---
title: "22 questions to ask a wedding caterer before you book"
description: "22 questions that pin down a caterer quote before you pay a deposit: per-head inclusions, staff, corkage, allergens, dry hire kitchens and the hygiene rating."
canonical: https://getaisley.com/guides/questions-to-ask-wedding-caterer
last_updated: 2026-09-05
---

# 22 questions to ask a wedding caterer before you book

> 22 questions that pin down a caterer quote before you pay a deposit: per-head inclusions, staff, corkage, allergens, dry hire kitchens and the hygiene rating.

Published 5 September 2026, by Dominika, Co-founder of Aisley. Canonical: https://getaisley.com/guides/questions-to-ask-wedding-caterer

Catering for 80 guests costs [£5,000 to £9,000](https://getaisley.com/guides/how-much-does-a-wedding-cost-uk) in the UK, which makes it the second biggest line on most budgets and the one with the most moving parts. Per-head prices that leave out the staff, corkage that first appears on the final invoice, allergens nobody asked about until the seating plan: these 22 questions get all of it in writing before you pay a deposit.

They are grouped by money, food, drink, the day and the paperwork, so you can take them to a tasting, and the section at the end explains what a caterer's quote should add up to.

## Money

A per-head price is the start of the number, not the end of it. Staff, service charge, hire and VAT can add 30 to 50 percent, so the first job is to find out what your quote actually includes.

1. What exactly does the per-head price include: food only, or staff, crockery, glassware, linen, kitchen hire and VAT?
2. Is there a service charge, what percentage is it, and is it discretionary?
3. How are staff charged: per guest, or per staff member per hour with a minimum, and what ratio of staff to guests do you work to?
4. Is a tasting included, and if not, what does it cost and is it refunded if we book?
5. What do children's meals and supplier meals cost per head?
6. What happens to the price if our numbers change, up or down, and when is the final headcount due?
7. What is the deposit, when is the balance due, and what do we lose if we cancel or postpone?

## The food

On allergens, know the rule before you ask. Since October 2021, food prepacked for direct sale, a boxed sandwich say, needs a full ingredient label. Plated wedding food does not need a label, but the caterer must still provide information on all 14 named allergens for every dish, either in writing or verbally with a written notice telling guests how to ask, [under the Food Standards Agency's guidance for food businesses](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/allergen-guidance-for-food-businesses/allergen-guidance-for-food-businesses). A good caterer will have a written allergen matrix for your menu and a plan for who serves the coeliac on table six.

1. Can we taste the actual menu we will be served, with the wine, before we sign?
2. How do you handle dietary requirements and allergens: is there a written allergen breakdown for each dish, how do you collect requirements from our guests, and how does the right plate reach the right person on the day?
3. Is the menu seasonal, and how late can we change it?
4. Is the food cooked on site or prepared elsewhere and finished at the venue?
5. What evening food do you offer, what does it cost per head, and how many guests should we cater for?

## Drinks

1. If we supply our own wine, what is the corkage per bottle, and does it cover chilling, glassware and pouring?
2. Do you run the bar, and who holds the alcohol licence for the day: the venue, or a temporary event notice you or we apply for?
3. What is in your drinks package: how many glasses at the reception, how much wine with the meal, and a toast drink?

Corkage is where a cheap-looking quote grows. At £10 to £15 a bottle, and half a bottle per guest for the meal, 80 guests adds £400 to £600 before the toast. Weigh it against the caterer's own wine list, and [ask the venue the same question](https://getaisley.com/guides/questions-to-ask-wedding-venue), because at some venues both charge it.

## The day

Dry hire venues, marquees and village halls hand the whole kitchen problem to the caterer, and the caterer hands the bill to you. Ask before you fall for the barn.

1. What kitchen facilities do you need at our venue, and if it has none, what does a catering tent, power, water and refrigeration cost and who arranges it?
2. How many staff will be on the day, who leads them, and will that person be at our tasting?
3. How long will service take for our numbers, and how does that fit with speeches?
4. Who clears, washes up and removes the rubbish, and until what time do your staff stay?

