Planning a wedding in London is one of the most exciting — and most complex — projects you’ll ever undertake. From choosing your venue to selecting your flowers, every decision matters. But few choices will have as much impact on your guests’ experience as your wedding catering.
Great wedding catering transforms a venue into a feast. It sets the tone for the evening, nourishes your guests through a long and emotional day, and gives everyone something to talk about for years to come. This complete guide covers everything you need to know about wedding catering in London — formats, costs, timelines, and how to find the right caterer for your big day.
Wedding Catering Formats in London
Traditional Three-Course Sit-Down Dinner
The classic wedding banquet — starter, main, dessert — remains popular for formal London weddings, particularly in grand venues like Kensington Palace, The Savoy, or Claridge’s. It provides structure, allows for beautiful table presentations, and gives guests a defined dining experience.
The three-course format works best when you have a clear table plan, your guest count is relatively stable, and you want service that reflects the formality of the occasion. Lead time for dessert through to coffee takes approximately 2.5–3.5 hours, so ensure your timeline accounts for this.
Cost: £65–£120 per person (food only, excluding drinks and staffing)
Best for: Formal evening receptions, traditional weddings, smaller and mid-sized guest lists
Wedding Buffet
Buffets offer flexibility, variety, and a more relaxed dining atmosphere. A well-curated wedding buffet — with hot stations, carving joints, seasonal salads, and thoughtful presentation — can be as impressive as any plated dinner. Buffets also accommodate dietary requirements more easily, as guests can serve themselves according to their needs.
The key to a successful wedding buffet is quality and presentation. Cheap buffets look and feel cheap. The best London wedding caterers present buffets with the same elegance as a plated service — polished serving vessels, professionally styled displays, and attentive service staff to assist guests.
Cost: £45–£85 per person
Best for: Relaxed weddings, larger guest lists, afternoon receptions, venues without full kitchen facilities
Wedding Canapés and Bowl Food Reception
For less formal weddings — garden parties, loft receptions, evening celebrations — canapés and bowl food create a dynamic, social dining experience. Guests move freely, conversations flow more naturally, and the food becomes part of the entertainment rather than a formal set piece.
A canapé reception works well as a drinks reception before a sit-down dinner, or as the primary dining format for an evening-only celebration. Bowl food — substantial handheld portions served in elegant bowls — bridges the gap between canapés and a full buffet.
Cost: £35–£65 per person (canapés only); £45–£75 (bowl food)
Best for: Cocktail receptions, informal celebrations, evening parties
Wedding Sharing Feast
Sharing feasts — where dishes are placed centrally on the table for guests to pass and serve themselves — have become one of the most fashionable wedding catering formats in London. Inspired by Mediterranean, Spanish, and Middle Eastern dining traditions, sharing feasts create warmth, conversation, and a sense of abundance.
Spanish sharing menus with jamón ibérico, patatas bravas, sea bass, and slow-roasted lamb are particularly popular — they feel both special and approachable, and translate beautifully to long tables in converted warehouses, barns, and garden settings.
Cost: £55–£95 per person
Best for: Relaxed, social receptions; long-table settings; barn and garden weddings
Wedding BBQ and Live Cooking Stations
Outdoor summer weddings in London’s parks and gardens call for relaxed, joyful catering. A premium wedding BBQ — with marinated meats, wood-fired vegetables, artisan sauces, and complementary salads — delivers on flavour while creating a festival atmosphere. Paella stations, hog roasts, and pizza ovens can all be incorporated as live cooking stations that double as entertainment.
Cost: £35–£70 per person
Best for: Outdoor summer weddings, informal afternoon receptions, festivals
Wedding Catering Costs in London: Complete Guide
| Catering Format | Food Cost pp | With Staff & Equipment | Drinks Add-On |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canapé reception (drinks) | £25–£40 | £40–£65 | £15–£35 |
| Wedding buffet | £45–£85 | £65–£115 | £20–£45 |
| Bowl food reception | £45–£75 | £65–£105 | £20–£40 |
| Sharing feast | £55–£95 | £80–£130 | £25–£50 |
| 3-course sit-down | £65–£120 | £95–£165 | £30–£60 |
| Premium tasting menu | £90–£150 | £130–£210 | £40–£80 |
| Wedding BBQ | £35–£70 | £55–£100 | £20–£40 |
Costs are per person for London 2025. Staffing, equipment, and drinks are often quoted separately. Always request a fully itemised quote before confirming.
Understanding Your Wedding Catering Quote
Wedding catering quotes in London can feel confusing — different caterers include different items, making comparison difficult. Here’s what to check for in every quote:
What Should Be Included
- All food items, accurately described with quantities
- Service staff (numbers, hours, roles)
- Servingware and crockery
- Setup and clearance
- Allergen labelling
- Event coordination
What Is Often Quoted Separately
- Drinks packages and bar service
- Wedding cake cutting and service
- Specialist equipment (ovens, paella stations, generators)
- Travel for out-of-London venues
- Last-minute changes to guest numbers
- Hire of linen, furniture, or specialist crockery
Always request an all-inclusive quote that breaks down every cost clearly. A headline price of £50 per person can quickly become £90 per person once staffing, equipment, and drinks are added.
