked and, if the wedding caterers are any good, they don't have to be boring either. Good wedding caterers should be able to suggest great ideas and clever ways of doing things within budget. If you want to save money, a caterer might ask you to consider serving substantial canapés or bowl food instead of a starter, or a very luxurious chocolate wedding cake as your pudding. What about a tower of initialled fairy cakes - not only are they a stunning wedding centerpiece, but they solve the problem of wedding favours for guests too!It is also the wedding caterers job to make sure that everyone is looked after - vegetarian, food allergy sufferer, and of course the designated drivers should have some yummy soft drinks as well.The wedding caterers should also be able to take into consideration a client's wishes for décor and theming. Thinking about the colour and theme of the room or venue is one thing, and of course the wedding flowers, but what about the plates, the glasses, the linen and cutlery? And of course the staff are crucial. Smiling, happy and helpful waitresses are so much better on a glorious wedding day than grumpy serving staff who just wish they were somewhere else! And the better catering companies will even encourage staff to get into the spirit of things - dressing up waitresses for a Bollywood themed wedding for example.Overall, the best wedding caterers are those who specialise in making a dream day a total reality. Find one of those, and you’re almost there...