Apart from the ceremony itself, for many people, the food and beverage is
the next most important element of the wedding. After all, these are two things
that are enjoyed and appreciated by everyone at the wedding. Whilst the bride
and groom may be rightfully focused on the wedding details such as décor,
flowers, vows etc, it’s the food and drink which most guests will remember.
Bar
So let’s
start with the drinks. From the moment the guests arrive until they are taken
back to their resorts at the end of the night, it’s crucial to keep everyone
fed and watered, which makes the bar an extremely important element of any
wedding. With destination weddings it’s fairly standard for the bride and groom
to provide the drinks, and this can be a big blow to any wedding budget.
At Faraway
Weddings we have designed a bar operating system which favors our client’s
wallets and has become one of our biggest selling points. Especially when
compared with drinks packages and drink prices at most resorts.
For every Faraway
Wedding there is a bar set-up fee which is calculated on a sliding scale,
depending on how many guests are attending. The set-up fee covers the bar
tenders, glass collectors and glass washers as well as the glass hire and the
bar sundries such as ice, straws, stirrers etc.
Once this
fee is paid the aim is to save our clients as much as possible by offering a
wholesale price list for all drinks and cocktail ingredients. This ensures that
you will be hard pressed to find a cocktail or a beer to match our prices
anywhere else on the island, even at a 7-11.
The
wholesale price has a 5% mark-up which covers the fact that we order, pay for
and collect all of the drinks and this also accounts for times when we have to
seek an alternative and more expensive seller if there is a shortage at the
wholesalers.
The wedding
planner will also assist the bride and groom in obtaining the right quantities
of the drinks they choose for their menu so that you don’t run out or, just as
importantly, you aren’t left with too much at the end of the night. Anything
that is left belongs to the bride and groom and it can go back with them and
the guests to be enjoyed over the remaining days of their holiday.
Beers and
spirits in Thailand tend to be relatively cheap compared to other countries.
However, wines and Champagne can seem ridiculously expensive. So, just to make
the bar even more affordable, we do not charge a corkage fee for any items
brought through duty free.
Our bar
staff are some of the best on the island and have years of experience creating
the perfect drink and fun atmosphere for everyone at the wedding.
Catering
With the drinks
taken care of, the next way to impress a guest is through the food. At Faraway
Weddings we take great pride in knowing that the food and level of service that
we are able to provide is unmatched. We have had the same catering team for 10
years and have developed a strong and lasting relationship that is built on
consistency and a desire to provide great service.
Our catering
team has had the privilege of cooking for members of the Thai royal family and
we have hosted chefs from all over of the world as brides and or grooms or as
guests of our weddings. The feedback has always been extremely positive and in
March 2014 we hosted a wedding for Joss and Nick Honeyman. Nick is the
Executive Chef at Sofitel Auckland Viaduct Harbor. He is an expert in the
culinary arts who knows quality food when he comes across it and he and Joss
stated, “The venue was absolutely stunning, the food was probably the best we
had on our whole trip, and all in all we just couldn't fault the entire
experience”.
There were several other
renowned chefs at that wedding and they all enjoyed the food which is truly
great to hear. All positive feedback is greatly received and appreciated, but
it is even more special when coming from such discerning and knowledgeable
clients.
We take
great pride in knowing that our catering team cook everything onsite, nothing
is precooked and brought in. We know how important it is to deliver a fresh and
authentic taste to our guests and, while we specialize in Thai cuisine, we have
many Western menu options as well. Not only can we cater to different menu
styles but we can also cater to any dietary requirements.
There have
been many occasions when at one wedding alone there may be vegetarians; pescatarians;
vegans; celiacs, requiring gluten free food; and guests with specific food
allergies. Not to mention the odd guest who doesn’t want to eat anything they
don’t recognize and would prefer something more traditional to their home
country.
We are able to accommodate all of these different needs.
We also
offer a Western style children’s menu to suit all ages.
All in all our catering
options are flexible and accommodating and we always aim to satisfy all of our
guests’ needs.