Average Cost For Wedding Catering

Do You Need Rentals For Your Event

Catering is all about the food, but sometimes the food requires some ancillary rentals to help with the presentation and serving of the dishes. Things like cutlery, glassware, China platters, and chaffing dishes may be necessary in addition to the food cost itself. These rentals can help create a high-end restaurant atmosphere for your 200+ person event. When speaking with a caterer you can inquire about these extra items to find out if theyre needed, and if theyre included in a package or priced separately.

If youre planning an event that requires non-food related rentals, the caterer will usually help coordinate this for you as well. For example, you may want to rent a large tent to host the event outside, or you may want beautiful decor to create a breathtaking atmosphere, or you may need some extra furniture like tables and chairs. A lot of these examples will depend on what is provided by the venue directly, but its important to keep these things in mind. And if you do need to rent non-food related items, your caterer will often middle-man the rentals for you. Having the caterer coordinate all of the rentals helps to make sure that the delivery, setup, execution, and cleanup of the event goes smoothly, while also reducing stress on your end since you only need to deal with one vendor, the caterer.

Most of the time, staff are essential to help the event flow smoothly and create the best experience for your guests.

The Feast It Guide To Wedding Catering Costs

Looking for a wedding caterer for your big day? From the dietary requirements of your guests to the dreaded average ‘price per head’, it can be tricky to know where to start, but we’re here to help! Read on for everything you need to know when looking for a wedding caterer.

Youve found the perfect venue, the dream dress has been sent off for fittings and the best man has been briefed about what he should and shouldnt mention in his speech – but whats on the menu? Do you fancy something slightly unusual to get your guests talking? Are you vegan and struggling to find the perfect caterer to show off just how amazing a plant-based menu can be? Do you want to find a supplier who can bring a sense of theatre to the occasion with their service? It can be an overwhelming task on first approach and the overriding question which looms over your search is always But wait, how much does wedding catering cost?!

When you type wedding catering into Google, about 516,000,000 results are returned, which is overwhelming for anyone! Booking wedding catering should be a fun and tasty expedition into all the incredible cuisines and aesthetics on offer.

Who Pays The Costs Of The Average Wedding

With such a high price tag, it can be hard for many couples to cover the costs of the typical wedding. Many get help from their parents while others use savings or even charge wedding-related purchases on their credit cards.

The charts below show how costs are split among the couple, their parents, and other generous contributors, along with how couples come up with the funds to pay for their special event.

Percent of wedding paid for:

Here’s where couples draw money from to pay for their part of the wedding:

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How Can Feast It Help With Wedding Catering Costs

We’ve catered for hundreds of weddings, and our expert team will work closely with you, listen to all of your requirements and curate your booking from start to finish. Why not book a free consultation with our wedding planner, Natasha, to get you started? Natasha will find the perfect wedding catering to suit your tastes and budget so you can concentrate on writing your vows and throwing the event of the year!

Or, if you’ve already got a good idea of what you want, submit an enquiry and our suppliers will send you some quotes! In the meantime please feel to browse our range of exciting and innovative wedding catering options!

The Bottom Line On Wedding Catering Costs

For one of the biggest days of your life, you want everything to go as smoothly as possible. And of course, you want your guests to leave overfilled with joy for your new marriage and well-fed.

Choosing a caterer who fits your budget and your vision for your wedding can save you headaches and hopefully some cash down the road. Careful planning can help you relax and enjoy this one-of-a-kind day.

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Lockdown Special Offer Rates

This might take a bit of doing but it is possible if you have plenty of time. You can go to wedding expos and events in your local area and see what you can find. That being said, the best deals are typically secured when you make a decision and book it on the spot. If you would prefer to take your time and plan meticulously then this might not be the best approach for you.

Figuring Out The Budget

The first step is for you and your fiance to sit down and realistically determine how much money you would like to spend on your whole wedding. This is not about how much money you can borrow, put into your credit cards or having to use your emergency savings fund, but the amount of cash you have set aside for your dream wedding. Once you have that amount you will divide that and allocate it to each element of your whole wedding including your wedding catering cost. Dont worry to much right now if each section has enough or not. As you start to call around for quotes you will start to have a more realistic idea of how much money each section will need. Decide what are the most important elements and allocate accordingly.

