Separate dining from catering work
Tell your caterer and the marquee team how food will be prepared, held, served and cleared. Dining tables, a buffet point and a supplier preparation area have different purposes. Do not assume that the guest dining area also provides everything needed to deliver the menu.
At a Peterborough marquee wedding or party, the caterer should describe its own equipment, working area and service requirements. The team can then discuss how those requirements relate to the proposed structure and site. A separate covered catering area or extra equipment is available only if confirmed in the agreed specification.
Use a catering interface sheet
| Ask the caterer | Share with the event team |
|---|---|
| What style of service is planned? | Table service, buffet or another confirmed arrangement and its timing. |
| What space and equipment are needed? | Actual supplier requirements, including preparation, serving and clearing positions. |
| Which utilities are needed? | The supplier’s stated power and other service needs for assessment. |
| How do staff and deliveries reach the area? | Unloading route, service route and permitted setup times. |
| What happens after service? | Clearing, waste and collection responsibilities. |
Follow food and guest movements
Consider where a buffet queue begins and ends, how guests return to tables and how staff reach the area. For table service, discuss the service path around the agreed furniture. The caterer and event team should identify conflicts with entrances, drinks queues or entertainment equipment before the layout is finalised.
Include any menu or service changes that alter equipment or timing. Dietary and food safety arrangements belong with the caterer; this page does not replace those discussions or certify a proposed catering setup.
Confirm what each agreement covers
Check whether tables for service, catering shelter, flooring, lighting and other requested items are in the marquee quotation or supplied separately. Allocate responsibility once for each item and share the agreed positions and timings with all affected suppliers.