weddingsOnline India spoke to the Mr. Balakrishna Mahajan of Gloria Banquet Hall, Event and Wedding Caterer Thane, Mumbai, for a few tips and answers to real bridal queries from our readers:
1) What are the trends seen in Indian wedding catering? What dishes/menu is most popular among guests as well as the hosting families?
Depending on one’s budget but we are seeing that many clients opt for basic North Indian style menu consisting of a welcome drink, followed by Punjabi starters and main course that naturally comes with Paneer dishes, rice, roti, dal and the usual fares of condiments. That apart; Chaat and Chinese stalls along with extra dessert counters are also on demand.
2) How long before the wedding should the hosting families start searching for their caterers?
Most caterers today provide a complete package for the wedding and not just the food. It is important that the chosen catering service providers also provide food sampling to the hosting party. Thereafter, the Menu and final head count must be finalized at least 15 days before the actual date. We recommend that the wedding hall and caterer be booked at least 2 to 3 months in advance.
3) Can you give our brides and their families some money saving tips as far as catering for weddings/mehendi/Sangeet etc is concerned?
Choose a caterer who is willing to work within your budget. S/he should be willing to work with you to choose a menu in order to provide one in your comfort range. For Sangeet and Mehendi function, we recommend going in for snack counters. Not only are these very popular and highly appreciated by guests; they often help you save, depending again on the items you choose.
4) If a venue also provides the caterer, is it compulsory for bridal parties to choose the same or can they bring in their own caterer from outside?
Most event venue halls have their own chefs/Caterer. Naturally, families should choose a hall/venue based on convenience but also one that is capable of providing the best quality food that will be appreciated by the guests. At Gloria Banquet, we believe that food is vital to the wedding celebrations and only in very rare cases do we allow outside caterers. Our clients usually have had praise for our catering staff.
5) How should families seek catering services? How can one conduct research in the matter, especially since many caterers do not provide food sampling sessions?
First of all, one must select a wedding hall that is conveniently located but is having a good reputation, preferably one where they have tasted the food before. Secondly, one must insist upon food sampling. Word of mouth reviews are the best in such cases and one must not rely solely on online reviews.
6) What facilities should bridal parties stress upon as far as the venue/catering an wedding event is concerned?
Bridal parties must insist upon hygienic cooking facilities where the food is prepared with mineral water. Other things like good dress code for the waiting staff and servers as well as a venue with good heating/cooling facilities and large capacity (area) to cater to required number of guests are also important things that must not be overlooked.
For more information on Gloria Catering and Banquet Hall do visit their website.
Images: www.desi-liciouscatering.com
www.aayojanevents.com
www.ubpcatering.co.uk
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