When planning an event, if you book your venue first, you might be provided with a list of exclusive or preferred caterers. Alternatively, if you book a caterer first, they will often recommend venues that they work with. But how does this impact Landmark Fees?
In-House Caterer: If the venue has an in-house caterer, there won’t be a Landmark Fee since the caterer and the venue are the same entity. But this doesn’t necessarily mean that it will be cheaper. That same percentage may be built into the final invoice in other ways like higher food costs.
Exclusive Caterer: Some venues have one or more exclusive caterers. If you’re booking an event at a venue with exclusive caterers, there is usually a smaller landmark fee for hiring one of the exclusive caterers. Oftentimes, there is no landmark fee at all for choosing the exclusive caterer.
Preferred Caterer: Most venues have a list of preferred caterers that they provide to their clients. Preferred caterers are similar to exclusive caterers although as the name implies, they are caterers that the vendor prefers you work with. Choosing a caterer from a preferred caterer list can also result in a lower Landmark Fee.
Outside Caterer: An outside caterer is a company that isn’t part of an exclusive or preferred caterer list from a venue. A venue will often allow you to bring an outside caterer, although Landmark Fees will typically be the highest in this scenario.