Bringing your own caterer: what to check before you book
For South Asian, African and Caribbean weddings, the food is the celebration. Here is how to find a venue that lets you bring the caterer your family trusts, and the questions to ask first.
Many large venues insist you use their in-house catering. For a lot of families, that rules them out before the tour even starts. If the food is central to your celebration, the freedom to bring your own caterer is not a nice-to-have, it is the whole decision. Here is what to check.
Does the venue allow external caterers at all?
Some venues say no. Others allow it only from a fixed list. Ask the question directly and get the answer in writing. At Arcadia Riverside you can bring an approved caterer, which makes it straightforward to serve the cuisine your celebration calls for.
What does “approved” actually require?
Approved usually means the caterer meets the venue’s insurance, hygiene and safety standards. Ask what the caterer needs to provide, how far ahead they need to be confirmed, and whether your existing caterer can be added to the list.
Is there a proper catering kitchen?
Large-guest-count catering needs space to plate and hold food at temperature. Ask about the kitchen, prep space and access for the caterer’s team, especially if you are serving several hundred covers.
Can they handle the scale?
A menu that works for 80 guests is a different operation at 330. Confirm the venue and your caterer have both worked at your headcount, and that service space is built into the room layout.
What about the timeline?
Cultural weddings often run long, with a ceremony, a reception and a late celebration in one day. Check the hire length. Arcadia weddings run on a 16-hour day, with time to dress the room in the morning and celebrate into the evening.
Talk it through
We plan large, culturally specific weddings around the caterer and traditions you choose. Tell us about your wedding and we will come back the same working day, or see the full picture on the weddings page.
