Daphne Kelleher learned this the hard way at her company retreat. She hired what the contract called full-service catering, assuming that meant complete event setup. The caterers arrived with food and serving equipment but no tables, chairs, or linens. Those were her responsibility, buried in contract fine print she never read.
Full-service means different things to different caterers. Some provide everything from furniture to cleanup crew. Others deliver food, set up a buffet, and leave. The wedding planning stress that comes from these misunderstandings is avoidable with a proper wedding planning guide approach.
How to start planning any catered event: create a first steps wedding planning document listing every physical item your event needs. Then ask potential caterers which items they provide and which you source separately. This wedding countdown checklist prevents day-of surprises.
Most caterers handle food prep, delivery, setup, service staff, and cleanup of their equipment. They typically do not provide venue decoration, audio-visual equipment, furniture rental, or event coordination beyond the meal service. When you know how long to plan properly, usually 8-12 weeks for corporate events, you have time to fill these gaps. A wedding planning spreadsheet tracking vendor responsibilities keeps everyone accountable.