Am I allowed to provide my own alcohol?

We do allow clients to provide their own alcohol. When providing your own alcohol you’re required to provide a Single Day VA ABC Banquet License and to provide our catering coordinators a list of the inventory of alcohol you’ve purchased for your event at least 7 days prior to your event. We will provide the bar staff to serve the alcohol you purchased.

You will still be required to purchase our non-alcoholic beverage package which will provide coolers, ice and select bar equipment, mixers etc. We highly suggest purchasing bottle or can beers and require liquor bottles be 1L or less (no half gallons/handles) if you choose to provide anything that would require specialty rentals (ex. Kegs – need buckets, taps) this will be up to you to supply unless other arrangements are made.

Lastly, If you choose to provide your own alcohol you will be responsible for all transportation and counts due to ABC and venue regulations. We are more than happy to quote one our bar packages!

Is a certain style of Dinner service more expensive?

All of our menus are priced as a package based on your appetizers and dinner menu, this will not be majorly affected by any style meal. Outside of menu price, plated dinners usually require an extra staff member but extra linens and rentals are typically needed for a buffet dinner making the difference minimal. Family Styles dinners tend to be just slightly more expensive due to the sheer amount of rentals needed to execute that style. Cocktail Style receptions tend to require extra staff dependent on your menu selections.

What does “staffing” on my proposal include?

Hiring the Local means you’ve hired a full service catering company, our staff will set up all of the tables and chairs for your reception based on the diagram you have provided your catering coordinator. If you are working with one of our day-of-coordinators they will have made your floor plan for you. Setup includes all of the linens, glassware, flatware and china that will be set on each guest table, the bar tables, and any other food service tables. Our staff will not put together floral arrangements, centerpieces, or other décor items that have not been previously agreed upon between you and your catering coordinator. Our day-of-coordinators are happy to discuss the additional setup they provide.

Our catering staff will be responsible for all clean up required by the specific venue. The Local staff is not responsible for gathering or packing personal items you are providing including rentals, décor, or alcohol. We will box any leftover alcohol provided by the client into their original containers but it is the clients responsibility to organize the removal of these items according to venue polices. If you are working with one of our day-of-coordinators they are happy to discuss the additional cleanup they provide.

How do you determine labor hours and staffing?

Labor hours are determined by the venue, set-up and break-down required and event hours. Most labor hours are determined based off a 6 hour event time (ceremony to exit). Travel and preparation time are also taken into consideration. Any event exceeding thirty miles of Charlottesville will incur travel time fees. Please ask your catering coordinator if you have additional questions about the estimated labor hours in your proposal.

Do you charge a cake cutting fee?

No we do not charge a cake cutting fee. We require the client provide or rent a cake server and knife but we will happily slice and serve the cake for you. Please let us know of any special plans for cake (does the top tier need to be saved? , etc.) prior to the event.

Why do I have pricing listed for "Extra Hours" - In what case would I be charged after my event?

We include “extra hours” as a backup if you decide to add extra time to the event the night of your event. We carefully estimate the proper amount of hours for each event, reasons outside of our control, for example weather or bus delays, that majorly affect the timeline of dinner service may impact the amount of hours our kitchen staff will have to stay, possibly increasing the overall estimate.

When is my final guest count due to The Local?

We recommend sending out invitations at least 8 weeks prior to your event asking for them back at least 6 weeks prior. This will give you a couple of weeks to track down anyone who has not responded and enough time to get your final numbers in and finalize your floor-plan! We do not require final guest count until 14-Days prior to the event.

What do I have to do about rentals?

We coordinate your rentals by starting a proposal and allowing you to choose your styles with a visit to MS Events. After that, you can reach out to your catering coordinators and ask to add or remove rental items throughout the process. Final guest count is due 14 days prior to your event, this is when all final changes will be made. The rental company requires adjustments for linens to be made 21 days before the event so they have time to order fabric if necessary. Weather dependent items, for example, pipe and drape are not due until 48 hours prior to the event and our coordinators will be in communication with you about your fair weather/inclement weather plans.

When the venues ask for our wedding insurance does The Local catering insurance cover this?

No, our insurance policy does not cover your wedding or event insurance for the day. Many venues require couples to have day of insurance- this is not the same thing as the caterer’s policy. Clients can obtain this policy through their homeowners or websites like WedSafe. The Local Catering is fully ensured. We make sure all venues we work at have our up to date insurance.

I want to book The Local to cater my event but I have no idea what the final menu will look like! What do I do?

