Event type
Wedding
One thing is certain at a wedding: the schedule slips. Staff it for that.
Headcount rule of thumb
Plated service: one waiter per 15-20 guests. Buffet: one per 30-40 guests.
In short
At a wedding, waiting headcount follows service style and guest count: one waiter per fifteen to twenty guests for tray or plated service, one per thirty to forty for a buffet. A wedding is longer than any other event, often ten to twelve hours, and the programme almost always slips, so size the shift for that rather than the timings on the invitation. Budget separately for the reception between ceremony and dinner, because everyone arrives at once, and for the second peak after the cake is cut.
Who you need, and why
- Waiting staff
- Dinner and reception. The longest shift of the day.
- Bartender
- For an open bar, so waiters aren't mixing cocktails.
- Welcome hostess
- Seating plan, gift table, guest book. The couple cannot be dealing with this.
- Support staff
- Washing up, replenishing, packing down. After midnight this is the role that matters.
What to decide, and when
6-8 weeks ahead
Guest count and service style, because in season the good crews go early.
2 weeks ahead
Running order, number of locations if ceremony and dinner are apart.
1 week ahead
Seating plan, diets, an on-site contact who is not the couple.
On site
Laying up during the ceremony, so guests arrive to a finished room.
What usually goes wrong
- The shift is planned around the invitation timings, and staff run out at midnight while the party continues.
- The couple is the contact, so everyone brings plate questions to the bride.
- The reception between ceremony and dinner isn't planned for, and two hundred people arrive at once.
- There are multiple locations but no changeover time built into the staffing.
The staff we usually supply for this
Where are you organising it?
Information tailored to the city, with local venues.
Wedding
Give us the date and the guest count and you'll have a concrete headcount and price within one working day.
- A real quote within 24 hours
- Replacement guarantee for drop-outs
- No minimum order
- A dedicated coordinator on every booking
Frequently asked questions
How many waiters for a 100-person wedding?
Five to seven for plated service, three to four for a buffet, plus a bartender if there's an open bar. If ceremony and dinner are at different venues, add one for the changeover.
How long do they stay?
Whatever we agree, but at a wedding it's worth booking two hours longer than planned, because the programme almost always slips. Overtime is billed hourly; there is no penalty rate.
Who is the contact on the day?
Give us a contact who isn't one of the people getting married: a master of ceremonies, a coordinator or a family member. Above eight staff we also provide a team lead who works with them.