Food Tasting

This seems a bit strange to me. Our venue also has an exclusive caterer but we were able to have a private tasting included. Before the tasting we developed our custom menu. We then got to try each item and give feedback. It's odd that they didn't mention that to you at the booking. I would also be hesitant to go ahead with something you never tried.

I hope you have a great time at the tasting next week though. If a private tasting is not an option, it might make more sense to choose items that are offered at the group tasting you attend instead.

View Quoted Comment I thought the same thing. Literally when we visited the venue we asked and were told we’d have a tasting of the food we’d be having at the wedding. The lady who emailed me was not a familiar name, so I assume the have new staff. They offered a private tasting for a ‘fee’ SMH but
Thank you so much Jen! I’ll do an update post.

Hey imani girl well lucky for me that my God son will be catering for us but I told him some things that I asked I want to taste 2 entrees first but I told him we need book a time and date to the tasting. Because chile I have alot of foodies and its must be on point are he will alot mean muggn faced 🤣🤣🤣but I hope that you get what you want

View Quoted Comment Hey Monique! Thank you girl!!! I sure hope so! Because if not, we’ll have to bring in outside food. Everybody know the food is one of the most important thing! Can’t be having no nasty food.

View Quoted Comment Right because our families will talk about it mercy for the both of us 🤣🤣🤣if your family is like mine it will be brutal

View Quoted Comment GIRL! won’t hear the last of it!!!! 😅

View Quoted Comment Exactly!!!!🤣🤣🤣🤣

We had a private tasting but we had to pay a fee for it. They were upfront about this from the start and we're not at an all inclusive venue. We got to try everything that was going to be on our menu and a bunch of extras, which we ended up adding on an extra appetizer because we liked it so much. I went to culinary school and I agree with you, just because one dish is good, does not mean every dish is going to be that good. We ended up changing up one of our menu items because we didn't love how it tasted. The food at the wedding is important to us, so it was worth it to us to pay the extra fee for the private tasting.

Many venues have to do this group tasting with limited menu because of the cost to purchase ingredients, time to make the dishes, and cost to pay chefs for this time. From a culinary/business perspective, it is near impossible to get small amounts of a food like 1-2 servings. The best cost effective method are these group tastings- and there will still probably be leftovers that will be thrown out. I’m not sure what your group tasting will be like, but ours was free. The venue is really taking a hit on cost to do these wedding meals without payment, not to say your concern isn’t valid.


It sounds like you can pay for the private tasting. I would recommend going to the group tasting, and then if you don’t like something or want to try something else, you can set up a private tasting. Another thing you may be able to do is try the food in their restaurant if that’s where the selection comes from. If there isn’t, your best bet is the private tasting. You could always ask them what their most popular dishes are and try those.
Personally, we had a group tasting with our venue and half their menu. We were fine with the limited tasting because we already knew the quality of their food and picked our venue based on knowing this. There were a couple of items on the menu that we were hoping to see, but weren’t able to due to season of the food. We’ve had the dish in the past, and we remembered it to be good, so we didn’t have any fear about there being bad food. Our venue has been very upfront with costs and details of our contract, so the tasting wasn’t something that threw us a surprise.

View Quoted Comment I think that’s what we will have to do. I am just upset because they never mentioned a fee for a private tasting. I’d asked if we would have the option of trying the food and was told yes, we’d have a tasting. Nothing about a fee. I am waiting to hear back about the ‘fee’ and how much it’ll cost.

View Quoted Comment Thanks Gillian! And I completely understand. I wouldn’t have a prob had we known up front about a fee for the private tasting. We will still go to the group tasting and hope there’s something we like. We also did ask about the popular dishes and one of the entrees we are having is one of them. I think everything will work out but I just was shocked at the fact that we won’t be able to try what we’re having and the fact we have to pay.

That is a very rude surprise! I see why you are upset and I would also be wary of ordering a dish I had not tasted for my wedding.



Our venue did not have catering included so we picked a restaurant that we knew the menu well and chose options we had previously ordered from them. Tasking the specific dishes is so important! Also, my Sister-in-law's wedding a couple years ago had terrible food and that is literally the first thing my husband's family mentions when the wedding is brought up. There were so many wonderful elements of that day that are overlooked because all they remember is being hungry and annoyed.

That's annoying for sure. I think our venue used to do the private tastings but they had to be done on certain days during the work week, during normal work hours, and within 90 days of the event, so they switched to group tastings. Every 2 months they'll send out the dates for a tasting in that month and the next. They'll tell us that Date 1 will have a, b, and c while Date 2 will have x, y, and z, so you can pick which date has more of what you want to try. I would have liked to be able to taste our specific selections, but the group tastings are way more convenient, timing-wise. The thing that drives me nuts is that all the group tastings have stuff I'm allergic to, so I might just have to send FH to do the tasting or something.

View Quoted Comment Exactly!!! and I would hate for my guest to be hungry and annoyed. Especially being there all day. I do hope that what we’re deciding on is what we’ll be able to taste. Fingers crossed!

View Quoted Comment Oh boy! I hope you’re able to find something you like and can eat! It might be easier to do the private tasting tho, that way you all can let them know your options. I wish they had it so we can see what the options are for the tasting but it only said ‘chef options’

UGH, that really sucks, but I think I would bite the bullet and do the private tasting anyway. Have fun on the group tasting though!

View Quoted Comment Thanks a lot Jacks!