Wedding Wednesdays: Caterers and Customer Service

It's been a while since you heard about the active planning process that Jon and I undertook as our wedding began to take shape this past spring, so let's pick up where we left off, shall we?

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The first vendors we approached after signing on the dotted line with our venue were potential caterers.  Bruisyard Hall asked that we hire one of their three approved options, which, to be honest, I wasn't thrilled about at first.  I wanted the opportunity to be creative - Jon and I love good food, and we were afraid of being stuck with the same dry chicken that urban legend decrees must be served at weddings.  But, because I knew that the estate was making an effort to break into the luxury holiday market in a truly sparkling way, I decided to trust them and check out their suggestions.  After all, if Bruisyard Hall wanted to be seen as a sumptuous destination, they'd want their catering options to match, right?

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Now, much like the tale of our search for a wedding coordinator, the story of how we found our wedding caterer doesn't start out promisingly... but, thrillingly, it has a very happy ending.  We were given the names of the venue's three approved options, and I dutifully sat down at my computer to research the possibilities.  The first website I visited was very swish, the second less so, and the third - I hate to say - was distinctly unimpressive.  So, as first impressions can't be ignored, I contacted the first two caterers.

The first company was very professional and polite on the phone, and within a few days their glossy brochure had arrived at my house by post.  Their menus (and photography) looked amazing, but it was obvious that they were far out of our budget.  Sadly, I called them back to say thank you; of course, they understood.

The second company was a bit more frustraing to deal with.  It took them a long time to respond to my emails, and, when they did get back to me, they did so without comprehensively answering my questions in any useful way.  I was discouraged, but Jon's family loved the restaurant that this caterer ran in a neighboring town, so I persisted.  Eventually, though, I got fed up with how much effort I was putting into trying to connect with them.  After all, I was hoping to give them my business - they shouldn't have been making it quite so difficult for me!

So, finally, I contacted the third company.  I entered my information on the form they had set up on their website - and, before an hour had passed, I got up a call on my mobile from one of the co-owners.  The conversation lasted half an hour; Justin was truly interested in what Jon and I wanted from our catering, and the way he talked about their past and current projects was inspiring.  He and his wife Helen run The Movable Feast, and I knew I wanted to work with them within ten minutes of picking up the phone.  A few days later, I got an email from Helen with their sample menu tailored to what Justin and I had discussed.  She and I had another long call, which was followed by a second menu, this one even more closely echoing the details of our chat.  It was amazing.  I felt like Justin and Helen really cared about our vision - they were more than happy to help us, not only by listening to our thoughts but also by suggesting ways we might be even more creative.  They seemed so enthusiastic about our celebration, and even just over the phone I was completely comfortable putting this crucial piece of the evening in their hands.

images from The Movable Feast's Facebook page

We've now confirmed with The Movable Feast, and Helen and I have been in regular contact all summer although we won't have our tasting until my spring trip to England.  I'm delighted to be working with them - and I'm delighted to say that they have a new website, so go check it out!