Wedding Caterers in North Carolina: How to Choose Yours

Find Wedding Caterers in North Carolina

Wedding Catering Tips and Menu Planning Guide for Raleigh-Durham, the NC Triad, Mountains and Coast

The centerpiece of any wedding reception is the meal. It’s an age-old tradition – as two individuals form a lifelong partnership, their families and friends break bread together in celebration. For many, catering is the most memorable part of the day. So when it comes to picking your NC wedding caterers, you want to get it right.

Fortunately, being part of the North Carolina’s foodie scene has advantages – even when it comes to weddings. NC has a wide range of wedding catering options, from whole hog barbecue to live action stir fry stations to authentic Indian cuisine and farm-to-table multi-course meals. Regardless of what type of wedding meal you have in mind, you need to be prepared before you start shopping for your wedding caterer.

When Should I Book My Wedding Caterer?

Do not book a wedding caterer until you’ve chosen your venue! You might end up at a venue that offers in-house catering. Other venues have a list of approved caterers. Please note, the Heart of NC Weddings preferred caterers are all highly respected in our region and will overlap with many of these venue lists – so our vendor directory is a great place to start your research!

If you have chosen a wedding venue that does not provide in-house catering, you will need to hire a wedding caterer. Start shopping for your wedding caterer 9-12 months in advance.

When you inquire with a wedding caterer, you will be asked to provide the following information:

• Your wedding date. Even caterers with large operations have a limit on how many events they can book on a particular date, so this is the most important piece of the puzzle.
• Your wedding location. Most caterers have a range of mileage they will travel for wedding jobs.
• Your guest count. The caterer will not be able to give you an accurate quote unless you have an idea on guest count.

How Much Does Wedding Catering Cost in Raleigh, Durham, Cary and Chapel Hill, NC?

Think about your wedding meal budget this way: Imagine that you are taking your partner out to a special date night. You order appetizers first, then salad, go all out with prime rib for the main course and top it off by sharing a bottle of your favorite red wine. That’s going to run you a couple hundred dollars or more. Let’s just say $130-140 per person with gratuity. Now multiply that by your number of guests, and that’s approximately how much your wedding meal will cost! Alternately, you take your date to a taco joint. Maybe you order some chips and salsa and a pitcher of margaritas. Now you might be looking at $25-30 per person.

Obviously, there’s a wide range of options and price points when it comes to the wedding meal. For food, packages range from $40-$100 per person from most Triangle area wedding caterers. Even if you only choose a minimal package, which could be in the $20-30 range, with staffing and tax you’ll be looking at that $40 starting point.

Alcohol is a different ball game. Some caterers and bar services charge by consumption. But, most charge an hourly rate per person. This is going to be retail rates just like when you have dinner at a nice restaurant. So think in terms of $20-30 per person, per hour. Whoever is serving your alcohol must be ABC licensed. Learn more about alcohol pricing and packages through our bartending services guide.

At the end of the day, your wedding catering budget is going to be based on your guest count! But the rule of thumb is that your wedding venue fee combined with the meal (food and drink) combined should make up about 60% of the total reception cost.

What to Know When Searching for NC Wedding Caterers

• Before you begin shopping for a wedding caterer, the first step is to book your wedding venue and estimate how many guests will attend.
• If the venue did not recommend a caterer to you, ask prospective catering companies you meet if they’ve worked at the venue before.
• Find out from your caterer what their speciality is, or the most popular dishes for your wedding season.
• Ask your caterer if they can accommodate special dietary requirements, and how they take care of those requests on the wedding day.
• Talk about the wedding tasting. Is it private, or at a group event? Both are absolutely fine ways to taste the food. Make sure you are tasting the items that interest you the most!
• Ask if the caterer is ABC licensed and serve alcohol. If so, discuss bar packages accordingly.
• Ask about dessert packages your caterer may offer.
• Ask about vendor meals. Typically the caterer will remind you to count them in!

Planning Your Wedding Menu

Your wedding caterer will be able to guide you through planning a delicious menu. Many have sample menus to choose from. Other popular NC caterers like to build custom menus based on your story as a couple.

What are the different options for serving food at a wedding?

• Passed hors d’oeuvres – This is a popular way to serve guests during cocktail hour. Start off the wedding meal with delicious bites that will get people excited for the meal to come.
• Grazing tables – This trendy style of serving charcuterie has taken the wedding world by storm. Think way beyond the standard meat and cheese options. Many caterers specialize in grazing tables and can create a gorgeous spread overflowing with fruits, appetizers and specialty foods that will serve as a centerpiece of your cocktail hour or reception.
• Live action stations – An interactive way to serve guests, placing live action stations throughout your reception is also a way to feed large numbers of people efficiently and minimize the time guests will have to wait in line.
• Buffet – This classic catering service style may allow your guests more entree and side choices than other service options. This is a perfect way to accommodate guests with dietary restrictions like dairy or gluten allergies, or if you have many vegetarian or vegan guests. This also allows guests to choose their own portion size, minimizing food waste.
• Table service with pre-plated meals – This style of catering is one of the most elegant and refined service options. After all, we all know that people eat with their eyes first. Give your guests a fine dining experience that’s luxurious for all the senses.
• Family style – Many couples choose this style of food service because it’s a great way to bring an intimate feel to your reception. If you want the atmosphere of a close dinner party, family style service may be the right catering style for you.
• Food trucks – Hiring a food truck to serve guests at your reception is a fun, out-of-the-box option. You may be surprised to find that several of our recommended wedding caterers operate food trucks that are available to hire for your event.

Now Get Shopping – Meet the Heart of NC Weddings Recommended Caterers in Raleigh, Durham and Cary, NC

We are so excited to introduce you to the best NC wedding caterers! Shop the Heart of NC Weddings caterers in the Triangle. Please note, each company travels to serve weddings across central, Eastern and Western North Carolina.

Our recommended wedding caterers are at the top of their field. Rest assured, each has a strong reputation for excellent service. In fact, you’ll probably notice many of these names on the lists of recommended vendors from wedding venues, too. Many of our caterers source food from local NC farms and are well versed in planning eco-friendly menus.

Every one of these caterers has passed our Heart of NC team’s taste test. We have tasted the culinary delights of every single one of these caterers, and they are all amazing in their own right. Whether at luncheons or wedding shows, industry events or cooking contests, we know these caterers to be the best in the NC wedding business. If you meet any of our caterers, please tell them you used our local wedding planning website for your research!