This caterer wont give me a contract!

Christopher Michael Caterers of Jamesport Country Kitchen... I know some of you girls are using him for your vineyard weddings... just need to understand something...

So this guy takes 2 weeks to call me back. Finally calls back, we set up meeting, I show up, hes flustered and claims I made the appointment for 2pm when in fact we made it for 10am!

He writes down everything we ask for, we are very impressed.

I ask him to e-mail it to me, he says he doesn't do e-mail! Then complains why his phone is ringing, I tell him 'you know your phone number is all over the internet'.

Anyway, so he calls 2 days!! later to tell me cost of everything, so fine the cost is what I expected. I'm okay with it, I just want a contract and details in writing to look over.


HE DOESN'T DO CONTRACTS??
WHA???


Are you girls crazy to use him without a contract?

If its not in writing, it doesn't exist.

If you hire him w/o a contract and something goes wrong, you have no recourse. I, personally, would never hire someone for something as important as my wedding without a contract.

In my experience dealing with my caterer GET EVERYTHING IN WRITING!!!

wow how does he have a business???

I'm no using him our RH includes this, but my eyebrows are raised...what the ***K?

This sounds crazy. It would be great to see how the ladies using him respond.

Zagat review of his resturant

he's good and cheap... so whats the catch... no contract ..

We were planning a vineyard wedding out east but it fell through because of the vineyard. We were using Matt from Christopher Michael Caterer's. I remember that we had to leave a $500 deposit to secure the date and we signed a contract when we left the deposit. He was wonderful to us, when our vineyard dissapeared 6 months before the wedding and we had to replan the whole wedding else where he gave us back our deposit no questions asked.

If you have any questions feel free to FM me!

very odd!!!!!!!!!!!! I wouldnt book there!

---

Posted by FullersBride

We were planning a vineyard wedding out east but it fell through because of the vineyard. We were using Matt from Christopher Michael Caterer's. I remember that we had to leave a $500 deposit to secure the date and we signed a contract when we left the deposit. He was wonderful to us, when our vineyard dissapeared 6 months before the wedding and we had to replan the whole wedding else where he gave us back our deposit no questions asked.

If you have any questions feel free to FM me!

---

You have FM, and I still have questions, I mean how could you hand down a deposit with no contract, what if he takes it and runs? I get that his rep is good, he's known all over town, etc etc, but I don't know that ...

He also doesn't do tastings that should have told me something is up.

---

Posted by yswedding

---

Posted by FullersBride

We were planning a vineyard wedding out east but it fell through because of the vineyard. We were using Matt from Christopher Michael Caterer's. I remember that we had to leave a $500 deposit to secure the date and we signed a contract when we left the deposit. He was wonderful to us, when our vineyard dissapeared 6 months before the wedding and we had to replan the whole wedding else where he gave us back our deposit no questions asked.

If you have any questions feel free to FM me!

---

You have FM, and I still have questions, I mean how could you hand down a deposit with no contract, what if he takes it and runs? I get that his rep is good, he's known all over town, etc etc, but I don't know that ...

He also doesn't do tastings that should have told me something is up.

---

I did have a contract. My husband and I made sure we had signed contracts with every single vendor. That is why i'm saying that we signed a contract when we paid our deposit. DId you put your deposit down yet?

Not all caterers have tastings. I was also informed that he didn't do tasitings and his reasoning is that when he does an even't almost all of the food is cooked on specials grills. Because of that, even if he reproduced the food inteh restaraunt it woudln't taste the same.

He suggested we eat at the restaraunt and taste the food. My husband and I had a great lunch their and the food was wonderful.

Defenitely get somethign in writing though, I'm surprised you are having such a hard time

He said to me...

'I don't do contracts'

I said, can you at least write up for me what the details are so that I could thin it over... he said he will..

He said as soon as you put down the $500, you reserve your date and its a go.

---

Posted by yswedding

He said to me...

'I don't do contracts'

I said, can you at least write up for me what the details are so that I could thin it over... he said he will..

He said as soon as you put down the $500, you reserve your date and its a go.

---

that is weird I don't know, I would be worried as well. He is super well known and recomended in the vineyard community, I don't even know what other options there are out there for caterers. Ask him for a few references of past clients and their contact information.He should be able to provide you with references. Give them a call and see if he did a contract for his past clients and what they did to secure everything

That is difficult. I personally would not use him then. What if he says you asked for this and you didn't. You have no proof. Very unprofessional.

I agree with all the brides here...I wouldn't book any vendor without a contract, especially for the food!!!! It's the only proof you have that he is going to be there for you on the day of your wedding, and for recourse if he doesn't show up!!
Have you checked him out on the Better Business Bureau yet?

Well I guess the brides using him are shy, but they love his food and his service and they trust him. He is recommend by their vineyards.

Am I really badmouthing asking for advice as to the contract?