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About this vendor

Brianna Cowan
Brianna Cowan
Founder

Woman-owned

13 years in business

Medium team (11-20 members)

It’s a big day, and it’s a big deal. You don’t want to be stuck with the same old, same old wedding food that everyone knows and hates. We get it! We’re here to help you scrap those outdated traditions, and serve a wedding meal that’s fun, unconventional, and totally you.

Drab, banquet-hall buffets? Stuffy, white glove service? Hard pass. Your wedding meal should reflect who you are and what you love – not what tradition says it should be. Grams might not totally get it at first – “PiZza?! AT yOuR weDdINg?!” – but trust us, post-dinner, she’ll be a believer – believe dat.

Your guests were mentally preparing for dry chicken and a sad vodka cranberry. But we make everything on-site, mere minutes before it’s served. So get ready to hear “Ermergherd, this is all so delicious!” alongside weepy, heartfelt thank you’s all. night. long.

Book us and chill. From the beginning to the big day, our experienced, in-house team will handle all the nitty-gritty details – from coordination to cooking to cleanup – so you don’t have to. Hakuna matata, babe.

FAQ

What is the average catering price per person for plated service?

$70

What is the average catering price per person for buffet service?

$46

Which of the following are included in the cost of your full service wedding catering?

Delivery
Set Up
Clean Up
Cake Cutting
Dessert
Server(s)
Tastings
China
Linens
Flatware
Glassware

What is the starting price per person for bar service?

$18

Which of the following are included in the starting price for bar service?

House Beer
House Wine
House Liquor
Signature Drink

What event services do you provide?

Delivery
Set Up
Clean Up

What catering services do you provide?

Cake Cutting
Cocktail Reception
Hors d'oeuvres
Server(s)
Tastings

What types of cuisine do you cater?

American
Italian

What dietary needs can you accommodate?

Gluten Free
Lactose Free
Nut Free
Vegan
Vegetarian

What bar services do you provide?

Bartender(s)
Open Bar
Champagne Toast
Signature Drink

Which of the following items can you provide?

Barware
China
Flatware
Glassware
Linens

Still have questions?

Reach out about anything you didn't see answered here—no question is too small!

Wedding couple

Reviews of Wooden Paddle

This AI-generated summary gives you a snapshot of the overall ratings and feedback from the reviews this vendor has received.

Review summary

Powered by AI

Wooden Paddle catering received glowing reviews from multiple wedding parties for their delicious, unique food and exceptional service. Reviewers praised the on-site cooking, family-style dining, and top-notch staff. Both Miriam and Nicole were highlighted for their responsiveness and helpfulness throughout the planning process. Guests were impressed with the tasty food options, especially the pizza, and the accommodation of dietary restrictions. The catering experience was described as exceptional, seamless, and unforgettable, making Wooden Paddle highly recommended for weddings.

Review summary

Powered by AI
This AI-generated summary gives you a snapshot of the overall ratings and feedback from the reviews this vendor has received.

Wooden Paddle catering received glowing reviews from multiple wedding parties for their delicious, unique food and exceptional service. Reviewers praised the on-site cooking, family-style dining, and top-notch staff. Both Miriam and Nicole were highlighted for their responsiveness and helpfulness throughout the planning process. Guests were impressed with the tasty food options, especially the pizza, and the accommodation of dietary restrictions. The catering experience was described as exceptional, seamless, and unforgettable, making Wooden Paddle highly recommended for weddings.

Garrett
Garrett Sent on 06/24/2025
5 out of 5 rating

Very easy to work with and even more delicious

Wooden paddle just catered our wedding in Chicago for 125 people. It was amazing. The food was so delicious and people raved afterwards. The 2 key reasons we went with them were that they cook on site so everything is fresh and warm. They also did family style which meant everyone got a ton of food. More than that, the staff was so top notch for all the details be it linens, setup, tear down. Can’t recommend them enough! Miriam was also so calm, responsive, and accommodating. Also, the tasting was really delicious and made choosing appetizers pretty tough. After our wedding, our biggest regret was not taking more food home but a lot of guests did which is so unheard of from all the weddings we’ve been to
E
Emily Sent on 06/04/2025
5 out of 5 rating

So wonderful!

