Backyard and tent wedding catering

Start with the site visit, not the menu

Before we quote a backyard wedding we walk the property with you. The questions that decide the plan are physical: Is the ground flat enough for a tent floor? Can a rental truck reach the back, or does everything come through a side gate 90 cm wide? Where is the nearest outdoor tap and electrical panel? Where will guests park, and where will the kitchen crew unload? Is there somewhere out of sight for garbage, empty crates and a generator?

These answers decide what we cook. A kitchen tent 40 metres from the driveway with no water supply supports a different menu from one next to a garage with power and a hose bib. Our backyard and tented events guide has the full site checklist.

Tents and the 60 square metre permit rule

Under the Ontario Building Code, a tent or group of tents larger than 60 square metres in total ground area needs a building permit; the City of Toronto's building permit guide for tents and temporary structures says the same, and other GTA municipalities apply the same threshold. Two points catch couples out:

• The limit is aggregate. A 20 by 30 foot guest tent (about 56 m²) is under the limit on its own, but add a 10 by 20 foot catering tent (about 19 m²) and the total is over.
• Seated weddings pass 60 m² quickly. Tent companies commonly plan 12 to 15 square feet per seated guest before adding a dance floor, bar and buffet. At that rate a seated dinner for more than about 40 guests needs more than 60 m² of tent.

Reputable tent rental companies usually handle the permit drawings and application, but confirm in writing who is responsible and allow several weeks. Stakes for a large tent can go deep, so request free underground utility locates through Ontario One Call before installation.

Power, water and the catering tent

Power. A typical household 15-amp circuit supports roughly 1,800 watts. One coffee urn or one electric hot box can use most of that, and tent lighting, a DJ and a bar fridge compete for the same outlets. For anything beyond a small dinner we recommend a rented generator placed well away from the guest tent, with its fuel supply and cable runs planned by the rental company.

Cooking. We cook on propane equipment and portable ovens in a separate catering tent or behind a screened area, never inside the guest tent. Most tent companies and fire officials expect cooking equipment to be kept apart from the tent where guests gather, so we agree the layout with the tent supplier before the day.

Water. Food handlers need a handwashing station with warm water, soap and paper towels, separate from dishwashing. We bring a portable handwashing station and our own potable water, and we plan where grey water goes, because it cannot be tipped onto the lawn.

Refrigeration and ice. A July heat wave shortens every safety margin. We bring refrigerated storage or enough ice to keep cold food at 4°C or below, and we keep buffet items out for no more than two hours.

Washrooms, garbage and neighbours

A house with two bathrooms and a septic system or older plumbing will not cope with 120 guests over six hours. Portable washroom trailers are the usual solution; rental companies size them by guest count and hours, and add capacity when alcohol is served. Place them on a level path with lighting.

A wedding for 120 produces far more waste than a household bin holds: food scraps, recycling, compostable plates, cardboard and bags of ice melt. Agree in advance whether the caterer, the rental company or the family is removing it, and where it waits overnight away from raccoons.

Check your municipality's noise bylaw for amplified sound in the evening; in Toronto that is Municipal Code Chapter 591. A note to neighbours with the date and end time, and a plan for street parking, prevents most complaints.

Alcohol at a backyard wedding

The AGCO is clear that liquor cannot be sold at a residence, so a cash bar at a home wedding is not an option. Its Special Occasion Permit guide also states that a premises used as a dwelling cannot be used for the sale, service or consumption of liquor under a permit. At a family home, the hosts typically buy the alcohol themselves and serve it free to invited guests. If the wedding is on a property that is not a residence, such as a rented farm field or event barn, an SOP normally applies. Rules depend on the property, so confirm your situation with the AGCO before you buy.

Whoever hosts is responsible for how alcohol is served. Our bar service page explains what our staff can do, and our SOP guide covers the permit process.

Menus that suit a tent

Food that holds well and serves quickly outdoors: grilled and roasted dishes finished over the catering tent's equipment, family-style platters, and stations that keep guests moving. Avoid delicate plated courses that need a long pass from kitchen to table across wet grass, and anything that wilts in heat. Our backyard weddings usually start from $78 per guest for family-style service, and the rentals and equipment are quoted as separate lines so you can compare them with the tent company's quote.