Contract With Caterer

[FutureMrsBurton]

Ok, here is my situation. Our venue is in the price of our catering price. It is a lovely place and it is cheaper to use them then to go to all the trouble of renting a place to make look like a wedding reception. She has agreed on allowing me to use some of my own items, so I am happy that I can add some of my own personality to it.
The issue is in her contract, it says prices subject to change. She says this has only happened once and it was this year when everything went crazy on pricing. I emailed back and I am waiting to see if she will add a cap or if I am just ticking her off :( I really, really like this place and it will save us such headaches, but we can't have that prices subject to change without worrying that they will change drastically! I am also finding people who has used her to see how it all went. I know one gal who had a bad experience, and I talked to her MIL, well the issues was her not reading the contract. So in reality it wasn't the caterer's fault, it was hers. I have heard wonderful things. I am going to talk to someone who just used them in Sept to see what she says.
Just wondered if you had any wisdom to help me sound professional and protect myself. I can't afford them to raise it 30.00 a plate as one bride dealt with in here on another post!
Thanks ahead of time for any wisdom you can share!

[makingyoureventspecial]

There should definitely be something in writing that gives a range or a cap for how much the price is subject to change. I have heard of companies doing this but it is spelled out exactly what can be increased and by how much.

So I would ask 1. How much could it increase. 2. When do you do your increases (how soon to you your wedding date) so they don't spring it on you 1 week before your wedding.

I hope that this helps.

Let me know if I can help in any other way.

[FutureMrsBurton]

We have not heard back from her yet. I knew it may be a while with all her Christmas events going on there and that is very understandable. It will be interesting what we hear back from her.
Thanks for helping out!

[WebLady]

I missed this before, but yeah there should be something in the contract to lock you in at whatever the rates are now, for at least whatever package you booked when you signed. It is understandable that any additions to what you booked in the contract might be subject to whatever the current rates at the time may be.

Hope everything works out for you!

[EarlyBird]

ya mine has "subject to change" but its something like 2% or 5.00 per person, whatever is more.
in this economy, i would ask for her to put something like that and she probably will.

[weddingexpert]

Alright so lets say your wedding day is looming closer each and every day and you just don't want to have a bunch responsibilities piled up to the point where you just loose it, right.

Well OK, so here are a few tips I recommend when dealing with caterers.
Firstly make sure you meed with the caterer because believe me if you hire someone who you have not met before you going to be in big trouble. The reason why I say that is because your wedding day is too precious to f*** up over the simple fact that your being lazy. Secondly you should review a few caters and see which of them is willing to provide the best service for the lowest price. And lastly you need to ask the caterer what founds they will be preparing because we know that not everyone is going to like the same exact foods, and if you pick the wrong cater you run the risk of neglecting a part of your audience whether it be small or huge, neglect is still neglect.

Well I hope this helps in any way possible, sorry for my grammar but I was in a hurry.

[WebLady]

Alright so lets say your wedding day is looming closer each and every day and you just don't want to have a bunch responsibilities piled up to the point where you just loose it, right.

Well OK, so here are a few tips I recommend when dealing with caterers.
Firstly make sure you meed with the caterer because believe me if you hire someone who you have not met before you going to be in big trouble. The reason why I say that is because your wedding day is too precious to f*** up over the simple fact that your being lazy. Secondly you should review a few caters and see which of them is willing to provide the best service for the lowest price. And lastly you need to ask the caterer what founds they will be preparing because we know that not everyone is going to like the same exact foods, and if you pick the wrong cater you run the risk of neglecting a part of your audience whether it be small or huge, neglect is still neglect.

Well I hope this helps in any way possible, sorry for my grammar but I was in a hurry.
FYI - This thread is almost 2 years old ;)