The caterer's staff are almost always included for a set time, set-up and take-down included. When the party runs on, extra hours (in Italian, ore extra) kick in: each additional hour of waiters, cooks, bartenders or maître has a cost, per staff member or as a flat fee.
It is one of the items that most often appears only on the invoice. It happens when the ceremony runs late, when dinner takes longer than planned or when the open bar stays open an hour longer. The venue may also have its own extra hours, with music end times and departure times to respect.
What to ask
Ask from what time to what time the service is included, what each hour beyond costs, for how many people and who decides when it starts. Put it in the contract together with the running order. Items of this kind are listed in the guide to catering extra costs and the one on waiting staff.
