A dry-hire venue gives you space to shape an event, but it can leave an important question unanswered: who is doing the work around the food? A beautiful menu does not tell you who unlocks the kitchen, puts out the glasses or removes the rubbish. Use this dry-hire venue catering checklist to turn those assumptions into a shared plan before you compare proposals.
Start with the venue’s actual catering rules
Do not treat “dry hire” as permission to book any caterer. Ask whether the venue has an exclusive caterer, an approved list or a process for bringing someone new. Check whether that answer changes for daytime meals, evening food or outdoor cooking. Get the answer for your particular event, rather than relying on a photograph of a different celebration.
Give prospective caterers the venue’s relevant requirements before asking for a final proposal. If permission is still pending, say so. A sensible first step is a short written list of the questions the venue and caterer need to settle together, with one person responsible for obtaining each answer.
Write the event as a sequence, not one start time
Food service is only one stage of the job. List when suppliers can arrive, when preparation and table setup must finish, when each food service begins, and when everything must leave. Include unloading, collection on a later day and any period when guests will be using the same entrance or room.
A short access window can affect the staffing or equipment needed. Share changes with everyone who depends on that timing. If speeches, photographs or another activity might move the meal, agree who can make the decision and how the catering team will hear about it.
Describe the kitchen and working space honestly
“There is a kitchen” is not enough detail. Establish what equipment is available, whether it is shared, where preparation can happen and what the caterer plans to bring. Ask the venue and caterer to confirm practical needs such as power, water, refrigeration, washing-up space and a suitable unloading route. They should decide whether the arrangements fit the proposed service.
For outdoor food, ask how the layout changes in poor weather and who provides the agreed cover or alternative space. Keep unanswered questions visible. This checklist helps organise the conversation; it does not establish that equipment, a site or a cooking arrangement is safe or suitable.
Give every practical task an owner
Copy the following lines into your planning notes. Beside each one, write the responsible business or person, what is included, and what still needs confirming. “Not included” is a useful answer when it gives you time to arrange an alternative.
- Tables, chairs, linen, crockery, cutlery and glasses.
- Kitchen equipment, serving stations and any specialist hire.
- Laying tables, serving drinks, carrying food and clearing plates.
- Washing hired items and arranging their collection.
- Waste sorting, rubbish removal and the final room handback.
- Venue access, supplier approval and the event-day point of contact.
Compare the same guest counts and scope
Separate guests attending each food service, especially when evening numbers differ from daytime numbers. Mark estimates and explain when you expect them to be confirmed. Ask each caterer which count their proposal uses. Discuss food requirements directly and privately with the caterer, including what they can accommodate and any limitations.
Compare the whole proposal alongside the menu: service hours, people, equipment, travel, setup, clearing and extras. Record the quote date or revision so an older price does not get separated from its original assumptions. If an item is missing, ask a question rather than treating the blank space as an inclusion.
Use the wedding catering quote comparison guide
Keep one clear record before confirming
Create a final page with three columns: agreed, still open and person responsible. Keep the latest venue instructions and catering proposal with it. Check directly what confirms the booking, the payment dates, the arrangements for changes and the applicable cancellation terms. Do not assume an introduction, enquiry or provisional conversation reserves a date.
A venue or planner sharing this checklist can help the customer prepare without choosing a caterer on their behalf. Share a public planning link so the customer can decide what to do next. Avoid forwarding private contact details or an entire event brief without the customer’s permission.
Prepare your event catering brief
Workavelle offers free catering enquiries during launch. Matching enrolled caterers can consider your brief and you may receive up to three quotes; replies and bookings are not guaranteed. Check suitability, venue permission and the final arrangements directly with your chosen caterer. Contracts and catering payments are between you and the caterer.
Ask Workavelle a question online
Prepared with AI assistance. These are general planning ideas; confirm availability, requirements and arrangements with your chosen caterer.