We couldn’t be happier with our decision to have Wooden Paddle as our wedding caterer! They were the perfect fit for our vision: fun, relaxed, and inviting. We knew we didn’t want the typical formal, stuffy wedding catering experience, and Wooden Paddle offered delicious, family-style food that people enjoyed.

Our tasting was a highlight in itself and we loved working with Nicole. Her suggestions were spot-on. As our wedding day approached, we transitioned to working with Miriam, who was equally great: responsive, organized, and easy to work with.

On the day of, the Wooden Paddle team was prompt, organized, and self-sufficient. And the food was awesome. We had so many guests who complimented us—and no one left hungry!
Sydney
Sydney Sent on 05/27/2025
5 out of 5 rating

Amazing pizza!

We catered our 60-person wedding with Wooden Paddle and have nothing but amazing things to say! We have been to the Lemont location on multiple occasions because we were so happy with the food. Our guests were all extremely complimentary. They did an excellent job accommodating the needs of our guests with dietary restrictions or specific preferences. Overall, it was an exceptional catering experience ( and we got to take the leftover pizza to our after-party!)
J
Jaime Sent on 05/10/2025
5 out of 5 rating

Wooden Paddle is the Best!

We hired Wooden Paddle to cater our wedding and it was THE BEST! Our guests could not stop raving about the food. From the appetizers to the pasta to the pizza, it was incredible. Their staff was amazing and we really cannot say enough good things. We definitely recommend them! Miriam was amazing to work with as well!
Martin
Martin Sent on 05/07/2025
5 out of 5 rating

Amazing, Legendary, Delicious! Wooden Paddle knocked our wedding out of the park!!!

When choosing our food, we were going for something different yet legendary. We were looking for a solid and cool departure from the traditional “Chicken, Salmon, Vegetable” options. Wooden Paddle exceeding all of our goals and then some!

In addition to being unique and different as a concept for a wedding, the food was delicious. Our guests walked away feeling extremely satisfied and filled with a deep appreciation for our vision as a couple on our special night!

The tasting experience was heads and tails above all others – which made the decision to go with WP all the easier. Wooden Paddle’s commitment to customer service and customer experience was on display from our first engagement all the way through our wedding day and it shows in the end product.

Working with Miriam and the entire team was seamless and took a big burden off us in making sure our guests had an amazing time on our big day! I could not recommend them more as your wedding caterer. Absolutely fantastic!!!
M
Molly Sent on 04/28/2025
5 out of 5 rating

It’s a 10/10!

Words can’t describe how proud we are to say Wooden Paddle catered our wedding—but people are STILL telling us how amazing it was after the fact! From service, to speed, to quality, to cleanup, Wooden Paddle made our day move so seamlessly. We’re always happy to support local, and this restaurant makes us so proud to do so. Thanks for being a part of our big day!
J
Jordan Sent on 04/28/2025
5 out of 5 rating

Wooden Paddle 10/10!!

We had Wooden Paddle cater our wedding and it was one of the best decisions we made!! Everything from the amazing food to the fantastic service was incredible! They were so helpful throughout the whole process and when the big day came it went off without a single issue. We can’t thank wooden paddle enough for helping us have an unforgettable wedding! 10/10 could not recommend them enough for any catering needs!
Jamie
Jamie Sent on 03/31/2025
5 out of 5 rating

Perfect Wedding!!

