Begin with when guests should eat
“Lunch at one” is useful, but it is not the complete schedule. The room may need to be unlocked, furniture positioned and food set up before then. Work back from the desired eating time with the venue and caterer, and ask them to confirm a suitable arrival and setup arrangement for your menu.
Then work forward. Explain whether guests will eat together, arrive after a ceremony or come through in groups. Staffed service has an agreed food quantity and service period; a later arrival should not be assumed to extend either.
| Milestone | Question to resolve |
|---|---|
| Venue available | Who unlocks the room, and is it ready for catering access? |
| Delivery or team arrival | Where should the team report, and who can receive them? |
| Food ready for guests | Does this mean setup complete or the start of active service? |
| Other activity | Do speeches, room changes or sessions interrupt eating? |
| Service finish and collection | Who confirms the finish, clears each item and admits the collection team? |
Allow for the event around the meal
For a Peterborough office, the building entrance and lift may be shared with normal business activity. In a hired hall, your access window may begin later than you expect. At a reception, photographs or speeches may affect when the guests reach the food. These are details to resolve with the people who control those parts of the day, rather than leaving the caterer to guess.
Have a route for timing changes
- Give the venue and caterer the same current running order.
- Nominate one person to discuss changes on the day.
- Ask in advance what happens if a meeting or ceremony runs late.
- Confirm changes to service or collection directly; do not rely on a revised guest invitation.
No universal setup time or service extension is promised here. The agreed schedule, food instructions and booking terms apply to your event.