What to consider when hiring external caterers for your Christmas party
When we think of the festive season, many of us think about those delicious festive feasts we wait all year to indulge in. So, when it comes to catering for your festive parties, you want to make the right choices for a stress-free, fun and mouth-wateringly good feast to feed your guests. Outsourcing your catering requirements to an external supplier is the best option to ensure that everyone eats well at your event.
Below, we share our top three things to consider when planning your festive celebrations with the support of external caterers.
Work out your requirements early and book ahead
The festive season is the busiest time of year for hospitality, with many private social events, corporate parties and Christmas weddings set to go ahead every year. So, it’s essential, where possible, to plan and book early with external suppliers and caterers. Booking various elements of your party well in advance can save time, stress and money nearer the time – as many venues and suppliers get fully booked once we enter the Autumn/Winter season.
And, of course, when planning any type of party, there are many other things to consider, too – so it’s essential to work out your specific requirements and where you’re willing to spend your budget as soon as possible. Proper budgeting can help you to figure out what type of food to have at your Christmas party that fits within your budget, whether it’s canapes, an afternoon tea, fine dining, a truly festive feast or even seasonal-inspired street food.
Think about where you will host your Christmas party
In the initial stages of planning your festivities, you need to figure out where you want to host your event, whether a small gathering at home or a large Christmas party amongst friends or colleagues in a private events venue.
Many people don’t want to host their festive dinner parties at home for various reasons – more often than not, many homes don’t have large enough kitchens or dining areas to accommodate many guests. Other times, people feel like it is more of an experience when hosting a dinner party in an external venue. It all comes down to personal choice.
In addition, many people now host virtual events that require professional catering. These are particularly well suited to remote-based businesses with members of staff who work in different locations or for networking groups. These virtual events can be a great chance to engage and socialise with your remote team while treating them to some excellent food and drinks.
You can also add your company branding to the catering and add-ons like wine and corporate gifts to make things extra special. We’ll handle the food preparation and delivery (to multiple drop-off points through DPD) and ensure that each package is chilled for professional product delivery.
Dietary requirements
Dietary requirements are an essential factor to consider when you’re hosting a party and hiring external caterers. It’s best to make sure that you check dietary requirements with your guests in advance and make sure that you inform your caterers.
Consider if you want your external caterers to handle events management
You have several choices on how and where you spend your time and money when planning your Christmas party. So it’s always worth discussing the support and management options available with your chosen external caterer – to find the best choice for your needs.
This post was written by Dine on their website here. They are exhibitors on the WeddingShow247 Country Houses floor of the Venue Hall. You can visit their WeddingShow247 exhibition stands here: Howsham Hall, The Mansion, and Rise Hall.