Wooden Paddle was my dream come true! I wanted food that was delicious, unique, and fun at my wedding.  After doing tastings elsewhere it just seemed like I would never find what I wanted. Then, I found Wooden Paddle. The tasting blew me away. Every pizza we tasted was incredible, the pasta dishes were delicious, and the salads were fantastic. I knew immediately that this was my dream wedding food! The day of our wedding was just as amazing as the tasting. From the moment we arrived at the venue and I smelled the oven and watched the pizza prep being done, it was magic. It was exactly as I had envisioned! Everyone raved about everything and I was over the moon. Shout out to my favorite pizza, Gettin' Figgy Wit it! Thank you, Wooden Paddle, for your amazing food and for just existing! And thank you to everyone on your team for making the process so easy and seamless. 
William
William Sent on 03/07/2025
5 out of 5 rating

Wooden Paddle - Wedding Catering

Wooden Paddle catered our wedding and it was everything we could have hoped for and more. We wanted something that was fun, easy, but also felt special and Wooden Paddle crushed it.

We had a few appetizers that went well with our cocktail hour and then for dinner had salad, pasta, and then 4 different uniquely delicious pizzas(delivered one at a time family style to tables), followed by a couple small desserts to hold people over until we got the cake as our late night snack. Everyone went home full and happy and gave rave reviews.

On top of the food the chefs and servers were excellent all night. We had a few people with allergies that Wooden Paddle were very attentive towards and the site of their pizza oven outside the venue was another fun element to add to the wedding day experience! It should also be noted that our tasting day with Wooden Paddle was probably or favorite part of our wedding planning! Couldn't recommend Wooden Paddle enough!
B
Bridgette Sent on 10/29/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Best food ever

We are now 3 days after our wedding and still getting messages raving about the food! I was diagnosed with a gluten/dairy allergy after booking them and they were able to accommodate! We did the grazing table for cocktail hour and they made me an individual one and then made me two pizzas split half and half so I could have all 4 that we picked! They were so easy to work with, promptly responded to any question, and the day of staff were amazing.
We're all about trust. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.

Awards

163
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2026 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2025 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2024 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2023 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2022 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2021 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2020 Winner
illustration message review

Are you interested?

Team

Brianna Cowan
Brianna Cowan
Founder
Katherine Takeda
Katherine Takeda
Catering & Event Sales Manager

Professional Network & Endorsements

Tim Tab Studios Tim Tab Studios Wedding Photographers

Their pizza is amazing! We sampled a few varieties from one of their remote catering locations and were blown away. The menu is eye-catching and I like their flavor combinations and whole ingredients. Definitely recommend for a fun, delicious wedding food idea to wow the guests!

Map

Location
Travel range
This vendor will travel up to within 100 miles

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Wooden Paddle frequently asked questions

At Wooden Paddle, the cost of the full wedding catering service includes:
  • Delivery
  • Set Up
  • Clean Up
  • Cake Cutting
  • Dessert
  • Server(s)
  • Tastings
  • China
  • Linens
  • Flatware
  • Glassware
The bar service starting price at Wooden Paddle includes:
  • House Beer
  • House Wine
  • House Liquor
  • Signature Drink
Wooden Paddle offers the following event services for weddings:
  • Delivery
  • Set Up
  • Clean Up
Wooden Paddle offers the following catering services for weddings:
  • Cake Cutting
  • Cocktail Reception
  • Hors d'oeuvres
  • Server(s)
  • Tastings
At Wooden Paddle, you can find the following types of cuisine:
  • American
  • Italian
At Wooden Paddle, the following dietary needs can be accomodated:
  • Gluten Free
  • Lactose Free
  • Nut Free
  • Vegan
  • Vegetarian
Wooden Paddle provides the following bar and beverage services for wedding events:
  • Bartender(s)
  • Open Bar
  • Champagne Toast
  • Signature Drink
To cater to all tastes, Wooden Paddle offers the following food and beverage items:
  • Barware
  • China
  • Flatware
  • Glassware
  • Linens
Wooden Paddle is recommended by 100% of couples who have used their services. Their overall rating is 5.0, with the same score awarded for quality of service, flexibility, value, professionalism and average response time.
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