Catering is a big ticket item, so if you want your first choice then its best to do this early as well. However, larger companies can handle multiple weddings at the same time. I would recommend 10-12 months before (earlier is always better, though, depending how long your engagement is). I had my tasting about 5 months before the wedding and that worked out well. Plus they gave us a sample of our cake to take home... which was a nice surprise.
Suggestions
-Know that this can quite possibly be your largest expense! It certainly was my largest expense. Also! There are so many options. You can have buffet style, plated, family style, or stations. Each has different pros and cons, I found a really great description of those here. I chose plated (3 meal option) because I liked the idea of guests being served and meals with elegant presentations.
-Many caterers nowadays can provide you with the other nececssities you'll need, such as table linens, equipment, and furniture. It was nice to get that all in one place and to lower my total vendor count.
-Don't necessarily think about only what you like. Think about what your guests would like. I really wanted blue cheese on the salad... however, its not always a crowd favorite cheese so we went with another type. That is also why I chose one fun theme-related cake flavor (Lemon Raspberry) and one play-it-safe cake flavor (Grand Marnier Vanilla). Turns out I liked the Grand Marnier Vanilla better, anyways! Use the cocktail hour apps to bring in other meats you may not be using in your main course. I had chicken and salmon main courses (+veg), so my appetizers were beef tatiki, crab cakes, lollipop lambchops, and a mushroom quiche.
-You make your table layout/seating chart with catering. This is a big decision and it can definitely effect the flow of the evening. Do you want a sweetheart table (just you & the hubs), a bridal party only table, or have your maids & groomsmen out mingling? I personally chose to disperse my wedding party as some had significant others and others I felt would like to catch up with other guests, etc. Having the whole bridal party sit together, to me, is not fun for the bridal party. I personally chose to not have my table stand out in any way (except for being near the entrance... a lot of people choose near the dance floor, though) and I sat with my parents, brother, and his parents. This way, it forced us to mingle during the reception and make our rounds to all the tables. *I turned in the seating chart about a week before. It will change a lot! I had a guest drop out an hour before (sweet text message, too) as well as a wedding crasher! So guess it worked out in the end.
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