WE LIVE IN USA
The per-person price on a catering quote is almost never the final price
Catering is usually a wedding's largest single expense, averaging about $6,927 nationally, with a typical starting point of $120–$150 per person (💵 market rate, varying enormously by region; go by an actual quote).
But the number to watch isn't that one. It's that it isn't the final number.
Four things to pin down
1. Whether the quote includes service charge and sales tax
Those two commonly add another 25–30%, the biggest black hole in a wedding budget.
And follow up: "Does that service charge include gratuity?"Many venues charge a 22% service fee that never reaches the servers, so you might still need to tip separately (see item 41 of the checklist).
2. How vegetarian, allergy and children's meals are counted
- Are children's meals half price? Under what age counts as a child?
- Are vegetarian meals the same price or extra?
- Do allergy meals cost more?
This is also why your RSVP form must include meal choice and allergy fields (see item 95 of the checklist). Otherwise, you discover at the end that eight guests are vegetarian and the quote assumed meat.
3. Whether there's a corkage fee
If you want to bring your own alcohol (usually far cheaper than the venue's), ask what corkage costs and whether the venue permits it at all. Some ban outside alcohol entirely.
4. Whether vendor meals count as headcount
The photographer, DJ, coordinator, and musicians all need to eat, and a wedding can easily have 5 to 10 vendors.
Ask: are their meals charged at the full per-person rate? Is there a cheaper vendor meal option? Does the contract require you to feed them? (Most photography and DJ contracts have that clause.)
Service style affects both time and cost
- PlatedHaving servers bring each course is the most formal option, but it has the highest labor costs and the longest service time.
- BuffetIt's usually cheaper, but it needs space, and guests queuing up will slow down your schedule.
- Family styleLarge platters shared at the table create a great atmosphere, feel familiar to Chinese guests, and cost somewhere in the middle.
Family style actually works really well for a blended wedding, as it's close to the Chinese round-table meal habit while fitting the format of an American occasion.
The question to ask at the tasting
What comes out at a tasting is a single portion at its best. What to ask:
"When you're plating 120 of these at once, how do you keep them hot?"
And one equally important: "Is the chef at the tasting the same chef on the wedding day?" (See item 46 of the checklist.)
What Chinese guests actually prefer
Two observations from experience:
- Dessert goes largely uneatenChinese guests generally prefer fruit and less sweet desserts, so an all-Western dessert table often barely gets touched (see item 113 of the checklist).
- Older guests don't drink ice waterRemember to ask the venue to prepare hot tea (see item 110 of the checklist).
In one line
Get an all-in total, ask whether vendor meals count as headcount, and confirm the tasting chef is the wedding-day chef.