When you search for wedding caterers near me during the COVID-19 pandemic? You should be presented with perfect options, but not so fast. We have provided you with the important things you must consider when searching for wedding caterers during the COVID-19 pandemic. We’ve also included the latest Covid-19 guidance, to be sure we keep updating it to ensure you remain up to date too!
1. Chose your wedding caterers location
When searching for a wedding caterer, we’d advise you to search your local area for catering resources, here’s why… hiring a local wedding caterer will usually mean your event costs will be slightly lower due to a number of factors such as; local sourcing of product, local travel to your venue for vendors and staff.
Save Money By searching Local Wedding Caterers Near Me
For example if you live in the Bay Area and are searching for wedding caterers. A great place to start would be a quick Google search. Simply type into Google “wedding caterers near me” or “wedding caterers Bay Area”, this will give you a list of the most local caterers to you.
Location, Location, Location
If you’re looking for local wedding caterers, this may mean that you have already found your wedding venue. However, if you haven’t found a local wedding venue due to COVID-19 restrictions. The government advises you to check with your local health and safety agency for restrictions and guidance for the area you want to have your wedding ceremony and reception in. Check to see that there are no local COVID-19 outbreaks or restrictions.
Knowledge of local food resources
Using a local caterer for your wedding reception will generally mean they’ll use local produce from within the region. This generally means your wedding menu will consist of locally sustained foods that will be of better quality, as it hasn’t been frozen or processed.
There may be further restrictions to the number of guests you are allowed to have at your wedding venue based on its location and known COVID hotpots. Local wedding caterers like Local Catering Services readily keep up to date with the US COVID-19 rules and regulations. In the Bay Area we’ll be able to advise you on what the best practice will be in terms of catering and your guest restrictions.
2. COVID-19 compliant catering policies and procedures
You must ensure that your wedding caterers have COVID-19 policies and procedures in place. You should be able to ask your catering company for a copy of their COVID-19 compliant procedures. This information should be then relayed to your guests prior to your wedding day. For example, you can click here to see our Local Catering Services COVID-19 Compliant policies and procedures.
Having a copy of these procedures will make you and your guests feel far more comfortable and safe to attend on your big day. It will also mean you and your guests will understand how your chosen wedding caterer will conduct your wedding service in relation to social distancing and personal protective equipment (PPE). Unfortunately, PPE and social distancing is now becoming the new normal for weddings, parties, baby showers, funerals, corporate events and more.
3. Food for your wedding catering (Updated)
As of the12th of August 2020, there is a maximum of 15 people allowed to attend your wedding ceremony including the wedding couple, officiates and guests and third party wedding suppliers. But the number of 15 does not include third party outsourced caterers like Local Catering Services. Meaning your wedding caterers do not need to be included within your venue guest count.
With social distancing (6 foot+) in place there are many ways around wedding day catering to ensure you and your guests remain safe. See below for our simple ways to safely cater to your guests.
- Food service
According to CDC guidelines food and drink should be served by the catering staff to minimize 3rd party contact. Therefore, events must utilize staffed buffet service and sit down 3-course meals are a viable wedding catering option, so long as it is served by your catering staff, and guests are seated at tables with adequate spacing.
- For hot buffets
Due to COVID-19 Guidelines buffet services can be tricky, however, here’s a simple solutions for wedding buffets. Check to see if your wedding caterers will provide staff-served buffets as opposed to a self-service buffet. Unfortunately this method of service will increase the cost for the buffet service – but in this situation safety should be your top priority. Most caterers have COVID-19 Compliant catering services that will enable them to safely serve you and your guests.
- For cold buffets
Check to see if your wedding caterers are able to provide individual buffet boxes for the guests. This will allow your guests to taste everything on your wedding buffet in an individual box, meaning they’ll be no random hands in the buffet, this will also make sure that social distancing will not be a problem.
- 3-course wedding meals
If your wedding venue does not provide serving staff. Using Local Catering Services as your chosen wedding caterer will help this situation. Be sure to ask if your wedding caterers if they can provide servers for your wedding.
- Outdoor catering
It’s a scientific fact that the transmission of COVID-19 is reduced in an outdoor setting. Once the CDC relaxes the “Social Distancing Rules” to reduce the risk of COVID-19, we’d reconsider outdoor wedding catering or enquiring about this with your chosen caterer.
4. Save money on your wedding venue
Finding a wedding venue for your wedding ceremony and reception is as important as your caterers. In the current COVID-19 climate, you’ll need to choose a wedding venue that is large enough to allow your maximum number of guests and caterers to safely socially distance.
As wedding venues are desperate for new bookings during these tight times, so you may be able to secure yourself a bargain if you book now and choose a wedding date for later in 2020 or 2021. Local Catering Services is already booking caterings for 2021 and 2022. Our clients are now securing their wedding venues at discounted rates due to the pandemic downturn.
The cheapest way to book your wedding venue at the moment is to book it now while we’re still in the pandemic. Make sure you book your venue on a credit card to ensure you have insurance coverage, should your venue not be able to provide the service going forward.
If you are looking for COVID-19 Compliant wedding caterers in the Bay Area, get in contact with us today. We offer a free menu consultation over the phone for traditional American Food, BBQ, Italian and Caribbean Cuisine. Make us your wedding catering company.
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