WishList

Food / Beverage - Food and beverage terminology is important to understand and ensure you are on the same page to avoid costly mistakes from misunderstanding what those terms mean.  If you are unclear and what any term means in your contract or used by your caterer, bartender, coordinator or other vendor, it is highly recommended that you have them explain and follow up a written understanding/explanation to avoid any future misinterpretations that can cost you money.

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F&B Minimum: Food & Beverage Minimum, the base fee that the client must pay to book a caterer or a venue. Venues operate differently, some requiring a minimum F&B Minimum and some offering a rental fee with the option to select your own caterer and potentially bring your own alcohol depending on if they hold a liquor license or not.  It is always recommended to have a hard maximum guest count prior to selecting a venue to ensure the per person pricing will fit within your budget prior to committing to a venue.  The F&B minimum is just a minimum, not the final amount you will pay.

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BEO: A “Banquet Event Order” is a form that goes through every detail of an event, including menu, final costs, space design, etc. It will either come from your venue coordinator or your caterer/bartender. 

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Vendor Meal: Additional meals that will be arranged via the caterer for the vendor workers who will be at the event themselves. Check your individual vendor contracts to see if this is required.

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​​Plated Meal: A meal served to guests at their table by the catering service staff.  This meal can be a set meal that all guests receive or a pre-selected option made by the guest at the time of their RSVP.

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Duet Plate: A plate that allows for a small portion of more than one protein option on a single plate (ie surf and turf), as opposed to larger portions of only one protein option. 

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Buffet: A meal served via a buffet line in which guests are dismissed by service staff from their tables and go through a line of chafing dishes and select their own food selections. 

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Family Style: A meal served in larger family style platters and bowls at the guest tables.  Guests serve themselves and pass the dishes around the table.

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Drop and Go: A catered meal that is dropped off and not set up or attending by catering staff.  This is similar to picking up "takeout".  The food needs to be set up, kept hot/cold, then cleaned up by someone other than a catering team.

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Cocktail Hour: A period of time, not necessarily an hour, between the ceremony and reception where guests are served drinks and hors d’oeuvres, most often used for the couple to take additional photos.

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Crudité: A platter of veggies and dip served during cocktail hour or during the reception. 

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Canapé: A small pastry or bread piece, usually topped with something savory, served during cocktail hour as an hors d’oeuvre. 

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Grazing Table: Similar to a crudité, but much broader. Essentially a platter of any appetizers you want to set out for your guests to snack on during the cocktail hour or reception.  

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Al Fresco: A term meaning “in the open air”, usually used to refer to outdoor dining 

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Corking Fee: The amount of money charged per bottle of alcohol. This refers to when you provide your own alcohol, and it’s important to discuss corking fees with your caterers and bartenders. 

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​Naked Cake: – A minimalistic cake with no outer layer of frosting or decoration to show off the filling. 

 

Tasting: A service often offered by reliable caterers where they allow the potential clients to test their food by doing a taste test. It’s an important part of choosing a menu for most couples. 

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Signature Cocktail: A drink or set of drinks the couple decides on to represent them as a couple, served as a special wedding day featured beverage or mocktail. 

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