"There is no
love sincerer than the love of food." -
George Bernard Shaw
Welcome to the Brides page
Feel free to copy or download the below
resources. If you would like a free consultation please call or email. Contact
info is at the top of the page. Chef Todd
Make sure the caterer is
licensed or you may be liable if something happens.
Yes, we are fully
licensed
If outdoors, make sure
they have refrigeration.
Yes we have a walk in
cooler right on the truck
Find out how they dress.
That’s up to you we can
wear casual to black and white
What is the estimated cost
per person for a seated dinner? Buffet? Cocktail reception? Open bar? What
does the cost include?
Every event is custom
made to your needs, It is best to have a budget and a number of guests in
mind. Then we can start the planning.
What is the staff-to-guest
ratio?
Every event has a level
of service, the more service required the smaller the ratio. But a normal
buffet is 1 server for every 50 guests. Plated meal is 1 server for every 30
guests.
Have you worked at my
prospective reception sites? Can you recommend other sites for weddings?
We have worked at most
every park in the area as well as most halls. We certainly have our
favorites, but it really depends on your needs. We can discuss this in
person when we know your needs.
Do you have a set menu?
Can the menu be modified?
My goal is to write a
custom menu for every event, It really keeps the job fun always creating and
using new ideals. With a little input we can create a special menu for your
special day.
Can the kitchen staff
adhere to special dietary restrictions for some guests who may be diabetic,
kosher, vegetarian? With notice we can accommodate most any special needs.
Do you have liability
coverage
We have full liability
coverage
Can you supply me with a
list of references?
Yes most are listed on
our website, but we can give you specific names and contact info for people
that have had similar events.
How much advance time is
needed to confirm a reservation?
Wedding dates can be
reserved up to 18 months in advance. Then we have a schedule of deadlines to
complete the event.
Can I arrange to view the
catering of another wedding reception to check food display, service style,
flow, organization? Can we arrange to taste foods on the menu you suggest?
YHou are more than
welcome to inspect us at any event. We also can do food tastings. The fee
per tasting is a minimum $50.00 per tasting, A portion of that can be
credited back to you on the final invoice.
Do you set the tables?
Provide linens? Order floral arrangements? Coordinate the music?
Exceptional catering can
set up your event complete. There is a fee for this, You can choose to do it
yourself.
Linens are also provided
at an additional cost.
Floral arrangements and
music are the responsibility of the party
What additional charges
might be incurred other than the food, beverages, and rental of requested
extras?
Cake cutting,
Appetizers, Late night Snacks, Garbage removal, Set up and Teardown
services, Food tastings
What is the policy for
payment, tipping? (Some caterers request cash, others accept checks or credit
cards. Some include gratuities in the base or overall price, others do not.)
We accept cash, MC Visa
and Discover for final payment and we accept checks for all but the final
payment.
How much advance time will
you need to set up?
Depends on the level of
setup, normally 2-4 hours
Can you send me a
confirmation letter including the wedding date and time, names of service
help, tipping policy, decorating time, color schemes, menu, cost per person?
Bettter than that we
eill provide you with a contract payment schedule and invoice
Can I see available
linens? What is the additional rental cost?
We use a standard white
linen for all indoor events and a heavy duty plastic for outdoor events.
Colored linen may be slightly more.
How much food is enough?
What about the leftovers?
The amounts of food will
be based on the number of choices. We cannot afford to short on the food as
it would be detrimental to our reputation. We have a leftover policy that we
will go over as part of the contract.
Will the hors d'oeuvres be
hand served or on a buffet?
Your event your choice
How much are your overtime
and cancellation costs?
We use a payment
schedule and you forfeit the total amount of deposits made as a penalty.
Wedding dates are a generally booked a year in advance so the chance of us
booking that date a few months out is not great. So this policy is very
strick.
Can you give me a ceiling
on anticipated menu price increases?
We quote final prices 90
days prior to the wedding.
When will the wedding cake
be delivered (if your caterer will provide you with one)? Is the cake cut by
the banquet staff?
We do not make wedding
cakes, we can however recommend cake vendors, We will cut the cake and plate
it for a fee. We also will serve the cake for an additional fee.
Can we go over placement
of the head table - on a raised platform or floor level, dais or round table?
