Planning Your Catering Budget

Whether it’s a community celebration, a corporate outing, or your wedding, knowing your budget and planning your menu will be an essential element for your success. B&M Catering knows a thing or two about guiding customers through the necessary steps for successfully hosting a perfect event. Below are some things to consider that will support you in pulling together a budget-friendly and delicious gathering!

Things to Consider When Planning Your Catering Budget

Know your guests.

How many guests are you expecting?
Will children be attending?
Will your guests be satisfied with a self-serve buffet, or are they a sit-down dinner crowd?

We will help you figure out what kind of event service you can plan that will best suit your needs.
Our event guides will talk you through thinking about considerations such as the level of formality, the number of guests, and their expectations. With these areas figured out ahead of time, you can feel calm and in control on the actual day of your event.

Dietary requirements and special accommodations.

You’ll want to know in advance if anybody has any particular requirements. If children are present, we can help you figure out a separate menu. As for specialized dietary needs, keep count of the vegans, vegetarians, and diet-restricted guests when planning your menu. All of these considerations may impact the time required to prepare special requests and, thus, your budget.

Do you need wait staff for your event?

Staff costs are an often-missed area of budget planning. You’ll want to confirm with your caterer how many staff may be necessary and a picture of what those separate costs may look be. Labor and staff costs may affect your budget for full-service events, so a proactive approach is key to keeping your budget in line with your expectations.

Location, location, location.

Believe it or not, location can impact your catering budget! A remote venue may require additional catering set-up considerations. Venues that are catering friendly and convenient in location will likely be more budget-friendly. 

If you have a special event coming up, we invite you to look at our full-service catering menus online and contact us with your questions. We are always happy to provide a quote and work with our customers to meet their needs.