We chose Redwoods Catering because of their excellent reputation, and I want to start by saying…read morethat the food truly lived up to the praise. Our tasting experience was wonderful, our guests enjoyed the meal, and the quality of the food was excellent. Unfortunately, the service and communication surrounding our wedding did not meet the same standard.
Throughout the planning process, communication was inconsistent, and the contract terms were often unclear. I reached out multiple times for clarification on what was and was not included, but many of my questions were never answered directly. Looking back, I wish I had received more transparent and detailed communication before the wedding day.
One of the biggest challenges arose months before the wedding. Our contract included ovens, china, glassware, and other rental items. I was later informed that Redwoods had double-booked another wedding and could no longer provide the ovens and other items that were included in our contract. I was told I would need to secure my own oven rentals which was especially surprising given that the company markets itself as cooking over wood, yet the backup plan involved renting standard ovens. Because of this change, they wanted me to scramble to coordinate another rental company for ovens on relatively short notice. Even with the rented ovens, several guests commented that their food was barely warm.
I was told that Redwoods did have some china and glassware available, but not enough matching pieces for our event, and that they wanted everything to match. While I appreciated that consideration, it did not change the fact that I unexpectedly had to coordinate and pay attention to an entirely separate rental order because items that were promised in my contract were no longer available. Even our wedding coordinator commented that it is highly unusual for a full-service caterer not to be able to provide the china, glassware, and related service items included in their contract.
On the day of our wedding, there were several preventable issues. One of the most frustrating involved the cocktail hour setup. My coordinator asked that the cocktail tables be moved to the correct location, as the setup of our rentals was included in our contract. She was told, "That's not my job." As a result, my groomsmen had to move the cocktail tables themselves while dressed in their suits, taking valuable time away from photos and from enjoying our wedding day.
The most disappointing issue was that the coffee and tea station we paid for was never served. This was a contracted service that simply did not happen. I had to reach out to them to discuss the issue. When I asked what happened, I was told, "It was hot, and I was busy cutting the cake." While I appreciated the acknowledgment that it was missed, that explanation did not change the fact that we paid for a service our guests never received.
I recognize that mistakes happen at weddings. However, I was initially offered only a $150 refund for a coffee and tea station whose contracted value--including the beverage service, coffee urns, mugs, and rental spoons--was over $600. Despite requesting an itemized explanation for how the refund amount was calculated, I never received one. I ultimately created my own itemized breakdown using the prices on their website and in our contract. Redwoods agreed to increase the reimbursement beyond the original $150, but I still lost money on a service that was never provided. It was disappointing that it took multiple follow-ups to partially resolve the issue, and we still came out at a loss.
A smaller but notable point, throughout the planning process and even on my wedding day, my name was repeatedly written and spoken as "Sabrina" instead of Sabina. While this may seem minor, after months of working together, it contributed to the feeling that the attention to detail and personal service were lacking.
Overall, if your top priority is excellent food, Redwoods certainly delivers. However, if you value professionalism, clear communication, accountability, and confidence that every contracted service will be provided as promised, I would encourage you to ask detailed questions, request everything in writing, and carefully review every aspect of your contract. Our wedding day was beautiful despite these issues, but several unnecessary stressors could have been avoided with better communication, planning, and follow-through. Redwoods over promised and under delivered. If I were making the choice again, I would go with a different catering company.