Not to worry! Once your date is reserved with a deposit, we’ll then give you until 30 days before your event to make any and all menu decisions.

Am I able to incorporate menu items not found on your full menu?

Yes! We are happy to custom create menus with our clients. For this type of requests we will set up a time for you to talk one on one with our catering chef about what we can provide for you.

How can The Local accommodate our guests with dietary restrictions?

We have a variety of vegetarian, vegan and gluten free selections on our menu. Your catering coordinator will be more than happy to discuss any special dietary restrictions/needs with you when planning your menu. We also make sure ask with your final count about all final restrictions and allergies for your final contract.

Do you have children’s meals?

We are happy to provide children’s meals. Children 2-12 are $15 per children’s meal, you will not be charged for any child too small to eat solid meals. Dependent on your menu, children’s meals will be a fruit plate for the first course in lieu of a salad then a predetermined main course (ex. Chicken Tenders and Mac N Cheese). If the child under 12 in your party would prefer the adult meal, plated or buffet, the plate price would be half price.

How do I decide on menu options?

Our coordinators are happy to start a basic proposal for you to get a general price estimate listing food, beverage, staffing and rental pricing. We’re happy to make any adjustments along the way once you’ve had a chance to review our full menu or after you’ve enjoyed a tasting at our restaurant, final menu choices are not due until 30 days prior. Our coordinators will be happy to build a cohesive menu based on your ideas or are able to share sample menus for inspiration.

I’ve paid my deposit! What’s next?

After booking The Local as your caterer we will send out a Google Shared Document that will cover all of our major needs.

Part of our service includes outlining rentals needed for specific venues, you will meet with our representative at MS Events to pick your style linens, china, glassware and flatware. If you would like sample layouts of your venue our coordinators are happy to share those with you to gain an idea of what you will need to rent. We will also schedule a final venue walk-through that should coincide with your RSVP due date. When you have a better idea of your final numbers we are able to discuss final table placement

We will work with you to help determine your final menu, if you have not had a tasting we will work with our collective schedules to have you in to taste the food

Final menu’s are not due until 30 days prior to the event, at this time we also require a second deposit that reflects an appropriate 50% of your bill

Your final guest count is not due until 14 days prior when we will finalize your rental contract and send your final bill for your final payment due 7 days prior to the event.

If you have booked one of the catering coordinators as a day-of-wedding planner, those details are on another page.

What is the payment schedule? How can I pay?

An initial deposit of 25% of your catering contract is due upon booking along with a $500 rental retainer. If you are booking a day of coordinator/ partial planner through the local as well an additional deposit may be due. A second deposit reflecting an estimate of 50% of your bill is due 30 days prior to event. Final payment is due 7 days prior to your event. If booking takes place less than 30 days prior to your event 50% payment is due upon booking and final payment is due 7 days prior to your event. We accept payments by credit card (with a 3% processing fee), check or cash. If you are booking within 72 hours we require payment in full prior to arriving to the event.

Who will be in charge the night of my event and when will I communicate with them?

Email is the best way to reach out to our coordinators, we are frequently out for weekly meetings and events over the weekends but we are more than happy to set up a time to talk with you. If you prefer to talk on the phone, we highly recommend scheduling phone appointments so we are able to reserve adequate time to talk and answer all of your questions. We like to follow up all phone calls with an email to review everything that has been discussed, this way we’re able to keep clear communication with all our coordinators. The specific captain for your event is chosen in the weeks ahead after determining the needs for each event that day and we schedule our very capable captains appropriately.

Do your servers wear uniforms?

We require our servers to wear black button down long sleeve shirts, black dress pants and black shoes. If any specific uniform changes are wanted please speak with your catering coordinator. If you’re having an outdoor event on a day expected with extreme weather we will ask permission for outfit adjustments, for example, solid black sweaters or solid black dress short sleeve shirts.

Is a tip included in my contract?

We do not charge a service fee or gratuity and leave it up to clients discretion. We see gratuity as an extra thank you for a job well done. If you decide to leave a gratuity the most common forms are $50-$100/staff member working the event or treating the bill as a restaurant check and including 15-20% of food and beverage cost pre-tax to the final bill, we accept cash at the event or included in the final payment.

Are there additional fees outside of the contract?

We do have fees stated on the contract that pertain to adding guests after cut off dates, adding extra hours the night of the wedding, etc. These are fees you will not accrue unless contractual changes are made according to the terms outlined in your contract. The only processing fee we have is a 3% processing fee for payment by credit card. For drop off events we do have a drop off fee of $50 for standard delivery areas.