Planning Timeline: Wedding Catering London
12+ Months Before the Wedding
Begin researching caterers and requesting initial quotes. Check whether your venue has an approved or exclusive caterer list — many London venues require you to use their in-house caterer or approved partners. If so, your choices may be limited. Book your preferred caterer as soon as possible — London’s top wedding caterers book up 12–18 months in advance for peak season dates.
9–12 Months Before
Attend tastings. Most caterers offer wedding tasting events or private tasting sessions where you sample potential menu options. This is essential — never book a wedding caterer based solely on photos and descriptions. You need to taste the food, meet the team, and feel confident in the experience.
Finalise your menu format and shortlist your preferred dishes. Consider your guests’ dietary profile and ensure your caterer can accommodate the full range of requirements in your guest list.
3–6 Months Before
Confirm the menu in detail, including all dietary variations. Provide your initial guest count. Sign the contract and pay any required deposit (typically 25–50%). Coordinate your caterer’s access requirements with your venue.
4–8 Weeks Before
Submit your updated guest count and full dietary breakdown. Confirm service timings and run-of-day schedule. Arrange a final call or meeting with your event coordinator.
1–2 Weeks Before
Confirm final numbers and any last-minute dietary changes. Brief your caterer on the event flow, key family members, and any sensitive considerations (medical conditions, specific VIP guests).
Popular London Wedding Venues and Catering Considerations
Licensed Venues with In-House Catering
Many of London’s most prestigious wedding venues — The Dorchester, Claridge’s, The Savoy, and Kew Gardens — require you to use their in-house catering. Quality is typically very high, but flexibility and personalisation may be limited. Expect premium pricing: £150–£300 per person is common at London’s five-star hotel venues.
Dry Hire Venues Requiring External Caterers
Increasingly popular in London, dry hire venues (like Clapton Country Club, Hackney Town Hall, Peckham Liberal Club, or Brockwell Park) allow you to bring in your own caterer. This offers creative freedom and often delivers better value — your caterer brings everything, from the kitchen equipment to the servingware.
Always confirm what the venue provides (power outlets, preparation areas, refrigeration) and what your caterer needs to bring in. For outdoor venues, check your caterer has contingency plans for weather.
Wedding Food Trends in London for 2025
- Spanish and Mediterranean sharing feasts: Long tables laden with charcuterie, seafood, and slow-roasted meats
- Late-night street food: Mini burgers, fish and chips wraps, loaded fries — a surprise supper for dancing guests
- Artisan cheese and charcuterie boards: Replacing traditional wedding cake as the cheese “cutting” moment
- Plant-forward menus: Beautiful plant-based dishes that aren’t an afterthought but a centrepiece
- Interactive stations: Paella, ramen, mezze — live cooking that entertains as well as feeds
- Local and seasonal menus: British ingredients, seasonal provenance, and a clear food story
Spanish Wedding Catering in London: Why It Works
Spanish cuisine has found its natural home at London weddings. The generosity of the sharing format, the vibrant colours of the dishes, and the unmistakable quality of ingredients — jamón ibérico, Manchego, Padrón peppers, saffron-scented paella — create a dining experience that feels both luxurious and relaxed.
Vlamber’s Spanish wedding catering menus are designed to be the highlight of your wedding day. From intimate garden receptions to grand London venue dinners, we create authentic, beautifully presented food that reflects the warmth and conviviality of Spanish dining culture.
Our wedding catering packages include:
- Spanish canapé receptions with jamón ibérico, tortilla, croquetas, and pan con tomate
- Full paella stations for wedding receptions of any size
- Mediterranean sharing feasts with multiple courses of sharing dishes
- Three-course seated dinners with Spanish-influenced menus
- Late-night tapas stations and street food finales
- Dedicated event coordinators and professional service teams
Frequently Asked Questions: Wedding Catering London
How much does wedding catering cost in London?
Wedding catering in London typically costs £65–£150 per person for a full evening reception with staffing and equipment. Food costs alone range from £35 (buffet) to £120+ (premium seated dinner). A realistic all-in budget for 100 guests at a London wedding is £8,000–£18,000 for catering, depending on format and service level.
How many waitstaff do we need for our wedding?
Industry guidance suggests one serving staff member per 10–15 guests for a buffet, and one per 8–10 guests for a formal sit-down dinner. Your caterer will recommend appropriate staffing based on your format, timing, and service expectations.
Can you cater for a mixed dietary guest list?
Absolutely. Any professional London wedding caterer should accommodate vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal, kosher, and allergy-related dietary requirements. Collect all dietary information from guests at the RSVP stage and share a complete breakdown with your caterer at least four weeks before the wedding.
Do wedding caterers provide the wedding cake?
Most wedding caterers focus on main catering and do not supply the wedding cake as standard, though many will cut and serve it (sometimes for a small fee). Some caterers offer dessert tables or croquembouche towers as alternatives to traditional wedding cakes — ask if this is something you’d like to explore.
How far in advance should I book a London wedding caterer?
For peak season dates (May–September, December), book 12–18 months in advance. For off-peak dates, 6–12 months is usually sufficient. The best London wedding caterers fill their calendars quickly, so the sooner you enquire, the better your chances of securing your preferred provider.
Planning your London wedding? Contact Vlamber to discuss your wedding catering needs and arrange a tasting session.