A food truck is one of the easiest ways to feed 150 people out here, as long as you and the truck agree on a few things well ahead of the day.
Outside vendors are welcome on this farm, food trucks included. We are not going to hand you a list you have to order from. What we will do is tell you the handful of things about this property that a truck needs to know, so that the conversation you have with them is a short one.
What we give you, and what we do not
You get the tables and the chairs. We have 4, 6 and 8 foot rectangles, 60 inch rounds and high-tops, and our tables seat 8 to 10, so your guest count divided by nine is roughly the number of tables you are laying out. We also set out extra tables for food, gifts, cake and the guest book, and our team sets up and breaks down all of it.
What we do not provide is linens, cups or silverware. Linens can be rented through us or you can bring your own. Cups and silverware have to come from somewhere, and with a truck the honest answer is usually the truck, which is why it belongs in the first email you send them rather than the last.
The clock is the real constraint
A standard contract gives you up to 12 hours on the day, and you choose the start time. The two ends are fixed: music stops at 10:00 PM on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, and everyone and everything is off the property by 11:00 PM. That includes the truck.
So work backwards. If the truck needs an hour to close down and get out, they need to be finished serving well before ten, not at ten. Ask them how long it takes to put 150 plates through one window. The answer is the single biggest thing that will move your timeline, more than the ceremony, more than the toasts.
Ask how long they need to serve everyone you invited. Then build your evening around that number instead of hoping.
Power, and where they park
The barn has wooden posts with power outlets on them, which is what your DJ and your lights will be using. Most trucks bring a generator and run themselves, and that is generally the simplest arrangement for everybody. If your truck expects to plug in, say so early so we can look at it together rather than on the day.
Where a truck can sit in relation to the barn depends on the truck and on your floor plan, and it is genuinely a thing to walk rather than describe in an email. Bring it up on your tour. We will show you the ground, you can send a photo to the truck, and everyone will know what they are dealing with.
What to ask before you book them
A short list. If a truck answers all of these without hesitating, they have done a wedding before.
- How long do you need to serve our full guest count from one window, and do you bring a second server for a group this size?
- Do you bring plates, cups, napkins and silverware, or is that on us? We are not provided any by the venue.
- What time do you arrive, how long does setup take, and what time are you packed and gone? Everything has to be off the property by 11:00 PM.
- Do you run on your own generator?
- How do you handle a table service or a buffet line instead of a queue at the window, if that is what we want?
- What is your plan if it rains? Guests will be under the barn roof and the truck will not be.
- What do you take away with you at the end of the night? Our staff handle standard cleanup and trash removal, but tell us what you have arranged so nobody is surprised.
- Are you insured, and can you send us the certificate?
The bar is separate, and it is ours
However you feed people, the bar works one way here. When alcohol is present you use our certified bartender. You supply the beer, wine and champagne and get it to the bartender the morning of the wedding. Hard liquor is limited to specialty drinks. The bartender serves for up to five hours and additional hours cost extra.
One rule that catches people out: no drinks in glass bottles. Tell your truck, tell your bar order, and tell whoever is bringing anything to the getting-ready rooms.
Snacks before, not after
Outside food and drink are fine before the ceremony. Trays in the Bridal Suite while hair and makeup are happening, something for the groomsmen in the Shack Out Back, all good. Once the event starts, food comes from your caterer or your truck. It is not a rule we invented to be difficult; it keeps the day clean for the people we are serving.
Come walk it with us and we will show you where a truck fits, where the power is, and how the room lays out at your guest count. Book a tour and bring your questions, or your caterer.