Wedding catering business has recently become a booming opportunity for aspiring entrepreneurs. Everyone knows that quality service and food are the two things that make a wedding memotrable and therefore brides and grooms are catching on and investing in wedding catering. Wedding catering business offers a wide range of menu options, including brunch, cocktail receptions, multiple courses and dessert. There are many challenges to a successful wedding catering business.
The market:
The market for this kind of business in not just the people making bookings for the big day itself, but also for other events related to a wedding. This can range from bridal showers, farewell dinners, wedding receptions and rehearsal brunches. With a market so diverse, the cost of starting up in this business can go up to tens of thousands of dollars. But never fear. You can do away with most of the costs if you keep things simple. What is so beneficial about a wedding catering business is that it can be operated from home and that too, part time. You can start part-time while building business, expertise and a supply of equipment. It is up to the entrepreneur if he wishes to start an online operation.
The bare essentials:
A business license and a health department-approved facility are a must have before you start your wedding catering business. All equipment can be rented from party equipment rental companies. Some of the tactics you can employ to achieve success are:
- Attract business though ads in your local Yellow Pages, in the society or wedding section of your local paper and in special bridal supplements. Maintain a wedding-related or food blog and participate in popular wedding blog forums.
- Other wedding oriented vendors are your knights in shining armor. Establish good relations with all the bridal shops, hotels, country clubs, bakeries, photographers, video makers, musicians, jewelers, and florists that you can. You never know who has the potential to turn into a client and who can help you in a tight spot.
Wedding catering business can be quite stressful so you need to have the passion to provide great food, and to work long, difficult hours. You need to begin at the bottom of the industry and learn what it’s like to wash the dishes, load the trucks, set up scullery, scrape plates, etc. This allows you to appreciate what’s involved prior to the glamour of the event night.
Operating a wedding catering service is like quickly setting up a restaurant in a matter of hours – and then breaking it down again after the wedding is over. You really need to be organized and efficient if you are to succeed in this business.
Understanding the clients’ needs and whims, while still ensuring that what they ask is doable and reflects well on your business, is another skill set that needs practice and attention. It is important to be able to wade through the different personalities each client brings. It is an amalgamation and execution of all such tips and tactics that will allow your wedding catering business to thrive and grow.