Catering + alcohol budget for 100 guest

Hey Rachel!!

It can be quite tricky to find a venue that allows clients to bring in outside caterers. Do you have a venue in mind? Have you inquired if they allow outside caterers work with weddings they are hosting? This is something you should definitely check!

If you do not have a venue in mind yet, a good idea might be to find a caterer that you love and ask for their input about venues. Ask where they have previously worked wedding before. They will have a great idea where they are allowed!!

There is no beating around the bush though unfortunately, catering often takes the biggest chunk of couples budgets. This is then increased depending on how many guests are invited.

You could check out the WeddingWire cost guide to see what the average cost on different vendors are in your area! It’s a really helpful resource!

Here is the Wedding Catering Cost Guide for Virginia.

What style of wedding are you planning?

It really depends on the venue and their preferred caterers but in my personal experience yes caterers I found outside of required vendor options were cheaper. Just keep in mind you do get what you pay for (the caterer we went with ended up being the most expensive but the best one)! Also I have been told by a few caterers that I definitely should supply my own alcohol and they said I would save 1-2K so I definitely recommend checking it out! Just make sure to get an ABC liquor license to avoid liability issues!