DEVENT planning resources
Wedding Catering Checklist: Menus and Dietary Requirements
Good catering starts with more than a menu tasting. Agree how many people need food, how it will be served, and how individual dietary needs will reach the people preparing and serving each meal.
Give caterers the same brief
Share the event date, venue, expected guest range, service times and whether you want seated meals, shared platters, a buffet or cocktail food. Include children, supplier meals and late arrivals in the discussion rather than assuming every person needs the same meal. Ask whether setup, service staff, crockery, drinks, cleaning, transport and taxes are included.
Ask when the caterer needs final numbers and what happens if attendance changes. Compare written quotes on the same basis, noting minimum spends, overtime and any extra cost for a chosen service style.
Ask each guest about their own needs
Give guests a clear way to report dietary requirements and a way to contact the organiser if a short form cannot capture them. Distinguish an allergy from a preference, and record the specific ingredient or requirement in the guest’s own words. Do not assume all members of one household have the same needs.
Only collect and share the information needed for catering. Give the relevant details to the caterer and the person coordinating service, and handle sensitive information respectfully.
Discuss allergies directly with the caterer
Ask how the caterer checks ingredients, avoids cross-contact during preparation, identifies individual meals and communicates with service staff. Where an allergy is involved, offer a direct conversation between the guest and caterer so the guest can ask the questions relevant to them. Do not promise that a meal is safe or allergen-free on the caterer’s behalf.
Food Standards Australia New Zealand and ASCIA both advise people with allergies to communicate their specific allergy and ask about ingredients and preparation. If a caterer cannot confirm they can meet an individual’s needs, discuss an alternative directly with that guest and venue.
Clarify religious and other dietary requirements
For a guest requesting halal food, ask what they require rather than assuming one standard suits everyone. Where relevant, ask the caterer about meat sourcing or certification, other ingredients, preparation and alcohol in food or drinks. Similarly, ask guests and providers to clarify vegetarian, vegan, kosher or other requirements rather than guessing.
A label on a menu is not a substitute for a conversation about the actual meal. Record agreed requirements accurately and ask the provider what can and cannot be supplied.
Make a final handover and service plan
After the RSVP deadline, reconcile the headcount with the seating plan and send the agreed information by the caterer’s deadline. Confirm where and how special meals will be identified, who can answer questions on the day, and how late changes are handled. For buffet or shared food, ask how ingredients are identified and how guests can discuss cross-contact concerns with the caterer.
Check that meals for children, staff and suppliers are included where agreed. Keep one named contact available during service and update them if a guest’s table or requirement changes.
Worked example · illustrative details
A useful handover
For an illustrative 100-person reception, the organiser sends the caterer the agreed total and separately identifies individual meal requirements for the relevant guests. The caterer confirms its preparation and service process, and the coordinator knows whom to contact if a table changes. The actual details and deadlines must come from your guests and provider.
Your next steps
- Prepare a consistent brief and request itemised catering quotes.
- Collect individual guest requirements and clarify uncertain details.
- Confirm preparation and service arrangements directly with the caterer.
- Send the final headcount and agreed dietary handover by the supplier’s deadline.
Common questions
Can an organiser guarantee a guest’s meal is safe?
Do not make that promise for the caterer. Give the guest and caterer a way to discuss the specific allergy, ingredients, preparation and service directly.
How should we ask about halal catering?
Ask the guest what they require, then discuss relevant ingredients, sourcing or certification, preparation and alcohol with the food provider. Requirements can differ between guests.
Useful next steps
Sources and further reading
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