As a full service wedding catering and event company, we have seen countless weddings and special events and would love to offer our opinions on things to do and things not to do for your upcoming special day!

DO’S:

Provide Enough Time for All Food and Beverage Services

• Nothing is worse than being rushed through for your event.  As a full service event company, we can help you with providing average times for your food service such as dinner service, hors d’oeuvres service and your late night buffet.

Ensure enough beverage options are available for your guests

• It is your wedding so you should have the items on the bar that you would like to enjoy and offer a well rounded number of options for your guests. Work with your caterer or bar service provider to have what you would like on the bar along with enough mixes, ice, garnish etc. As well ensure you have some non-alcoholic options available too for the little ones, designated drivers and those that don’t drink alcohol.

Make Sure You and Your Fiance’s Personality are Mixed into the Event

• Everyone is going to have their opinion into what you should do for your wedding but remember, this is your special day and it should be the way you would like it. Mix in your likes and favourite things too to make it extra special for you and your guests. At Vivid Hospitality, we love to create dishes that represent the couple whether it’s a special family dish or a cultural favourite that you would like us to elevate.

Ask Lots of Questions

• Please ask any and every question that you have to your caterer. It’s better to ask and be prepared then caught off guard with something that may add extra work in the few weeks prior to the big day. From food to timeline to namecards, we are here to provide our expertise to help make things easier for you.

Book Your Vendors Well in Advance

• As we know there is only a certain amount of weekends during peak wedding season, and vendors will fill up quickly. So once you know which ones you like, book them. The majority of the details will be finalized closer to but you want to get the vendors booked that you really want to be part of your special day.

Have great food!

• Food is one of the top three things that you and your guests will talk about every time your special day comes up in conversation. Go with a caterer that has delicious food and makes sure that you have plenty of it!  This can be done through hors d’oeuvres, full dinner, whether plated or buffet, and even late night.

DON'TS:

Forget Dietary Restrictions and Allergies

• On your RSVP cards, whether you are doing buffet or plated, provide a line for your guests to provide you with their dietary restrictions. Everyone needs to eat at the wedding and this ensures everyone gets to enjoy the food you have chosen based on their restrictions. If you are doing a plated meal, we suggest that this is provided to you based on their entrée selection. Once provided to your caterer, they should make sure that all guests are accommodated. Don’t hesitate to ask what the modifications will be! 

Feel pressure to go Traditional

• Weddings are far less traditional now a days then they used to be. You don’t have to do a traditional 3 or 4 course plated dinner. Go with buffet, food stations, cocktail style. They are all amazing! Work with the caterer to ensure you have enough food though if you do food stations or cocktail style to make sure guests are still full; especially when the alcohol is flowing

Forget the Food Tasting

• This is the fun part! You get to go to the caterer and enjoy the food that you are going to have at your wedding. At Vivid Hospitality, this is a fun date night for you both where you taste virtually the whole menu so you can make your decisions later on of the perfect meal for your wedding

Forget to Find Out What’s Included at Your Venue for You and Your Caterer’s Use

• Many venues have many things available to you. Make sure you get an extensive list from them to ensure you aren’t spending money on something that’s already available such as glassware, tables, bartenders etc. 

Forget to Ask about Additional Options

• Most caterers will have a standard menu for you to choose from. Don’t hesitate to ask your caterer if they can customize something for you. If you really wanted Lobster but it’s not on their menu, ask! It’s never hurts.  Also, ask your caterer if they can help you out with your rentals such as tables, chairs, linens, napkins, cutlery, dishware, glassware, service staff, bartenders etc.  Many full service caterers have everything you will need for your wedding OR a great list of vetted vendors to use if they don’t supply it directly.

As seen in the Fall/Winter 2025 issue of The Wedding Ring Magazine

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT VIVID HOSPITALITY | To speak with Vivid Hospitality about your wedding options, you can reach them using the form below.