If you haven’t discovered this yet, planning a wedding takes a lot of time, energy and an experienced team of professionals. There are so many vendors to source and vet, so one great way to save yourself time and to streamline the process, is to choose a venue with in-house catering services.
If you are anything like us, sharing good meal with your friends and loved ones is a high priority for your wedding!
There are some amazing venues in Austin that bundle catering with the rental of their space. And there are some really great advantages to booking one of these venues:
5. Fresh, hot food prepared on site
One the benefits of booking a venue that includes catering, is that you know the food will be served hot and fresh from a kitchen that is located right on the property. Some venues have very small prep-kitchens that are far away from the event space making food service more challenging, and some do not allow cooking onsite at all. So this is something to consider if food is a high priority to you.
4. Food logistics are handled
Whether you are considering a plated meal, stations or a buffet there are a lot of logistics required to make the meal go flawlessly. You will need to decide where is the best place to have the food service tables to make service go smoothly and ensure that the catering staff is not disruptive. (no one wants to sit by the kitchen door or by the station where servers are bussing plates) When working with a venue that serves food, their staff will know the best ways to make the space work best for your group and how to stage the food. This ensures that your meal feels effortless, quick and efficient.
3. Flexibility with changes and adjustments
With an onsite kitchen, the catering staff can help with a lot more than you may see. Let’s say your cousin just started dating a new lady, but he forgets to list her gluten allergy on the RSVP card. This could be a small disaster, but with a kitchen conveniently located on property, they can whip up an extra gluten free meal quickly to ensure everyone is fed and happy!
2. Your tasting will be offered at the venue
With a venue that offers catering, your tasting can be a very important step in the planning process and can include a planning meeting. You can take this time to discuss your floor plan and how the meal service will logistically affect your overall event timeline. This could also be a great opportunity to have your wedding planner join you for an in person planning meeting.
1. Lots of inclusions with in-house catering!
Most venues that offer food also offer beverage packages. This can save you a lot of headache by sourcing both food and drinks from your venue. They will most likely provide everything you need for your meal service such as buffet or station tables, flatware, china and glassware. Although you may want to make substitutions based on your wedding design, having china and glassware provided by the venue can be a great launching off place to include in your table designs. (and save you a bit on rentals!) A lot of these venues also have extras that you can use such as display trays for the dessert station or bar napkins in case you opt not to order custom ones.
If you choose a venue with in-house catering, you want to make sure to have in-depth discussion with the venue manager about your food & beverage expectations and any special requests. For example if you want halal meat, a fully vegan meal, or that one specific type of wine that you tried at a small vineyard in Italy, you’ll definitely want to discuss the venue’s flexibility around these requests before you commit with a contract.
There are a lot of beautiful venues in the Austin area, and we know that you will find the perfect one to fit your style and budget! (especially if you’re working with us! 😉 If you are on the hunt for a venue that checks a few more items off your to-do list, then we highly recommend you choose a venue with in-house catering, as it may be a great fit for you!
-By: Alana Harrison
