10 Questions to Ask Your Caterer

Many couples who hire me as their Event Location Specialist want a venue that allows outside catering to provide the food. There are many reasons from cost to menu choices due to diet, ethnicity and taste.

Make sure you are making the right decision before choosing a location based on this criteria.

Here are the top 10 questions you should ask your catering company before you sign an agreement or make any type of deposits.

1. How many weddings do you plan in a year and how long have you been in business?

2. Have you done events at my location before?

3. Will you provide someone to coordinate the meal service? Who will run the entire event?

4. Is gratuity automatically included or do you tip staff on the day of the wedding?

5. Is food prepared on-site or prepared off-site and stored in “hot boxes?”

6. Do you handle rental equipment such as tables, chairs, etc.?

7. How many types of staff will the caterer provide -- waiters, bartenders, busing, etc.?

8. Will their staff perform the labor to set-up tables, chairs, linens, etc…?

Is there an additional fee for that?

9. Does their staff set favors, escort cards and other decor? Is there an additional fee for that?

10. What is the ratio of servers to guests?

Missouri Marriage License

What Happens Once You Get Your Marriage License in Missouri? Once you receive your marriage license from the Recorder of Deeds Office, you must use the license within 30 days, it expires after the 30th day. If you do not use the license it must be returned to the Recorder of Deeds Office. Usually there are two papers for the Wedding Officiant to fill out : the Marriage License and the Marriage Certificate. The first paper is the valid marriage license which is the legal document that an officiant fills out before the ceremony with 1) The official name of person who performs the ceremony. 2) City where the wedding takes place. 3) County where the wedding takes place. 4) Day, month and year of wedding. 5) Official signature, title and sometimes their address. St Louis City Marriage Certificate and Marriage License The second paper is the invalid marriage certificate that is given to you for keepsake purposes. In most cases, you will not be able to use the cer...

15 Unique Ceremony Ideas

Here are a few unconventional ceremony ideas to take you down the aisle with a twist. 1. Let your guests mingle over cocktails before the ceremony. 2. The couple greets the guests as they arrive at the ceremony site. 3. Face the guests when you recite your wedding vows. 4. Have your guests sit or stand in a circle around you during the ceremony. Ceremony in the Round 5. Have both parents walk you down the aisle. Dad - Bride - Mom 6. Have your husband-to-be escort you to the altar. 7. Don’t have bridesmaids or groomsmen - just the two of you. 8. Have an uneven number of attendants. (Maybe you just want a maid of honor, but he wants three groomsmen.) 9. Have a “man of honor” instead of a maid of honor. (Your brother? A good male friend?) 10. Have the groom choose a “best woman.” (His sister? A good female friend?) 11. Don’t wear a veil. 12. Have bridesmaids carry candles instead of bouquets as they walk down the aisle. Bridesmaids H...

How Formal Is Your Wedding?

The formal bridal party consists of four to twelve attendants; a maid or matron of honor, the best man, bridesmaids, one usher for every fifty guests, one or two flower girls, and a ring bearer. The bride's gown is a work of art, full length, usually with a train and veil. The number of guests is often between 150 and 400. It's not unusual for the bride and groom to enlist the aid of a wedding consultant in planning these lavish events. Some, but not all, of the guidelines shown above are relaxed in a semi-formal wedding. The ceremony and reception can take place in a variety of locations and both are often held at the same place. Semi-formal weddings usually have fewer attendants, and wedding attire and flowers may be less traditional and more innovative. How Formal Is Your Wedding? Formal weddings are usually held in a church, synagogue, temple, a hotel ballroom, home or a garden. These weddings follow a myriad of time- honored customs, preserved down to the las...

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