The food you select will play a role in the success of your wedding reception so be sure to choose the best caterer for the occasion—whether the catering is provided by the hotel staff, a private catering company you’ve hired to work at a banquet hall, or the private home you’ve chosen as your setting. A good caterer can offer you flexibility with the food and beverages you serve on your wedding day. And a great caterer can fulfill your wishes and do it all for a price within your budget!

Return to Simple Elegance
Tim Nalick of San Diego Private Chef sees a return to simple elegance in wedding catering in 2004 with a closer eye on the bottom line. “However this closer eye on the bottom line has not seemed to affect the catering budget,” he says. “I have seen a higher percentage of the overall wedding budget being dedicated to the actual food. More often than not, couples are indicating that they want their money spent in areas that are most tangible to them and their guests.

“I also find that wedding receptions are becoming more simple with price-conscious couples choosing drinks and hors d’oeuvres and/or a buffet over a sit-down dinner in many cases,” adds Nalick. “Couples are not only insisting that their food be appealing to the eye but that it truly tastes unbelievably good. They more often select imported cheeses, special sauces for their meats, lots of baby vegetables, and more handmade food items as opposed to pre-made foods.”

Refined Tastes
The biggest trend Nalick sees for 2004 is that people’s palates are significantly more developed and they want their reception food to reflect that. “I think couples want to share their refined tastes as a gift to their guests—staying away from a cookie-cutter meal where everyone is served the same simple plate—and embracing a variety of quality food that expresses their gratitude for sharing their most important day
with them.”

According to Michel Malecot of The French Gourmet, more and more couples are opting for Friday weddings. “This gives out-of-town guests an extra day of rejoicing and more time to visit San Diego,” he says. “Choosing a Friday wedding also provides couples with a larger choice of locations and a greater choice of suppliers since Fridays are less booked.”

Seafood Dishes
He adds that he sees elaborate seafood dishes such as halibut “en Papillote” are increasing in popularity. “But what remains the hottest item on couple’s minds is simply ‘good food’,” notes Malecot.

A caterer does much more than just provide good food. A caterer is responsible for setting up and cleaning up, and can work with your wedding coordinator to ensure the reception runs smoothly and seamlessly. The caterer handles all the necessary legwork so you can be free to enjoy the day with your guests. Additionally, your caterer can help you recognize some of the many details that will help set the stage for an unforgettable reception.

Impeccable Service,
Appealing Food
Because this is an area where you can really get creative, and because all of your guests will be interacting with the catering staff in some way—whether through the food or the servers—you want to make sure the service is impeccable and the food appealing. There are many local caterers who can do the job tastefully and masterfully.