12 Mistakes Couples Make When Booking Asian Wedding Catering (And How to Avoid Every One)
Most couples spend months on the venue, the outfits and the decor, then make their catering decision in a rush over a couple of weeks. It’s understandable. But ask any guest what they remember about a wedding a year later and the food comes up almost every time.
The good news is that catering mistakes are rarely dramatic. They’re small decisions made without the full picture, and they’re easy to avoid once you know what to look for. Here are twelve of the most common ones.
1. Booking the Venue Before Checking the Catering Rules
Some venues only allow their in-house caterer. Others allow outside caterers but charge a fee, or restrict what can be cooked on site. Live tandoor stations, for example, depend on ventilation, fire safety and gas or charcoal rules that not every venue permits.
How to avoid it: Before you pay a deposit, ask the venue whether outside caterers are allowed, whether any fees apply, and whether live cooking is possible.
2. Leaving the Caterer Search Too Late
Popular Saturdays in the wedding season are booked well ahead, and the best-regarded Asian wedding caterers fill their diaries early. Couples who start looking only a few months out often end up choosing from what’s left.
How to avoid it: Start speaking to caterers as soon as your date and venue are confirmed.
3. Comparing Quotes on Price Per Head Alone
Two quotes with different per-head prices are rarely comparing like with like. One may include staffing, crockery, linen, live station chefs, set-up and clear-down. The other may not.
How to avoid it: Ask each caterer for an itemised quote and check exactly what’s included, including service charge and VAT. A lower headline price can end up costing more once the extras are added.
4. Treating the Tasting as a Formality
A tasting isn’t just a chance to enjoy a nice meal. It’s your best opportunity to judge quality, spice levels and portion sizes before you commit.
How to avoid it: Taste the dishes you’d actually serve, not just the caterer’s showpieces. Ask how they’d hold up at your guest count, and bring whoever’s opinion matters most to your families. It’s much easier to adjust the menu at a tasting than on the day.
5. Choosing Too Many Dishes
It’s tempting to add “just one more” starter or main. But an oversized menu means smaller quantities of each dish, a bigger risk of favourites running out, and a buffet that feels overwhelming rather than generous.
How to avoid it: Build a balanced menu: a few strong starters, a live station if the venue allows, a couple of mains in each category, dal, rice, breads and dessert. Ask your caterer which dishes reliably disappear first at events like yours, and lean on those.
6. Guessing the Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian Split
At many Asian weddings, a large share of guests are vegetarian, sometimes the majority. If the vegetarian dishes are an afterthought, a big part of your guest list will notice.
How to avoid it: Use your RSVPs to gather dietary information and give your caterer a realistic ratio. Make sure the vegetarian menu is treated as equally important, with paneer, dal and vegetable dishes that stand on their own.
7. Leaving Dietary Requirements and Allergens Until the Last Minute
Halal requirements, Jain guests, vegans, nut allergies and gluten intolerance all affect how a menu is planned, prepared and served. UK caterers are required to provide allergen information for the 14 major allergens, but that only works if they know what to plan for.
How to avoid it: Collect dietary needs early and pass them on well before the wedding. Ask how the buffet will be labelled and how cross-contamination is managed.
8. Not Sharing the Running Order
Food service has to fit around the ceremony, photographs, entrances and speeches. If the caterer doesn’t know the timings, guests can end up waiting hungry or food can sit for too long.
How to avoid it: Share your full timeline early and ask when the caterer plans to open the buffet. Confirm who decides if the schedule shifts on the day.
9. Underestimating Buffet Flow and Queues
For a guest list of 300 or more, one buffet line means long queues and cooling food. This is one of the most common complaints at large weddings, and it’s easy to avoid.
How to avoid it: Ask how many service points there will be for your guest count and how tables will be released to the buffet. Staggering by table is one common way to keep queues short.
10. Forgetting About Elderly Guests and Children
Grandparents may prefer milder, softer dishes and easier access to food. Children often want something familiar and less spicy. Neither group is usually considered until someone points it out.
How to avoid it: Ask your caterer about milder options, seating close to food or table service for elderly guests, and a simple children’s selection.
11. Skipping the Practical Checks
A great menu means little if the basics aren’t in place. Reputation, hygiene standards and insurance matter, particularly for large events.
How to avoid it: Ask to see the caterer’s current food hygiene rating and public liability insurance, and ask about their experience with weddings of your size and type. Reviews and recommendations from families who’ve used them are worth reading closely.
12. Not Getting Everything in Writing
Verbal promises about menus, live stations, staffing and timings are easily forgotten or misremembered.
How to avoid it: Make sure your contract sets out the final menu, quantities, staffing, timings, what’s included, payment schedule, cancellation terms, the deadline for final numbers, and what happens if numbers change.
The Common Thread
Almost every mistake on this list comes down to the same thing: asking questions too late. The couples who have the smoothest catering experience are the ones who ask early, compare carefully and put things in writing.
The Clay Oven has been catering Asian weddings across London and the Home Counties for over forty years, from our Wembley banqueting suites to Hunton Park and Denham Grove. To talk through your menu, call 020 8903 8800 or visit theclayoven.co.uk.