Food Truck Tips & Tricks!

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Do you dream of having a food truck at your wedding?

Food trucks can be an incredible way to showcase your personality and add an element of FUN!

We LOVE food trucks! There are however some key items to note when booking a food truck for your wedding celebration. Here are some helpful tips and things to think through before booking, so your wedding runs smoothly and your guests leave full and happy!

  1. Confirm your guest size with the company ahead of time
    You will want to ensure that the company you hire can serve ALL your guests, and in a timeframe that is acceptable. Sometimes food trucks will have a limit on the number of guests they are able to serve in a reasonable amount of time. You don’t want your guests to wait in long lines or stand around for hours waiting to eat.

  2. Consider having more than one food truck

    Why not give your guests options? If you have two or three food trucks, you can accommodate any guest’s dietary restrictions, limit the number of guests the food trucks have to feed, reduce lines and wait times. Keep in mind that guests may want to try different trucks, so it might be helpful to have quick bite sized samples available or even stationed food so guests can try each truck.

  3. Limit the number of items on the menu

    Many food trucks have a lot of options on their menu. Sounds great! But logistically that can be a nightmare when prepping food for a large number of guests. Consider limiting the menu to 3 or 4 items so guests still have options, but the chef can prepare accordingly.

  4. Place orders before your wedding

    Consider having guests place orders ahead of time either in their invitation or through a google form. This way the chef can prep meals ahead of time, note any dietary restrictions, and order the correct amount of ingredients so they don’t run out of that favorite item! If you don’t want to arrange ahead of time, maybe check in with guests when they arrive on site so there is at least some additional time for the kitchen staff to prep.

  5. What other items do they offer as part of their packages? Bar? Cocktail Hour Bites? Dessert?

    Do you want to have food available at your cocktail hour? What about beer, wine or liquor? Dessert? Confirm ahead of time what the food truck is able to offer. Whatever they do not offer, you will need to arrange through another vendor. Tip: Arrange for some stationed items to be placed around the reception so your guests can graze on these items first, allowing those long lines to ease at the start of dinner.

  6. Do they have support staff? Do they provide plates, silverware, linens?

    Full service caterers may be more expensive upfront, but they also come with staff, can provide bar services, dessert, arrange linens, plates, utensils, etc. so you know all things food and beverage are taken care of. Some food trucks may offer these items but some may not. Confirm ahead of time what is included in the price. Do they set the tables for you when they arrive, or have linen rentals available? Do they have plates and utensils, napkins? Do they have support staff that will help serve the food? What about cleanup after the dinner service? These are all items you can arrange for through other companies if they do not provide them, but it may be slightly more work to manage all those additional items. Something to consider before booking.

  7. Do you need servers?

    Do you want your guests waiting in lines for food? If not, you may want to confirm if the company has servers that can bring the food to your guests. If they do not, there are event staffing companies listed on our vendor list that can arrange these services.

  8. Confirm their power and water requirements

    Do they run off of a generator? Do they need power or water hookups? We have power and water available as needed but this is a great perk of a food truck! They are often self contained and therefor you will not need to provide a catering tent or additional equipment for them. They may even have a generator and water storage on the truck so that means more power for your other vendors!

  9. Confirm their truck can make it up a hill!

    Our estate has some hills and the access road to the reception paddock may not be ideal for some trucks. Before booking, confirm if the food truck can make it up and down a slight incline.

Again, we LOVE food trucks, but they are not often full service operations. They can be really fun options though and totally worth a little extra effort!! It’s best to get some questions answered ahead of time to determine if it’s the right fit for your wedding, and any hidden costs that you may not be thinking of before you book. We want to ensure that your guests will leave full and happy and that you are stress free leading into your wedding weekend!

What's the deal with alcohol for my wedding weekend?

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Bride and groom in front of mobile bar at their wedding

New York State requires that all events at an establishments such as ours, hold a permit in order to consume alcohol.

You have a few different options to choose from depending on your preferences for consumption throughout your weekend long event.
You can learn more about the different SLA permit types and apply HERE.

  1. WORK WITH A LICENSED CATERER OR BAR

    Hire a business that holds a ‘Catering Permit’.
    Ask your caterer if they are able to provide alcohol for your event. If they are, this is the easiest option. The other option is to contact a bar service that has the ability to serve off premise with use of a catering permit.

    A Catering Permit is a one-day permit that authorizes currently licensed on-premises retailers to provide alcoholic beverages at specific, private events located off the premises. The applicant must provide food, in addition to alcoholic beverages at the event.

  2. WORK WITH A MOBILE BAR

    Hire a business that holds liquor liability insurance. Apply for a special event permit through the New York SLA
    If you are looking to hire a fun mobile bar or bar cart for your wedding with bartending service included, confirm if the bar service holds a liquor permit. Most mobile bars will hold liquor liability insurance only and will require that you arrange a temporary one-day beer and wine permit either on your own, or directly through them. They will most often ask you to arrange alcohol on your own and they will just serve it for you and monitor the consumption of your guests. There are a lot of mixed opinions from these companies around the need for a permit, however the NY SLA does require that events on our premise hold a liquor permit, so you must arrange a special event permit through the SLA either through the mobile bar service you hire, or on your own.

