Quick Answer
Decide the service format first (plated, buffet, family-style, stations, or canapés), then set quantities from your guest count and collect dietary needs early. Build a seasonal menu, choose a drinks model, get itemised quotes, and confirm whether staff, tableware, and equipment are included.
Catering is where an event’s hospitality is felt most directly. This evergreen guide walks through planning catering for a wedding, party, or corporate event — the decisions, the order, and the questions to ask.
Start with the format
Decide how you want guests to eat, because it shapes cost, staffing, and atmosphere: a plated (served) meal, a buffet, family-style sharing platters, food stations, or passed canapés and grazing. Plated is more formal and staff-heavy; buffets and stations are flexible and social; canapés suit standing receptions.
Headcount and dietary needs
Your guest count sets quantities and cost. Collect dietary requirements early — vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, allergies, and cultural or religious requirements — and brief your caterer clearly. A good caterer plans inclusive menus so everyone is looked after, not an afterthought.
Building the menu
Match the menu to the season, the time of day, and the format. Seasonal ingredients are usually fresher and better value. Balance the menu across courses and dietary needs, and schedule a tasting so there are no surprises. Confirm whether service staff, tableware, and equipment are included or extra.
Drinks
Decide on the drinks model — open bar, limited bar, or cash bar — and whether you are providing alcohol or the venue is. Offer good non-alcoholic options. Corkage fees and licensing can significantly affect the total, so ask up front.
Budgeting
Catering (with drinks) is often one of the largest costs of an event. Get itemised quotes so you can see what drives the price — menu, staffing, rentals, and service charge — and where you can flex. Confirm final numbers and the payment schedule in writing.
Logistics on the day
Confirm kitchen access, timings, and the service schedule with the caterer and venue. A clear day-of timeline — when canapés start, when the meal is served, when the cake is cut — keeps the whole event flowing.
Frequently asked questions
How much catering do I need per person?
Your caterer will advise based on format and time of day, but plan generously for canapés and buffets, where consumption is harder to predict than a plated meal.
How do I handle dietary restrictions?
Collect requirements with your RSVPs, brief your caterer early, and confirm clearly-labelled options for every major dietary need.
What drives catering cost?
Menu choice, service format, staffing, rentals, and drinks. Plated service and open bars cost more than buffets and limited bars.