## The paperwork

1. Do you carry public liability and employer's liability insurance, and can we see the certificate our venue will ask for?
2. What is your food hygiene rating, and when was your last inspection?
3. Is there a cake cutting fee, and do you serve the cake as dessert or in the evening?

The food hygiene rating is real and you can check it yourself. Every registered food business in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is inspected by its local council and rated from 0 to 5, and the Food Standards Agency publishes them at [ratings.food.gov.uk](https://ratings.food.gov.uk). Displaying the sticker is compulsory in Wales and Northern Ireland and voluntary in England, so a caterer who does not mention theirs is worth a search. Anything under 4 wants an explanation; a caterer with no rating at all may not be registered, which is a much bigger problem than the score.

## What a caterer's quote should add up to

Ask for the quote broken down along these lines, for your exact numbers, including VAT. Two caterers quoting £65 a head can be £2,000 apart once staff and hire are added.

| Line | Typical range for 80 guests |
| --- | --- |
| Canapés | £8 to £15 per head |
| Three course plated meal | £45 to £85 per head |
| Sharing or buffet meal | £35 to £60 per head |
| Evening food | £8 to £15 per head, for 60 to 70 percent of guests |
| Children's meals | £15 to £25 per head |
| Supplier meals | £20 to £35 per head |
| Staff | £15 to £25 per staff member per hour, or 15 to 20 percent of the food bill |
| Service charge | 10 to 12.5 percent, if charged |
| Crockery, glassware and linen hire | £5 to £12 per head |
| Corkage | £10 to £15 per bottle |
| Cake cutting | £1 to £3 per slice, often waived |
| Tasting | Free to £150, often refunded on booking |

*Typical 2026 quotes couples share with us, excluding a marquee kitchen. Some caterers quote all-in per head, which hides the same lines inside one number.*

## How to use these

Send the money questions by email before the tasting, so the full price exists in writing and you never taste a menu you cannot afford. Bring the food and day questions to the tasting, where the lead on the day should be in the room. Ask the paperwork questions last, and look up the hygiene rating yourself before you ask about it. The same rhythm works for [the venue](https://getaisley.com/guides/questions-to-ask-wedding-venue) and [the photographer](https://getaisley.com/guides/questions-to-ask-wedding-photographer): price on paper first, then the meeting, then the fine print. And if the quote comes back above budget, [negotiate the menu rather than the rate](https://getaisley.com/guides/how-to-negotiate-wedding-venue-price).

## Quick answers

### How much does a wedding caterer cost per head in the UK?

£45 to £85 a head for a three course plated meal in 2026, and £35 to £60 for sharing platters or a buffet, before staff, hire, service charge and drinks. All-in, with canapés, evening food and staff, most couples land between £70 and £120 a head.

### Do we have to feed our wedding suppliers?

Most photographer, videographer and band contracts require a hot meal, and it is good manners for anyone working more than six hours. Budget £20 to £35 a head for four to eight people, and tell the caterer the number so it appears in the quote rather than on the final bill.

### Can we bring our own caterer to a wedding venue?

At dry hire venues, marquees and halls, yes, and you will also need to arrange or pay for the kitchen. Many hotels and country houses insist on in-house catering or an approved list, and going outside it can cost a fee or be refused. Ask the venue before you ask the caterer.

### Do wedding caterers have to provide allergen information?

Yes. Plated and buffet food does not need a printed label, but the caterer must be able to tell guests which of the 14 named allergens each dish contains, in writing or verbally with a written notice explaining how to ask. Ask for the allergen matrix for your menu and a plan for serving guests with requirements.

### Should we tip the wedding caterers?

Not if a service charge is on the bill, which it usually is. If there is none and the team was good, £10 to £20 per staff member handed to the lead on the night is generous and appreciated. Ask whether tips go to the staff or the business.