Here is an example of a budget. Well keep the numbers even to make the idea simple enough to get the point across. Also depending on your wedding there might be more vendors that you might be adding.

DJ/Band $1,000 6%

You can use our FREE Wedding Budget Calculator to enter your vendors quotes and see if you are over, under or on budget!

If youre in a very tight budget then you will have to sacrifice something! Both you and your fiance will have to discus things like, Do you get that amazing venue or have a backyard wedding so that you can have enough budget to get those amazing centerpieces youve always dreamed about and have that prime rib dinner?

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What Are Some Ways To Save Money On Your Wedding Caterer

Working with a tight wedding budget? Here are some ways you can potentially cut catering costs when wedding planning:

• Choose a more affordable time to get married: If you want to save on your wedding catering budget, consider getting married outside of the peak times. So, for example, you might be able to get a better deal if you get married on a weekday, during the off season, or earlier in the day.
• Keep your menu simple: Generally, the more complex your menu , the higher the cost. If you want to save on catering expenses, keep your menu simple.
• Think outside of the box: If you want to save on your catering budget, get creative. For example, you might hire a food truck instead of a traditional wedding caterer. Or, if your venue allows it, stock your own bar .

Work With A Wedding Planner To Save Money

Consider hiring a wedding planner, who usually have a curated list of vendors. Because they have worked with these chefs before, they can vouch for the quality and help find an option within your budget. They might also help you save money.

I recently saved a couple $6,000 their catering bill by matching them with the right fit and then getting creative on how their menu came together, says Amber Anderson, the host of Refine for Wedding Planners.

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How Much Should My Wedding Catering Cost

Wedding trends are constantly shifting, so were not surprised to see the average amount spent on wedding catering has risen over the last few years as more couples hire external services.

The average wedding catering cost in Australia for 2020 is $9,891, up 2% from last year. If you calculate the average amount of wedding guests at 98, it works out to around $100 per person for food. This cost has to be added to the venue youve hired as well as other costs such as staffing for external caterers, so youre looking at an overall total of around $157 per head.

If we break down costs per state, prices can range dramatically. Its no surprise that foodies in Victoria will spend the most on catering for their wedding couples from this state are looking at an average of $12,330 for their catering. Victoria also hosts more rustic style weddings, so external catering could come into play more here.

Coming in second is Western Australia at $10,784, followed by New South Wales, which comes in at $9,213.

Couples in the ACT can expect to spend around $7,192 for their wedding catering, while those in South Australia will pay an average of $6,322. Those who live in Queensland are likely to spend the least amount on the catering of any state, with the cost coming in at around $5,754.

If youre in Tasmania or the Northern Territory take a look at the national average to give yourself a guide of your catering costs here.

Average Wedding Costs By Type Of Wedding

Where you live isn’t the only factor that affects how much you’re likely to spend when you celebrate the start of your life with your beloved. The type of wedding also makes a difference:

• Destination weddings average $32,000, while hometown weddings average $27,000.
• First marriages weddings average $30,000, while second weddings average $14,000.
• Millennials typically spend $30,000, while members of Gen Xers spend $20,000.

Hometown weddings come at a lower average cost than destination weddings for obvious reasons — it’s cheaper to stay local than to incur the costs of travel.

However, some of the extra wedding costs of a destination ceremony may be offset by a lower price tag for the honeymoon, assuming the couple celebrates in the location where the wedding was held.

It’s surprising, though, that millennials — who have faced unprecedented financial struggles — tend to spend more on their nuptials than their older counterparts. This discrepancy could be explained by the fact that social media has played an increasingly important role in driving the price of weddings up. More than half of all couples set up their own wedding hashtag in 2019.

Sexual orientation made almost no difference at all in average wedding costs. Opposite-sex couples spent an average of $28,000 while same-sex couples spent just $500 more.

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How To Choose Your Wedding Caterer

Not sure w? When you’re considering which caterer is the best fit for your event, there are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind, including:

• What kind of food does the caterer specialize in? Different caterers specialize in different types of foodand if you have a specific cuisine or meal type in mind, you’ll want to go with a caterer who has experience creating that kind of cuisine or meal.

• Does the caterer have experience with weddings? Catering a wedding is different from catering other types of eventsso before you hire a caterer, you want to make sure they have plenty of experience catering weddings .

