My parents contracted Colin to handle both bartending and food for my wedding reception on 9/20. He subcontracted the catering out to a friend. After the tasting, we felt confident moving forward--but unfortunately, the reception itself did not meet expectations.
When I arrived at 4:25 (with guests scheduled at 5), the bartenders and caterer were still in their meeting. Tables weren't set, the charcuterie wasn't started, and racks of dishes and glassware were blocking the entrance--causing guests to wait outside. I had also brought cookies/desserts we had arranged for them to plate, but was told they "didn't have time." With only 30 minutes before guests arrived--and while still needing to get ready myself--I was left plating them on my own.
The timeline we were provided had dinner scheduled for 7, but because hors d'oeuvres and charcuterie weren't ready on time, everything was delayed. Dinner wasn't served until 8, and by the time my immediate family reached the buffet, much of the food was gone and the backups were undercooked and couldn't be served. Staff also stepped back when guests began serving themselves from the buffet instead of redirecting or managing the line, which only added to the confusion. No discount or compensation was ever offered for the food that wasn't provided.
We were told the venue did not allow kitchen access until noon. Even if that was the case, there were missed opportunities to prepare ahead--such as setting tables earlier or staging food in other areas. Having catered events ourselves, we understand things don't always go as planned, but the key is how a team adapts. Unfortunately, the service at our event did not reflect that flexibility or problem-solving.
Instead, we experienced delays, visible scrambling in front of guests, and ultimately a lack of accountability. For an event that cost over $10k, this caused a great deal of stress and disappointment on what should have been a joyful day.
To be fair, the food at the tasting was excellent, and I believe for smaller gatherings (under 25 people), the team would likely deliver a great experience. However, based on our experience, they were not equipped to handle a large-scale event like ours (150 people), and I wish we had been made aware of those limitations before signing the contract. read more