The short answer
A wedding catering proposal is the caterer's itemized offer: a per-person price at an assumed guest count, what that price covers, and the charges added on top. Read it by checking the service style, courses, staffing and rentals included, then the service charge and the lines it applies to, tax, cake cutting, corkage and vendor meals, and last the final count deadline.
What does wedding catering include in the per-person price?
Find the per-person price and the guest count it is multiplied by. For example, a hypothetical menu at $85 per person for 120 guests is $85 x 120 = $10,200 before anything else is added. Check whether the proposal sets a minimum guest count, and whether children, vendor meals and guests who skip a course are priced differently.
Then read what the per-person price names: hors d'oeuvres, courses, bread, coffee, cake service or late-night food. Anything not named may be a separate line or not offered at all. Some items may be priced as flat fees instead of per person, such as a chef-attended station or a bartender, so keep those in their own rows.
- Per-person price and guest count used
- Minimum guest count
- Children and vendor meal pricing
- Courses and items named in the price
- Flat fees listed separately
Plated, buffet, family style or stations: what changes?
Service style changes the scope of the proposal, so compare quotes at the same style. A plated dinner means each guest is served at the table, which may need more servers and a way to track entree choices on RSVPs and place cards. A buffet raises questions about how much food is prepared per guest and how long it is replenished. Family style, with shared platters set on each table, raises questions about platter counts, refills and table space for the dishes.
Stations raise questions about how many stations there are, whether a chef attends any of them, and how long they stay open. If two caterers quote different styles, ask each for the same style before comparing totals, or note that the proposals describe different events.
How are catering staff charged?
Look for each staffing line: servers, bartenders, a captain or manager, and kitchen staff. Note the number of each, the hourly rate, any minimum hours and whether the hours include setup and breakdown. For example, a hypothetical line of 6 servers for 7 hours at $40 an hour is 6 x 7 x $40 = $1,680.
If your reception runs longer than planned, staff hours may run longer too. Ask how extra staff time is billed and who approves it. If the staffing line is missing, ask whether staff are included in the per-person price or will be added later. Put the answer in your worksheet next to the staffing line.
What is the service charge calculated on, and is tax added?
A service charge has a rate and a base, and both matter. For example, with hypothetical lines of food $10,200, staffing $1,680 and rentals $1,500, a 20% service charge on food alone is $2,040. The same 20% on all three lines is $13,380 x 0.20 = $2,676, a difference of $636. Ask the caterer to name the lines the charge applies to.
Ask whether any part of the service charge goes to staff, since the proposal may not say. For tax, ask which lines are taxed, including whether the service charge is. Rules vary by state, so ask the caterer to state the basis in writing, and a qualified tax professional in your state can answer questions about how it applies.
- Service charge rate
- Lines the service charge applies to
- Whether any of it goes to staff
- Tax rate and taxed lines
Does wedding catering include dishes, rentals and corkage?
A cake cutting fee is a charge for slicing and serving a cake from an outside baker; a proposal may price it per guest or per slice. A corkage fee is a charge for opening and serving alcohol you supply, and may be priced per bottle. For example, a hypothetical $15 corkage fee on 40 bottles is $15 x 40 = $600.
Check whether plates, glassware, flatware, linens, tables and chairs are part of the catering price, listed as a separate rental line, or left for you to arrange. Compare that list with what your venue includes so you do not order the same item twice, and ask the caterer to list any rental line item by item.
How much does wedding catering cost per person?
There is no single per-person catering cost you can rely on, because each proposal prices a different event. The figure depends on the menu and service style, the guest count, how many staff and hours are included, whether rentals are in the price, and which lines the service charge and tax are applied to. A low per-person price with separate staffing and rentals can end up above a higher price that includes them.
To get the figure for your date, ask each caterer for an itemized proposal at the same guest count and service style, then divide each full total by the guest count. For example, a hypothetical proposal totals $15,600 with all lines added for 120 guests: $15,600 / 120 = $130 per guest, even though the menu line reads $85 per person.
How do catering tastings work, and when is the final count?
Check whether a tasting is included, for how many people, and whether a tasting fee is credited to your booking. Then find the final count deadline and what happens after it: whether you can add guests, whether you can reduce the count, and whether your final payment is recalculated from that count. Put the deadline on your calendar with the payment it triggers.
Ask about leftovers directly. A caterer may pack leftover food for you, may decline for food safety reasons, or may leave it to a venue rule. Finally confirm vendor meals: how many, the price, and whether they are served at the same time as guests.
- Tasting: included, guests, fee credit
- Final count deadline and changes after it
- Final payment tied to the count
- Leftovers policy
- Vendor meal count and price
Catering proposal breakdown
Use one row for a decision or deliverable. Keep unanswered items visible. Download the blank worksheet to open in Excel, Numbers or Google Sheets.
On a small screen, swipe the worksheet sideways to see the remaining columns.
| Line | Amount or rate | Base or quantity | Question to ask |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per-person price and guest count | — | — | — |
| Service style and courses | — | — | — |
| Staffing: roles, hours, rate | — | — | — |
| Service charge: rate and base | — | — | — |
| Tax: rate and taxed lines | — | — | — |
| Cake cutting and corkage | — | — | — |
| Rentals included or separate | — | — | — |
| Tasting | — | — | — |
| Final count deadline | — | — | — |
| Vendor meals | — | — | — |
A message you can make your own
Add your document reference and the questions that apply. You decide what to send and send it yourself.
Thank you for the proposal. To compare it accurately, could you clarify a few lines? Which lines does the service charge apply to, does any of it go to staff, and which lines are taxed? How many staff are included, for how many hours, and how is extra time billed? Please also confirm whether plates, glassware, linens and tables are included, the cake cutting and corkage fees, the final count deadline, and your leftovers policy. An itemized revision at our current guest count would be very helpful.
Common questions
Is the per-person catering price the total price?
The per-person catering price is one part of the total, not the total. Staffing, rentals, a service charge, tax, cake cutting and vendor meals may each be added on top. Multiply the per-person price by your guest count, add each separate line, and ask the caterer to confirm the full amount in writing at your current count.
Does wedding catering include alcohol?
Wedding catering includes alcohol only if the proposal says so, and some caterers do not serve alcohol at all. Check whether the proposal has a bar package, who holds the license to serve, whether bartenders are a separate staffing line, and whether a corkage fee applies if you supply your own. Your venue contract may also set rules on who can serve alcohol.
Can you negotiate wedding catering prices?
You can ask a caterer to revise a wedding catering proposal, and the itemized lines show where there is room to ask. Changing the service style, the number of courses, the staffing hours or the rentals changes the scope, so ask for a revised proposal that shows the new lines. Any agreed change belongs in the written contract before you sign.
Is a catering service charge the same as a tip?
A catering service charge is not necessarily a tip. Ask the caterer whether any part of the service charge is paid to staff and get the answer in writing. If none of it is, decide separately whether to tip, how much, and who hands it over on the day.
Can I lower my guest count after the final count deadline?
Lowering a guest count after the final count deadline depends on what the catering contract says. Some contracts state that the final count is the minimum you pay for, even if fewer guests attend. If yours is unclear, ask the caterer in writing what happens to the price if the count drops after the deadline.
Why do two catering quotes for the same menu look so different?
Two catering quotes for the same menu can differ because they price different events. Check whether they assume the same guest count, service style, staffing hours and rentals, and whether the service charge is applied to the same lines. Put both on the same assumptions before you compare the totals.