We want to go over the
set up of the event, we have done many events and have a lot of expertise in
this area. We can make sure that there is proper traffic flow for your
guests as well as ample area for your guests
How many drinks does each
bottle of liquor, champagne, provide? Is there an opening fee per bottle of
champagne?
Will you feed the
photographers, the musicians?
Yes but they must be
included in the guest count.
What is the guarantee
requirement for number of guests?
When you book the event
we will ask you for an estimated count (based on your invites). We will ask
for a final count 30 days out and that number must be no less than 75% of
the estimated number.
When must I provide a
final guest count?
30 days
Any questions
we missed? Please call or email Todd at 1.608.225.8074, todd@exceptionalcatering.net
Wedding Checklist
Sixteen to Twelve Months
Before
Start
a wedding folder or binder. Begin leafing through bridal, lifestyle, fashion,
gardening, design, and food magazines for inspiration.
Work
out your budget. Determine how much you have to spend, based on your families’
contributions and your own.
Pick
your wedding party. As soon as you’re engaged, people will start wondering who’s
in.
Start
the guest list. Make a head count database to use throughout your planning
process, with columns for contact info, RSVPs, gifts, and any other relevant
information. (Want to keep costs low? It may be brutal, but the best way to do
it is to reduce your guest list.)
Hire
a planner, if desired. A planner will have relationships with—and insights
about—vendors.
Reserve
your date and venues. Decide whether to have separate locations for the ceremony
and the reception, factoring in travel time between the two places.
Book
your officiant.
Research
photographers, bands, florists, and caterers. Keep their contact information in
your binder.
Throw
an engagement party, if you wish. But remember that your invitees should be on
your wedding guest list as well.
Nine Months Before
Hire
the photographer and the videographer. No need to talk specifics yet, but be
sure that the people you hire are open to doing the shots that you want.
Book
the entertainment. Attend gigs of potential acts to see how they perform in
front of audiences, then reserve your favorite.
Meet
caterers. If your wedding venue doesn’t offer its own catering service, look for
one now and hire the service this month or early next.
Purchase
a dress. You’ll need to schedule time for at least three fittings. Veil shopping
can be postponed for another two to three months.
Reserve
a block of hotel rooms for out-of-town guests. Pick three hotels at different
price points close to the reception venue.
Register. Sign
up at a minimum of three retailers.
Launch
a wedding website. Create your personal page through a free provider such as
weddingchannel.com. Note the date of the wedding, travel information, and
accommodations. Then send the link to invitees.
Six Months Before
Select
and purchase invitations. Hire a calligrapher, if desired. Addressing cards is
time-consuming, so you need to budget accordingly.
Start
planning a honeymoon. Make sure that your passports are up-to-date, and schedule
doctors’ appointments for any shots you may need.
Shop
for bridesmaids’ dresses. Allow at least six months for the dresses to be
ordered and sized.
Meet
with the officiant. Map out the ceremony and confirm that you have all the
official documents for the wedding (these vary by county and religion).
Send
save-the-date cards.
Reserve
structural and electrical necessities. Book portable toilets for outdoor events,
extra chairs if you need them, lighting components, and so on.
Book
a florist. Florists can serve multiple clients on one day, which is why you can
wait a little longer to engage one. Plus, at this point, you’ll be firm on what
your wedding palette will be.
Arrange
transportation. Consider limos, minibuses, trolleys, and town cars. (But know
that low-to-the-ground limos can make entries and exists dicey if you’re wearing
a fitted gown.)
Start
composing a day-of timeline. Draw up a schedule of the event and slot in each
component (the cake-cutting, the first dance).
Five to Four Months Before
Book
the rehearsal and rehearsal-dinner venues. Negotiate the cost and the menu. If
you’re planning to host a day-after brunch for guests, book that place as well.
Check
on the wedding invitations. Ask the stationer for samples of the finished
invitations and revise them to suit your needs.
Select
and order the cake. Some bakers require a long lead time. Attend several
tastings before committing to any baker.
Send
your guest list to the host of your shower. Provided you, ahem, know about the
shower.
Purchase
wedding shoes and start dress fittings. Bring the shoes along to your first
fitting so the tailor can choose the appropriate length for your gown.