• Can the caterer accommodate dietary restrictions? If you have guests that have dietary restrictions , you want to make sure they have food to enjoy at your weddingso before you choose a wedding caterer, make sure they can accommodate your guests.

• Does the caterer host menu tastings? Before you commit to a wedding caterer, you’ll want to try their foodso make sure that the caterers you’re considering are open to doing a tasting before you move forward.

How Much Does Catering Cost

by Heritage Center | Jun 30, 2022 | Corporate Event

Many event planners and soon-to-be-married couples rank food and drink as high priorities for their eventsbut if youre not careful, catering prices can get the better of you.

Its important to go into planning your event having done plenty of research on catering costs so that you understand the market and have a realistic budget in mind. Choosing the right type of catering for your event and crowd size is critical to keeping your overall catering cost manageable.

Read on for our breakdown of the factors that impact catering pricing, the types of catering, and the average catering cost per person for each of those types.

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Wedding Catering Prices #

You can use $50 to $100 per person as a general guide for the cost of food. This is the cost for the main course, only.

Hors d’ oeuvres cost $25 to $50 per person prior to sitting down at your table.

Of course, the cost depends mainly on what is being served. What’s on the menu? Is lobster and scallops on the menu? Is filet mignon on the menu? Or is chicken or pork on the menu? Obviously, more expensive fair will cause the cost of the reception to go up.

Get three free quotes from professional wedding catering services in your local area. Compare menus, prices, and get the best catering services for you! Start now!

What Are Some Other Bar Options

Alcohol is expensiveand the bar option you choose can also play a major role in your total wedding caterer costs. Some of the bar options you may want to explore include:

• Open bar. An open bar means that your guests can drink whatever they want throughout your wedding. This is the most expensive bar option.

• Limited open bar. A limited open bar means that guests can drink for freebut there are limits around availability. For example, you might have an open bar that only serves wine and beer or you might choose to have an open bar for the first two hours of your reception before switching to a cash bar.

• Cash bar. With a cash bar, guests pay for their drinks out of pocket. Since guests will be paying for their own drinks, this is the most affordable bar option for weddings .

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Service Style & Quality

In addition to the type and quality of food you choose for your event catering, the style and quality of catering service youd like to offer guests also affects your costs. For example, a plated, multi-course meal with white-glove waitstaff service will cost much more than a self-service buffet line. A good rule of thumb is that the more hands-on the waitstaff at your event will have to be white-glove butler-style service, serving from the buffet line or food stations, etc. the pricier that style of service will be. A buffet for 100 guests costs less than full-service catering for 100 people, but more than food truck catering for the same number, and so on.

While the style of service is not synonymous with the quality of the food or customer service youll receive from a caterer, it is important to consider all aspects of your guests experience and your desired event atmosphere when choosing your catering.

What Type Of Catering Is The Most Popular

There are several choices you can have for your catering, so its important to figure out what style youre going to have on your big day.

Sit down catering is still the number one choice for couples, making up 54% of weddings. Out of this, 68% of couples will have set seating as opposed to 32% who let their guests choose their seating.

While buffet catering is the second-highest style of catering at 19%, it has dropped in popularity as alternative options begin to rise, such as food trucks and interactive food stations. Food trucks and interactive food stations, such as grazing tables, have been on the rise for the last few years. We wont be surprised if we see a further increase in these trends for 2020.

Finally, 18% of couples serve finger food, while 9% will offer a different style of catering. And for those people with gluten intolerance, 43% of couples will offer gluten-free choices at their wedding.

Whichever style you choose, making sure that your guests are fed on the day is important. Especially if youre serving alcohol!

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Compromise On Other Wedding Decisions

In the early stages of wedding planning, you and your partner should set a budget and talk about what matters most to you for the celebration. Is it flowers and decor? Lavish gifts for your guests or wedding party? A dreamy beachfront location? Or is it food?

If its food, Cooke suggests making it a larger part of your budget and compromise elsewhere. If food isnt a high priority, focus on the items that are.

If lets say florals are at the top of your wish list, be realistic that you may not have the budget for every cuisine bell and whistle, so that you can put more money towards killer centerpieces, she says. This will ensure that youre reasonable about what youre able to spend on catering.