occasion
Wedding catering
Wedding catering in the UK costs £40 to £100 per head for a sit-down wedding breakfast with staff, and £15 to £30 for a buffet, before drinks and evening food. Couples in Bridebook's 2026 survey of about 7,000 weddings spent around £87 per guest on food across the day.
What this covers
What it costs. A sit-down wedding breakfast costs £40 to £100 per head with staff, crockery and linen. Full cost breakdown.
What the job covers
- A three-course wedding breakfast for 90 in a dry-hire barn
- Canapés, sharing boards and evening food for a marquee wedding
- A hot buffet for 120 in a village hall reception
- A field kitchen, staff, crockery and linen for a farm wedding
- Evening food for 150 after an in-house wedding breakfast
What is involved
An outside caterer is booked when the venue has no kitchen team of its own, or allows couples to bring one in: barns, marquees, village halls, gardens and dry-hire venues. The usual path is an enquiry, a quote per head, a tasting, a confirmed menu, and final numbers two to four weeks before the day. For a dry-hire site the caterer may bring everything: a field kitchen, crockery, cutlery, linen, glassware and the staff to serve, clear and cut the cake.
What is in the price per head varies more than the food. Some quotes include staff, crockery, linen and VAT; others list each separately. Venues with an approved supplier list may charge a fee to bring in a caterer from outside it, and venues or caterers may charge corkage, commonly £10 to £20 a bottle, if you supply your own wine. Service style moves the price most: canapés, a plated three courses and evening food is the full day, while a buffet, sharing boards or street food can halve the bill.
The practical check for a marquee or field wedding is the kitchen. Ask the caterer what they need: a catering tent, power, water, lighting and vehicle access close to the marquee. Ask who provides each one, because that is where quotes grow after the tasting. caterers.trade lists only caterers rated 3 or above, or Pass in Scotland.
Choosing someone for the job
Ask for a sample quote at your guest numbers with everything listed: food, staff, crockery, linen, glassware, cake cutting, travel and VAT. Ask whether they have worked at your venue before and what they need from it. Ask when the tasting is and whether it is charged. Ask when final numbers are due and how dietary requirements are handled on the day. And ask how many weddings they cater on one date, because a caterer running two events splits the senior staff.
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Common questions
How much does wedding catering cost per head?
£40 to £100 per head for a sit-down wedding breakfast with staff, and £15 to £30 for a buffet. Evening food adds £10 to £25 per head. Bridebook's 2026 survey put typical spend at around £87 per guest across the day.
How much is catering for a wedding of 100?
For a sit-down wedding breakfast and evening food, roughly £5,000 to £12,000 including staff. A buffet or street food format brings that down to roughly £2,500 to £5,000. Drinks, corkage and VAT can add to either figure.
Is a buffet cheaper than a sit-down meal at a wedding?
Usually, because a buffet needs fewer staff. A good buffet still needs people to replenish and clear, so the gap is smaller than the menu prices suggest; compare full quotes, not food prices.
What is a wedding breakfast?
It is the main meal served after the ceremony, whatever time of day it is. It is usually a sit-down meal of two or three courses, though buffets, sharing boards and street food are now common alternatives.
Do wedding caterers provide staff and crockery?
Most do, but not always in the price per head. Ask for a quote that lists staff, crockery, cutlery, glassware and linen separately, so you can compare like with like.
When should I book a wedding caterer?
For a summer Saturday, a year or more ahead is common, often straight after booking the venue. Weekday and winter weddings can usually be booked with less notice.