Why Catering Costs in Washington DC and Northern Virginia

Bartenders at the Inn at Little Seneca, Boyds MD

The winter months of each year are the times when wedding vendors see an influx of new inquiries. “What does Menu #1 on your website cost?”  “We are on a tight budget…” “We don’t want to pay more than xxx for the reception”. 

Wedding receptions can be expensive, there is no argument there.  Yet, if your guest count exceeds 200 guests,  you already have an elephant in the room.  The #1 rule in keeping your expenses under control is your guest count.  Most caterers are going to quote a per person cost.  Of course there are couples who have extended families and friends on both sides; food isn’t less expensive when there is more.

Typical expenses involved in a catering quote involve:
1. The menu.  A Teatime quote  includes not only the appetizers, the main buffet items, but also the non alcoholic beverages.  It includes a wedding cake at no additional charge.  It buffers in when there is a major crop freeze in Florida and Romain lettuce is three times it’s normal price.   It may very well have to factor in the sky rocketing price of beef if the sequestor takes place, and we no longer have the current amount of Federal Meat Inspectors employed.



Teatime Delicacies Catering in Washington DC

2. The rentals.  The price of the venue you are using is a separate expense from catering, and it can fluctuate wildly.  There are venues in the Washington DC and Northern Virginia area that run from several thousand dollars to nearly $10,000. What Teatime provides in rentals includes all the linens, the plates, cutlery, bar glasses, champagne flutes, coffee cups.  Linens for food and bar tables, cake, DJ, gift tables.  Napkins, bistro table linens.  A wedding reception for 100 guests may end up utilizing 30-40 table cloths alone.  You can always opt to replace bar glasses with clear plastic disposable to help reduce expenses, or even go with all disposable plates and cutlery, but few people really want paper table linens at their wedding reception.



Bartend set up Thomas Birkby House, Leesburg VA www.birkbyhouse.com

3.  The Service.  Unlike with rentals, there are no substitutions.  There is NO replacement for a well trained bartender. Few venues if any will allow guests to self serve.  Any reputable caterer is required to carry a minimum of $1 million in liability insurance.  These are costs built into using a professional service.  There is kitchen staff, wait staff, bartender(s) and a manager on duty. 
In many venues the catering staff is required to do all the table and chair set up.  A typical booking time is an 8 hour chunk of time.  A 100 guest reception can require a staff of 8 people.

WHAT WON’T WORK:
No, limiting the amount of food won’t save you money.  Guests attend a wedding reception because they want to eat, drink and have a good time.  Limiting the amount of food selections only means we need to bring more of each item. The LAST thing you want your guests to remember is how the caterer ran out of food.
No, just serving appetizers won’t be the solution.  Read above.
No, limiting the amount of staff doesn’t work, it only means the remaining staff works harder to get the job done. 
No, just because the bride and groom are bearing the brunt of the expenses without family assistance – this doesn’t reduce the cost of a wedding reception. 

What someone pays to have dinner at an all-you-can-eat restaurant is apples and oranges with regards to off site catering.  Much of a restaurant’s pricing is already built in.  Catering off site is from the ground on up.




Collingwod on the Potomac, Alexandria VA

Be open and flexible, yet still strive to maintain a budget.  Realize the budget you start out with may not be realistic.  Each venue provides it’s own unique set of circumstances.  Some venues would require additional staff, some would require more tables and chairs.  Don’t box yourself in by saying “we don’t want to pay more than xxx” until you educate yourself with all the options available.
Teatime maintains a philosophy of trying to help you determine what your priorities are and to help you save when possible.  After all, we are all in this together in that we want a GREAT party!!
www.teatimeinc.com