Schedule
hair and makeup artists. Make a few appointments with local experts to try them
out. Snap a photo at each so you can compare results.
Choose
your music. What should be playing when the wedding party is announced? During
dinner? To kick off the dancing? Keep a running list of what you want—and do not
want—played.
Three Months Before
Finalize
the menu and flowers. You’ll want to wait until now to see what will be
available, since food and flowers are affected by season.
Order
favors, if desired. Some safe bets: monogrammed cookies or a treat that
represents your city or region. If you’re planning to have welcome baskets for
out-of-town guests, plan those now too.
Make
a list of the people giving toasts. Which loved ones would you like to have
speak at the reception? Ask them now.
Finalize
the readings. Determine what you would like to have read at the ceremony—and
whom you wish to do the readings.
Purchase
your undergarments. And schedule your second fitting.
Finalize
the order of the ceremony and the reception.
Print
menu cards, if you like, as well as programs. No need to go to a printer, if
that’s not in your budget: You can easily create these on your computer.
Purchase
the rings. This will give you time for resizing and engraving.
Send
your event schedule to the vendors. Giving them a first draft now allows ample
time for tweaks and feedback.
Two Months Before
Touch
base again with all the vendors. Make sure any questions you or they had on your
first draft have been answered.
Meet
with the photographer. Discuss specific shots, and walk through the locations to
note spots that appeal to you.
Review
the playlist with the band or deejay. Though you probably won’t be able to
dictate every single song played, you should come prepared with a wish list.
Send
out the invitations. The rule of thumb: Mail invitations six to eight weeks
before the ceremony, setting the RSVP cutoff at three weeks after the postmark
date.
Submit
a newspaper wedding announcement. If you’re planning to include a photograph,
check the publication’s website: Some have strict rules about how the photo
should look.
Enjoy
a bachelorette party. Arranging a night out with your girlfriends generally
falls to the maid of honor. But if she hasn’t mentioned one to you by now, feel
free to ask—for scheduling purposes, of course!—if a celebration is in the
works.
One Month Before
Enter
RSVPs into your guest-list database. Phone people who have not yet responded.
Send
final count to caterers (from this point you can add on but not subtract.
Get
your marriage license. The process can take up to six days, but it’s good to
give yourself some leeway. If you are changing your name, order several copies.
Mail
the rehearsal-dinner invitations.
Visit
the dressmaker for (with luck!) your last dress fitting. For peace of mind, you
may want to schedule a fitting the week of your wedding. You can always cancel
the appointment if you try on the dress then and it fits perfectly.
Stock
the bar. Now that you have a firm head count you can order accordingly.
Send
out as many final payments as you can.
Confirm
times for hair and makeup and all vendors.
E-mail
and print directions for drivers of transport vehicles. This gives the
chauffeurs ample time to navigate a route.
Assign
seating. Draw out table shapes on a layout of the room to help plan place
settings. Write the names of female guests on pink sticky notes and the names of
male guests on blue sticky notes so you can move people about without resetting
the entire setting.
Purchase
bridesmaids’ gifts. You’ll present them at the rehearsal dinner.
Write
vows, if necessary.
Get
your hair cut and colored, if desired.
Week of the Wedding
Reconfirm
arrival times with vendors.
Delegate
small wedding-day tasks. Choose someone to bustle your dress, someone to carry
your things, someone to be in charge of gifts (especially the enveloped sort),
someone to hand out tips, and someone to be the point person for each vendor.
Send
a timeline to the bridal party. Include every member’s contact information,
along with the point people you’ve asked to deal with the vendors, if problems
arise.
Pick
up your dress. Or make arrangements for a delivery.
Check
in one last time with the photographer. Supply him or her with a list of moments
you want captured on film. Make a list of must have photos
Set
aside checks for the vendors. And put tips in envelopes to be handed out at the
event.
Book
a spa treatment. Make an appointment for a manicure and a pedicure the day
before the wedding. (You might want to get a stress-relieving massage, too.)
Send
any add-ons to the guest list to the caterer and all venues hosting your
wedding-related events.
Start
a wedding folder or binder. Begin leafing through bridal, lifestyle, fashion,
gardening, design, and food magazines for inspiration.