wedding 2022 | VARIED CATERING CHOICES

Feast Your Eyes On...

by Anne Pyburn Craig

date posted: March 18, 2022

The simplest solution to wedding catering is to marry at a place that serves food, and such places are many, varied, and wonderful around here. But have no fear if you’re doing something different—the caterers who will serve you at a location of your choice are equally many, varied, and wonderful. There are food trucks and cafes, barbecues and taquerias, farms and bakeries, and fine cuisines of many genres; here again, ask around, ask early, and read reviews once you have some idea of what sort of spread would make the day complete.

choosing a caterer

Once you’ve narrowed your choices down to two or three, ask the key questions: What exactly are they providing? If your venue has no kitchen, is the caterer responsible for bringing needed heating and refrigeration, or are you? What levels of service do they offer, and who will be providing it? (Plated service of a multi-course, sit-down dinner requires more staff, time, and tableware than a family-style meal, for example.) Can they help you locate rental tables, chairs, linens, and other mealtime needs?

Many caterers offer a tasting session as part of your initial appointment. (If you’re considering a restaurant, of course, you can stop in for a meal and get some sense of the range and style.) Your contract should be detailed and include an itemized breakdown of costs, taxes, and fees. Expect to pay 50 percent upon signing the contract; some caterers need another 30 or 40 percent when you provide your head count, with the balance to be paid on The Day.

your menu

Wedding fare has come light years beyond the era of RSVP cards demanding that a guest choose the chicken or the beef; even at a formal wedding, there are no compulsory courses. If shrimp cocktail and prime rib are in your dreams and in your budget, have at it, but it’s both acceptable and refreshing to serve elevated comfort food of other varieties. Feel free to base your menu around lifelong favorites, that special dish you discovered together, or something Grandma used to make. If your union brings together different cultures (and whose doesn’t, really?), find ways to represent both.

It’s thoughtful to ask on your RSVP card and get a head count of vegetarians, gluten avoiders, and other relevant food concerns. That said, caterers can work their magic on fresh local ingredients to create meatless and even vegan choices that your omnivore friends will love.At this writing, buffet service is still less common than it once was, as caterers still consider sanitation and safety to be paramount. It would be nice to see buffet style make a comeback. Meanwhile, though, many of the clever pandemic plating pivots that caterers have dreamed up—such as edible cones or cups of tasty hors d’oeuvres—are sensible, eco-friendly, and potentially elegant in the right hands.

agnes devereux catering

Staatsburg, 845-926-6059, agnesdevereuxcatering.com

Celebrating your wedding and the bounty of the Hudson Valley with delicious food, local and seasonal ingredients, and 15 years of catering experience to shepherd you through the planning of a memorable day.

blue mountain bistro-to-go

Kingston, 845-340-9800, bluemountainbistro.com

The exclusive caterers of the Onteora Mountain House, Blue Mountain Bistro is committed to providing high-quality food and service both on the day of your wedding and the days leading up to it. When you choose Blue Mountain Bistro Catering for your wedding, you will be rewarded with raves from friends and family. Relax and enjoy yourselves knowing that their creative, experienced staff is handling all the details of the day.

chef zach berger

chefzachberger@gmail.com Instagram: @food_master_flex

Former owner of Cultura Paraiso in Cusco, Peru, Chef Zach Berger is back in the Hudson Valley focusing on his love of culinary adventure as a private chef and caterer. With passion for food and travel, Zach brings flavors from regions all over the world while keeping his roots in the Hudson Valley very dear to him—using all of the fresh, local ingredients and flavors that our region has to offer. Zach has created relationships with local farms and local makers to truly give you a culinary experience from the heart and home.

cucina | market st

Woodstock/Rhinebeck, 845-679-9800 marketstrhinebeck.com

We will accommodate your event with every attention to detail and style. Cucina in Woodstock and Market St. Restaurant in Rhinebeck are both available for a buyout, or we can cater at any location of your choice. The Barn at Cucina is a restored 19th-century barn with original beams, long rustic harvest tables, and splashes of modern décor. The Barn is fitting for rehearsal dinners, weddings, cocktail events, and dinner parties.

