In short
- The wedding planner proposes the caterer, but the choice and the contract remain the couple's.
- Indicative fees: €1,000-3,500 for the day only, from €2,500 for full planning, or about 10% of the budget.
- Any commissions from suppliers should be declared: ask for them in writing.
- On the wedding day you need a single person in charge: decide beforehand who gives the caterer the cues.
If you have a wedding planner, you don't look for the caterer on your own. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't understand how the two work together. Who recommends whom, who pays whom, who decides when the pasta course goes out: these are things to settle beforehand, not on the evening itself. Here are the most common arrangements and the questions to ask both of them.
Who does what
| Task | Wedding planner | Caterer | Couple |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proposing suppliers | Yes, usually 2-3 names | Decide | |
| Quotes and negotiation | Often collects and compares them | Prepares them | Approve |
| Contract | Reads and checks it | Proposes it | Sign it |
| Menu and tasting | Comes along | Proposes and cooks | Choose |
| Floor plan | Coordinates with decorator and florist | Indicates routes and service | Approve |
| Running order for the day | Writes it and sends it to everyone | Follows and adapts it | Approve it |
| Directing the day | Keeps time between suppliers | Runs dining room and kitchen | Enjoy the party |
The table is indicative: every wedding planner has their own service model, from the day only to full planning.
Who chooses the caterer
There are three typical situations.
1. The venue has an exclusive caterer. Many villas and farmhouses around Rome work with a fixed supplier. The choice comes with the venue. Here the wedding planner works on the menu, the timings and the extras. The comparison is in the guide on venues with exclusive or open catering.
2. The wedding planner proposes their trusted suppliers. This is the most common case. They know them, know how they work and have already done events with them at that villa on the Via Appia or that farmhouse in the Castelli Romani. It is a real advantage: fewer surprises on the day.
3. The couple arrive with a caterer already chosen. A good wedding planner assesses it without prejudice: they ask for the quote, check the contract and organise a joint site visit.
In all three cases the final decision is yours. If they propose only one name, ask for at least a second one to compare.
Fees and commissions
Estimates found online suggest:
| Service | Indicative fee |
|---|---|
| On-the-day coordination only | €1,000-3,500 |
| Full planning | from about €2,500 up to €10,000-15,000 and more |
| Percentage fee | around 10% of the overall budget |
These are national figures. In Rome they depend on the number of guests, the months of work and how many suppliers the planner coordinates.
Then there are commissions, sums that some suppliers pay to whoever brings them work. We have not found a reliable source saying how common they are or how much they are worth. A declared commission is not improper. The problem is when you don't know about it, because then you can't tell whether a supplier was proposed because they suit you or because they pay.
Ask in writing, in the contract with the wedding planner:
- how their fee is calculated;
- whether they receive payments or discounts from the suppliers they propose;
- whether any discounts obtained are passed on to you.
The site visit
The site visit at the venue with the caterer and the wedding planner together is the most useful moment of the whole preparation. You look at:
- the kitchen, or the space for a field kitchen, and how far it is from the dining area;
- the routes: where the vans come in, whether there is a ZTL (limited traffic zone), where they unload;
- power and water: are they enough for kitchen, lighting and music?
- the plan B: where everyone goes if it rains, with what cover;
- the floor plan: tables, buffet, bar, dance floor, table plan.
Take away written notes, even just a summary email. The logistics questions are also in the guide to the villa wedding in Rome.
The contracts
There are usually two separate contracts: couple and wedding planner, couple and caterer. Some wedding planners handle payments to suppliers on your behalf: in that case ask for the original quotes and for invoices made out to you.
In the contract with the caterer, check the usual points: deposit, final numbers, hours of service, cancellation, plan B. They are explained in the guide on what to check in a catering contract. For catering booked for a specific date, remember that the Italian Consumer Code (art. 59) excludes the 14-day right of withdrawal.
The wedding day: one person in charge
The most common problem is not a wrong dish: it is having two people giving different orders. The wedding planner wants to start the cake cutting just as the maître has sent out the main course.
Decide beforehand:
- who gives the cue for each moment (entrance to the dining area, courses, speeches, cake, first dance);
- who talks to the caterer's maître, and on which phone;
- a single running order, sent to all suppliers a week before;
- who handles delays, for example if the sunset photos run long.
Without a wedding planner, it is often the caterer's dining room manager who keeps the timings. Ask whether they also do so for suppliers they did not choose, as explained in the guide to catering extras.
Questions to ask the caterer
- Have you worked with our wedding planner before? And at this venue?
- Who is your point of contact on the wedding day?
- Who gives the cue for the courses, you or the wedding planner?
- Do you pay commissions to people who introduce clients to you?
- Is the meal for the wedding planner and their staff in the quote?
- Will you come to the site visit with them? Is there a charge?
- Who do you send the floor plan and running order to: us or the wedding planner?
To finish
A wedding planner takes a lot of work off your hands, but not the decisions. Keep the contracts and payments in your own hands, ask for transparency on fees and set a single person in charge for the day. For all the other suppliers, there is the wedding supplier list. You can also compare wedding caterers on your own and request a quote to pass on to your wedding planner.
