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Guide · Weddings

The UAE wedding catering checklist.

Forty years of wedding weeks, reduced to the decisions that actually go wrong.

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Wedding catering rarely fails on the food. It fails on a guest count nobody confirmed, a venue that does not allow outside catering, or a live station with nowhere to plug in.

This is the sequence we work through with families, in the order the deadlines fall.

Prices and policies on this page are the ones our booking engine uses. Last reviewed .

Before you book

Confirm these first.

  • Does the venue permit outside catering? Hotels frequently do not. Ask before you shortlist caterers.
  • How many functions are you actually catering: mehndi, haldi, sangeet, nikah, reception, next-day brunch?
  • What is the realistic guest count per function, not the invite list?
  • How many guests are vegetarian, Jain or vegan? Ask on the RSVP, not later.
  • Is there a hard curfew or programme timing the service has to fit around?
Cater Inc. chefs and service team working a ballroom wedding buffet

At booking

What locks the date.

  • Full payment in advance confirms the booking. Nothing before that holds the date.
  • Quotes are valid for 14 days from issue.
  • Agree the package tier per function; they do not all need the same one.
  • Agree live stations per function and where they sit on the floor plan.
  • Agree staffing: one waiter per 20 guests, minimum two, at AED 150 each.
  • Confirm transport (AED 500 per event) and whether each function is a separate mobilisation.

72 hours before

The hard deadline.

  • Confirm the final guest count. This is the number you are charged on, or actual attendance if it is higher.
  • Confirm dietary counts, especially Jain, vegan and allergen requests.
  • Confirm venue access time, parking, power, water and a working area for the team.
  • Increases after this point depend on kitchen capacity and may carry a surcharge.

On the day

What the caterer needs from the family.

  • One named point of contact who is not the bride, groom or their parents.
  • A confirmed service start time tied to the programme, not the clock.
  • Clear access for the team and equipment at the agreed hour.
  • A decision on how long the spread stays out. Food is prepared for a safe service window and should not be consumed after it.

Cancellation

If plans change.

When you cancelWhat is payable
More than 48 hours beforeRefund considered case by case
Within 48 hoursNon-refundable

Common questions

Answers before you ask.

When should I book a wedding caterer in the UAE?
As early as the venue allows, but the date is only held once payment is made in full. Quotes are valid 14 days, so pay before the quote expires.
When is the final guest count due?
72 hours before the event. You are charged on the confirmed count or actual attendance, whichever is higher.
Can I use a different package for each function?
Yes, and most families do. A mehndi lunch rarely needs the same tier as the reception.
What is the cancellation policy?
Refunds are considered case by case. Within 48 hours of the event nothing is refunded.
Do hotels allow outside catering in Dubai?
Many do not, and it varies by property. Confirm it with the venue before you shortlist caterers, because it is the single most common reason a booking falls through.

Keep reading

Related to this page.

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