david founded

Barrytown, 845-481-2050, davidfounded.com

Make your wedding weekend or special event even more memorable with our Smokin’ Revival mobile kitchen—perfect for the “morning after” breakfast or late-night munchies. Menu favorites include Bacon, Egg & Cheese Scramble, Challah French Toast Bacon Tuck, Apple Bacon Crisp with crème fraiche, Bacon Jam Grilled Cheese, and much more. Vegetarian options available. All dishes made from locally sourced farms and makers.

fresh company

Garrison, 845-424-8204, freshcompany.net

Fresh Company combines the comfort and generosity of home cooking with the sophistication of restaurant cuisine. We are committed to sourcing seasonal ingredients from farms and products in the Hudson Valley. We will help coordinate all aspects of your wedding to ensure your big day goes off without a hitch. 2022 dates still available.

halo & horns catering

Hudson Valley, 845-728-5578, haloandhornscatering.com

Halo & Horns Catering is a boutique catering company that takes the headache out of feeding your vegan, gluten-free, and meat-eating guests without having to hire multiple caterers. Guests will rave about the food at your wedding and know that you thought about them. Let us cater your special day!

hickory barbecue

Kingston, 845-338-2424, hickoryrestaurant.com

As a full-service caterer offering complete party planning, Hickory can provide trained servers, kitchen staff, and bartenders for a perfect wedding. From a simple backyard barbecue to a special wedding, Hickory can help with all the details. Many of their dishes are available as certified organic, grass-fed, vegetarian, and vegan—just ask. Linen and equipment rentals are available. Likewise, they can also provide floral, cake, bar, and other services.

jessie’s harvest house

Tannersville, 518-589-5445, jessiesharvesthouse.com

Jessie’s Harvest House Restaurant and Lodge is a warm and cozy place to gather, featuring a delicious menu full of locally sourced ingredients, a friendly tavern, and rustic country lodging. Located just outside of Tannersville’s main strip, the dining room is spread out over the ground floor of a charming home with a menu full of small and large plates that offer a great modern twist to classic American dishes.

lola’s café & catering

Poughkeepsie, New Paltz, 845-471-8550, lolascafeandcatering.com

Lola’s Cafe & Gourmet Catering is a high-end, boutique style catering company offering seasonal menus, personalized event planning, line-item budgets, and experienced trustworthy staff. We craft menus that satisfy our clients’ specific needs, desires, and budgets. Please call 845-471-8550 today for more information about weddings!

main course catering

New Paltz, 845-255-2600, maincoursecatering.com

Main Course is a full-service caterer that can coordinate all wedding aspects including customized menus, décor, linens, and rentals. Under chef Bruce Kazan’s innovative leadership, a team of talented professionals creates the finest in catered events. Main Course, a leader in the sustainable food movement, uses small Hudson Valley purveyors to provide the freshest local, organic produce, free-range poultry, line-caught fish, and hormone-free meats.

mangia and enjoy!

Saugerties/Woodstock/HV, 914-494-9951, mangiaandenjoy.com

Full-service wedding catering with integrity! Always organic, sustainable, local, farm-to-table bounty. Any and all dietary concerns honored creatively. Add our touch of culinary magic for your delectable, customized wedding feast. Your vision exceptionally realized. Allow our award-winning creativity and impeccable service to help ensure a lifetime of scrumptious memories. Main ingredient: Love! Beautiful food for beautiful people. We travel everywhere!

masa midtown

Kingston, 845-514-2214, masamidtown.com

Traditional and creative Turkish cuisine that will wow your guests. On and off-site catering available for seated parties up to 75 and cocktail parties up to 100. From appetizer through dessert to meet various dietary requirements.

oyster party

Hudson Valley + NYC, 646-468-4545, oysterpartybk.com

At Oyster Party, we are experts in curating personalized raw bars for our clients. With over 10 years of experience, we are confident that we can work with you to create a raw bar experience that you and your guests will be talking about for years to come. Being completely self-sufficient in setup and service, we are an easy add-on to any wedding!

seasoned delicious

Lake Katrine, 845-802-3317, seasoneddeliciousfoods.com

Flavor is our expertise! Homestyle catering with a Caribbean flair for all your Hudson Valley catering needs. Let our chefs help you come up with the perfect menu to satisfy your guests. Also see our work at seasonedgives.org, where we are creating lasting solutions to poverty hunger and social injustice through education, ownership, and self-sufficiency.