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Wedding for 150

post #1 of 3
7/17/09 at 11:40pm
Thread Starter 
I have been cooking professionally for some years but just got approached about doing a wedding for 150.

1. what should the price per person at the wedding reception include? just food + labor (ingredients, prep and on-site kitchen staff?) are servers billed separately?
2. if they want to low-ball me and ask for $25-30 a person (I would normally ask $85-110) what should I offer them? Suggest a cocktail party for 150 at $25 pp vs a sit-down dinner for fewer guests at my normal rate? or just a really inexpensive plattered, self-serve drop off?
3. how many on-site cooks and servers will i need for 150 people, if they want a sit-down dinner, or even if it's just a plattered cocktail party?
4. if i book servers, do i charge them a party planning fee? do i ask them to hire their own servers, at the risk they might f*** up my food service?

suggestions appreciated.
thanks.
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post #2 of 3
7/18/09 at 7:14am
Many start up caterers and bakery owners ask about this. My classic answer is sit down figure your cost everything separate then add it together. Add your time, transport cost etc. Now you have your cost now how much do you want to make 100%,200% ? Put a value on your time and services. This is your call there are no fast rules. You can do it by package plan (everything included or separate)its up to you. In any event sales tax is additional and if not a package gratuities 20% added is normal
Your price depends on what class people you are dealing with and what type of function. Some have champagne taste and a beer budget. All I can tell you is don't be afraid to charge. I can see by your questions you never did this before so be careful you could wind up losing $. When you are are an on or off premise caterer, cooking is the least of your problems. In fact that's the easy part .GOOD LUCK:cool:
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post #3 of 3
7/18/09 at 8:23am
Don't want to sound snotty or arogant, or anything like that, but you were approached to do a 150 pp. wedding for one and only one reason:

It is assumed by the host that you will be cheaper than a caterer.

The very first thing you should do before you spend too much time is to get a contract signed, 50% 3 weeks before the event, 25% 5 days before the event with the guarantee head count, and 25% on the day of the event BEFORE you set up.

Every caterer will tell you why a contract is so important, just as any plumber, electrician, builder, or contracter will tell you why.

With catering, the devil is in the details. More time and energy will be spent planning and organizing than will ever be spent on food.
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