— The Christmas season is busy, hectic, and joyful, and a secret reason for the joyfulness is that it is also a popular season for marriage proposals. “Wedding plans follow close behind the proposal meaning, now is the time to book the caterer,” advises Leon Castillo from Popolo Catering in San Luis Obispo.
Wedding planning professionals report that the most popular days for marriage proposals are:
- Christmas Day
- Valentines Day
- Christmas Eve
- New Year’s Day
- New Year’s Eve
- The two weekends before Christmas Day.
Planning a wedding during the holidays might seem like overload, but the earlier the planning the better the chances of reserving the caterer. Most caterers are all booked for weddings for the coming year by late February or early March, reports Castillo. Booking the caterer early means the bride and wedding planner can relax about one important part of the wedding celebration.
Working with a caterer involves more than adding the wedding date and location to the appointment book and selecting a menu. But, once those things are out of the way, the bride can focus on the rest of her wedding plans. The San Luis Obispo caterer has prepared a “things to do” checklist for working with the caterer to help streamline the process for the bride and her wedding planner.
How many guests are we expecting?
Catering prices are based on a per-person cost for the selected menu. Estimating the number of guests helps with budgeting and menu selection. The number of guests is expected to change some over the coming months, but an estimate is a starting point. Other things to consider include:
- Is the rehearsal dinner to be catered?
- Are any other activities, such as the bachelor party, to be catered?
Is the caterer available?
Call the caterers on your shortlist to check availability. Remember that caterers book up quickly so consider having a few dates in mind.
Schedule the tasting appointment
Schedule an appointment to sample the menu options, ask questions, and discuss the full suite of services the caterer provides. This appointment is also the time to discuss dietary requests, such as vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and food allergies.
A full-service caterer such as the San Luis Obispo caterer, announces menus, dietary accommodations, and their full suite of services on their website. Popolo Catering makes a strong effort to customize its menus and services to make the special day one of the best memories for the bride and groom and all of their guests.
Review the contract
Review the contract thoroughly. Pay attention to the details, including the menu, pricing, payment schedule, cancellation policies, logistics, and any additional services provided. Ensure everything is clear and aligns with your expectations before signing.
Stay in touch with the caterer
Once the contract is signed, there may be a few months of relative peace and quiet when the bride can turn her attention to all of the other demands of planning the wedding. It’s still a good practice to check in with the caterer periodically, even if it’s just to say, “The plans are going well, do you have any questions?”
As the big day gets closer, communicate more frequently. Items to verify include:
- Is everything still on schedule?
- What issues need to be resolved?
- What is the final guest count?
- Are there any menu changes?
- Finalize the setup, such as linens, table seating, serving stations, and serving times for meals, drinks, champagne, and the cake.
About Popolo Catering
Popolo Catering is a family-owned and operated catering business managed by Leon and Kat Castillo. A true family business, members of the Castillo family manage key positions in the company and contribute to Popolo Catering becoming one of the most popular caterers on the Central Coast. Services include a free online quote estimator that helps with budget planning.
Focusing on food service and catering since 1986,. Leon started catering full-time in 2006, after acquiring Popolo Catering. Kat, Leon, and the entire team pride themselves in delicious and flavorful fusion and comfort foods and an unsurpassed level of personalized service. The Castillo family is especially honored to take part in weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, and other special community events.
Popolo Catering
1605 Calle Joaquin
San Luis Obispo, CA 93405
(805) 543-9543
