Congratulations, you are engaged to your soulmate. Now get ready to organise the biggest day of your life, that's the challenging part! The average marriage costs approximately £19,500 according to a recent study by Brewer Dolphin Securities and a major portion of this will be costs involving the wedding reception and wedding catering. Traditionally the brides family are responsible for making all the wedding arrangements, this is true in many different cultures and communities. The arrangements would include the cost of wedding catering, drink, wedding cake, staff, flowers, entertainment and venue. Today, many couples cover the cost of the wedding reception themselves in order to have more autonomy over the preparations and minimise the burden on their loved ones. Some couples share the cost between the families, so the financial strain does not lie with one family. The wedding reception is no doubt the biggest expense with wedding catering being

the most expensive aspect of it. Careful planning and budgeting is essential.

Planning is usually done between 18 months and a minimum of 3 months prior to the wedding date. Popular wedding venues and popular wedding caterers may get booked up, up to 1 year in advance so it is recommended that bookings be confirmed in as soon as you are in a position to commit. The success of your wedding reception will ultimately depend on the skill of your wedding caterer. If the food is fresh, served hot and tastes delectable, guests will definitely be praising your organisational skills. Wedding caterers will be able to advise of the best service methods once venue and numbers have been confirmed. Based on this important information and discussions with the couple with regards to their own personal vision of their special day, a reputable and experienced wedding caterer will advise on suitable menus for food and beverages and timing schedules for food service.

Many wedding caterers now are more akin to complete event organisers and can assist with many other aspects of organising the reception ie; organising venues, hire of cutlery and crockery, supplying beverages, organising entertainment and even decorate the venue in the theme of your choice. The prospective couple have a one-stop shop for all their wedding organising needs and more importantly it means that there is quite literally one point of contact for the wedding day, sounds better than dealing with 10 different suppliers and delegating responsibility to family members to co-ordinate them. This essentially means that much of the responsibility and liability lies with the wedding caterer, leaving the bridal parties to enjoy their big day. This type of complete event organisation service may come at a premium but could save a lot of stress in the long run.

For advice on wedding catering and event organising, please contact Curry Special Ltd on 020 8518 3003.