Wedding information

If you’re planning your wedding and thinking about using The Original Spit Roast Catering Company then this information is for you. We know it can be daunting & sometimes stressful organising a wedding, with this in mind we have some advice on what you will require from our end and a checklist to make sure you have arranged everything from your end.

If you would prefer to talk things through you can always give us a call on 0800 762787 and one of our friendly team would be happy to help.

Happy organising!

So where do you start?

Venue Planning

Plan your venue first – choose a venue that would suit and accept our catering services.

We are out caterers who cater at venues, halls, private property, marquees, beaches, parks basically anywhere that you can setup an event.

Sometimes you will need to check with the halls and venues that they are happy to bring in outside caterers when booking.

If you need advice on a venue let us know.

• If you have a large wedding you will need to check maximum guest numbers a venue can hold
• You will need an area for buffet setup, this is best close to an exit door or kitchen area.
• Check if your venue has sufficient tables for buffet setup – if not you will need to arrange these
• Check for sufficient outside area with shelter and lighting for cooking setup – if not you will need to arrange a portable secure pop up marquee or something similar.
• Check venue for power supply if you are looking at ordering tea & coffee services.
• Check you have reserved a parking area for your caterer close to the venue as we will need to use our vehicle for loading, unloading and storage throughout your event.
• Check gate locking times at your venue – not all venues have gates but some do and its best it make sure they will be open for your event.
•   Book in for a site visit – if you’re unsure on anything we can always arrange to meet with you at your venue to clarify and offer advice.

Booking your catering services with the Original Spit Roast Catering Company

So you have your venue sorted, now the best part – the food.

We have a wide range of packages and options that will suit your wedding needs you can look at these on our website here and when you’re ready you can click order now to begin the booking process.

• Think about your budget – work out how much roughly you have to spend per person on your catering
• Think about your style of wedding – we have packages that suit casual backyard weddings to formal elite weddings and all in-between – if you need advice on this give us a call.
• Choose your package and choose your food items – this can all be done straight from our website, if you are booking in advance and not 100% sure on the food selections or guest numbers we are happy with estimates to start.
• Pre-dinner or Platter options are available before the service of your main.
• Dietary requirements – we have options available for vegetarian, gluten free and vegan guests please advise at booking time in your comments box.
• Severe allergies – if anyone if your party does have a severe allergy you will need to advise us on this and we can see what can be done, most severe allergies require a separate diet and guests will need to have medication or epipens on hand for the event.
• Halal – if you require halal options our beef and lamb are certified halal, chicken can be arranged halal in advance, this may incur an extra cost. To cater halal we must cater the whole event halal.
• All venue addresses, phone numbers and contact details will be required when placing a booking
• Remember to give a contact person for the day that’s not yourself – our catering team will need to liaise with someone from your end on the day.
• Once we have received your completed booking form and menu we will process this through our system, once accepted you will receive an invoice and payment options for your 20% deposit to confirm, your booking is only confirmed once deposit has been paid.

What happens on the day?

Our professional team of onsite catering staff will arrive on the day with all equipment and food to cater your event, we have given a rough timeline below to give you an idea of what happens from our end – this is not set in stone and does change slightly with each event.

• Arrival times – our team normally arrive around 2 ½ prior to your dine time for setup and cooking, should you need us to arrive earlier to avoid your ceremony or for peace of mind this can be arranged however there will be an early arrival fee.
• Introduction – our team will introduce themselves to your contact person on the day and ask to be shown where to setup the buffet and cooking area, at this stage our team leader may discuss options for buffet setup that might work better for your flow of guests.
• Setup – after introduction our team will get straight to work setting up the spit and cooking along with arranging the buffet tables ready for service.
• Pre-dinner service time – pre-dinner’s will be ready for service at your indicated time on your booking form, staff will wait around and place pre-dinners on tables as required. Please note when booking if pre-dinner service time is required before our arrival time there will be an early arrival fee.
• Main meal service time – our buffet will be ready for service at the dine time indicated on your booking form, if this changes on the day please advise our team leader with as much notice as possible, we are very adaptable and will try to accommodate your requests best we can.  Please note if your dine time is later than the time on your booking from you may be subject to extra charges.
• Coming up to the buffet – we would normally ask the wedding party to come up first then table by table as this makes the service run smoothly, your MC will need to announce and direct your guests to the buffet.  Our staff will carve the hot meats to order as required and replenish stocks throughout service.
• Clearing – our team will clear plates from your guests once they have finished eating.
• Dessert service – if you have ordered dessert this will be serviced after your main meal, should you wish to have speeches in-between mains and dessert please advise as there may be extra charges.
• Tea & coffee – if you have booked tea & coffee this will be serviced with your dessert. If you require a later service time or dessert has not been ordered please discuss options with us when booking.
• Pack down –   left-over food is packaged in disposable packaging and left for you to enjoy later – this will require refrigeration.  All other equipment, dirty dishes and rubbish relating to our buffet service is taken back by our staff. Once our catering team have completed pack down and clean-up of buffet area they will let your contact person know they are leaving the venue.

Frequently asked questions

How far in advance do I need to book?

This will depend on the time of year that you wish to book, as a rule 6 – 9 months in advance is advisable to secure your specific date and times especially during peak wedding season November – April.

Do you charge for travel?

If your venue is outside the Auckland or Hamilton Metropolitan areas travel charges will apply.

How much deposit to you require?

20% deposit is required within 2 weeks once booking has been accepted.

When is the final balance due?

Final payment is due  two days prior to the date of your wedding,

When are all final details due?

All final details are due no later than 5 working days prior to your event

What size area is needed for the buffet setup and how many tables are required?

This will depend on the size of your booking and menu ordered but to give you a rough idea we normally require around 3 x 6ft Trestle tables for a main meal for 40 – 100 guests, we will need an area to set these tables ups in a T style buffet and an area for preparation.  If your venue has a kitchen this is perfect however not essential.

Can we supply our own plates and cutlery?

We understand that some venues come with plates and cutlery for your use included in the venue price, we can work with you in regards to this however we do prefer to use our own equipment where possible.  If you wish to use your venues cutlery and crockery we will assist with clearing however we do not wash, handle and put away your venues equipment as this is hired through your venue.

Do you serve the head table?

We can service the head table for an extra service charge of $120.00, this will need to be discussed and arranged at the time of booking.

Do you cut the wedding cake?

No not generally, but we can discuss this with you, sometimes it will  need the right person, equipment and timeline from our end to be able to do this.

Can we add our own food to the buffet?

Yes – we will ask you to sign a liability waiver which states that you will handle and prepare this food ready for service, you will need to supply your own equipment and person to handle this food.

Does the price of the package include glassware & tea & coffee?

No – this however can be added to your booking

Do you supply tablecloths?

Yes we supply tablecloths for the buffet only – our tablecloths are white with a small black overlay.

Can you set the cutlery out on our tables?

No – our team will be busy with buffet setup and cooking on the day, we are happy to arrange for you to collect the cutlery & crockery from our base prior to the day – you will need to confirm a date & time with one of our team.

Do you supply bar staff or extra wait staff?

This can be arranged from time to time however will depend on availability of our staffing and your venue/liquor requirements.

We often suggest that hiring bar staff and extra staff for your event from a local temping agency works best, our catering team normally leave the venue once food service has been completed.