    A One-Day Beer and Wine Permit, also known as a Temporary Beer, Wine and Cider Permit, authorizes the sale and consumption of wine, beer or cider at retail for consumption at a gathering for a period of 24 hours. As of April 2024, liquor was added for consumption under this permit.

  3. PROVIDE ALCOHOL YOURSELF & WORK WITH A BARTENDING SERVICE

    Secure a special event permit through the New York SLA
    You can apply for a special event permit yourself and have beer, wine and cider available for consumption at your event(s). This is a 24 hour license that costs $36 per bar. This means you can stock your own alcohol through a licensed distributor. We do require that you hire a bartender for events over 25 guests to serve alcohol and monitor consumption. Keep in mind that most bartending services do not include setup and breakdown of the bar and do not often provide garnish, ice, mixers, etc. so you will need to arrange for that yourself.

    A One-Day Beer and Wine Permit, also known as a Temporary Beer, Wine and Cider Permit, authorizes the sale and consumption of wine, beer or cider at retail for consumption at a gathering for a period of 24 hours. As of April 2024, liquor was added for consumption under this permit.

More wedding planning inspiration from The Maples Estate!

Alcohol Items of Note

  • If you are looking to have liquor served at your event, you must work with a business that holds a catering license.

  • If you are applying for a temporary beer, wine, cider permit you can apply for multiple dates at one time on your application.

  • You will need to request a landlord authorization form from us in order to apply for a permit.

  • You can apply for a permit up to 15 days prior to your event.

  • It may be best to hold off until you have hired your caterer to apply, since only one permit will be issued for the premises per day.

  • Alcoholic beverages must be purchased from a licensed brewer, winery, or wholesaler ONLY, and not from a retail licensee.

  • A separate permit is required for each point of sale for each date. The permit must be on display at the event.

Learn more and apply for a license with the SLA!

Real Weddings at The Maples Estate!

Catering. Where do I even start?

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We believe that no two weddings should be the same because no two couples are the same.

That’s why we allow you to work with vendors of your choosing to truly build a personalized wedding that suites your unique style and wedding vision. We understand that with all that flexibility, it can be hard to know where to start. That’s why we provide you with a comprehensive guide of vendors by category as soon as you book. Having an off site caterer is an incredible perk of The Maples Estate, since you are never locked into a price point, guest minimum, or specific menu by booking with us. There are so many amazing caterers each offering their own flair for a variety of budgets, so find the caterer that speaks to you. From experience based wood fired food to personal chefs, full service catering, food trucks and farm to table vendors offering seasonal ingredients.

Many full service caterers will range between $150 to $300 per person.

Each caterer offers a different level of service so rates will vary greatly by vendor, and will be influenced by your specific tastes and wedding vision. If you need to stay under that price range, think outside the box for less traditional catering options.

Now for the fun part!

Here are some catering options to get you started!

Scroll down for tips and tricks when researching caterers!

If you love what we have to offer and decide to move forward with booking The Maples Estate for your wedding, we will send you

  1. an extensive list of vendors by category as soon as you book

  2. an editable digital wedding planning checklist.

    This vendor list is curated to suit the wide variety of events that are held at the estate and has many options to choose from so you can find vendors that match your unique style and wedding vision. We can even help you with planning, design, or coaching if you have no clue where to start or simply don’t have the time to plan.

Tips and tricks when booking a caterer.

  • Remember, it’s best to confirm all that is included in the rate before you book. Some caterers may offer bar packages, rentals such as dishes and tableware, linens, decor, event staffing, etc. and some may not. If they do not, you can always source these items through another vendor.

  • When you talk to different caterers, they may ask you about kitchen space. At The Maples Estate, we have a caterers kitchen in our 1855 Colonial Farmhouse. This kitchen is great for an intimate wedding or use during your rehearsal dinner or day after brunch, however, most caterers will want to be closer to the reception paddock for your larger celebration, and may want to setup an outdoor kitchen. This is a great way for them to build the space they require on site, and be close by to best serve you and your guests. Some caterers have their own outdoor kitchen setup and some will need to rent this setup. Another option is to find a caterer that does cooking ahead of time in an offsite kitchen, or with use of a food truck.

  • When working with a food truck or restaurant that does not often offer catering services, you may want to have a couple food trucks to choose from, offer self service items, passed items, or even make your event a cocktail setup instead of a seated dinner so there is more time for grazing. You can also take orders ahead of time to spread out the wait time, ultimately avoiding a huge rush for food all at once.

  • You can hire an event staffing company to provide additional support for those caterers with limited or no staff.

  • Remember to order more food than you think you will need or ask your caterer how much they suggest based on their experience. You can always donate food after the event if you have too much, but if you do not have enough, your guests will leave hungry!

  • Do you live in NYC? Some caterers are based out of NYC and can travel for your wedding day. This means you can have all your tastings close to home and will not have to travel to meet with your caterer every time you want to chat with them. These caterers may come with a higher price point since they are paying NYC rent and will need to travel for your wedding but they are worth it if you have the budget!

More wedding planning inspiration!