Last updated: 7th October · By Indian Eatery Team
Quick Answer
To choose an Indian wedding caterer in Mount Laurel, NJ, compare caterers on four things: wedding experience at your guest count, menu variety and customization, dietary options (vegetarian, vegan, halal), and the true total cost after service charges, tax, delivery and add-ons. At Indian Eatery Kitchen & Catering in Mount Laurel, wedding packages start at $29 per person, with Gold at $39 and Platinum at $49, plus a 20% service charge and NJ sales tax.
Why the Caterer Matters So Much at an Indian Wedding
Food is one of the things guests remember most about an Indian wedding. A typical guest list spans several generations, mixes Indian and non-Indian guests, and includes strict vegetarians, halal requirements and allergies, all at the same event.
A good caterer turns those needs into one balanced menu with:
- Vegetarian and non-vegetarian balance
- Variety without repetition
- Different spice levels, not one heat level for every dish
- A logical flow from appetizers to desserts
- Enough food, served fast enough, for your full guest count
Step 1: Define Your Event Before Talking Menus
Caterers can only give an accurate quote when they know the basics. Have these ready before you ask for proposals:
- Wedding date and venue
- Estimated guest count
- Which events need catering (mehndi, sangeet, ceremony, reception, brunch)
- Buffet or plated service
- Dietary requirements
- Interest in live food stations
- Approximate budget
- Whether your venue allows outside caterers
A 75-guest mehndi at a private home and a 300-guest ballroom reception need completely different catering plans.
Step 2: Check Real Wedding Experience
Restaurant cooking and wedding catering are not the same. A dish that tastes great for four people has to stay just as consistent across hundreds of portions that are cooked, transported and held hot before service.
Ask every caterer:
- How many guests can you comfortably serve?
- Have you catered at our venue before?
- Can you handle multiple wedding events?
- How is food transported and kept at temperature?
- Who supervises on the wedding day, and when does the team arrive?
Indian Eatery caters weddings, corporate functions, birthdays, social gatherings and custom events. [ADD: maximum guest count Indian Eatery can serve / largest wedding catered]
Step 3: Compare Packages and Prices
This is where most couples get confused, so here are Indian Eatery’s current per-person packages. You choose the dishes from the menu, and the package decides how many of each course you get.
| What’s Included | Silver | Gold | Platinum |
| Price per person | $29 | $39 | $49 |
| Veg appetizers | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Non-veg appetizers | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Veg entrées | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Non-veg entrées | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Rice (Jeera / Veg) + Naan / Roti | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Desserts | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Fruit platter | – | – | ✓ |
Extra charges apply for seafood, goat dishes, live food stations and delivery. NJ sales tax and a 20% mandatory service charge apply to all packages. See full details on our Catering Packages page.
What a Wedding Actually Costs: An Example
Say you have 150 guests on the Gold package:
- Food: 150 × $39 = $5,850
- 20% service charge: $1,170
- Subtotal: $7,020, before NJ sales tax and any add-ons (delivery, live stations, seafood or goat dishes)
This is why you should always compare the total cost, not just the per-person price. One caterer’s low headline rate can end up higher once staffing, delivery, equipment and service fees are added. For every quote, check whether these are included:
- Food, staffing and servers
- Delivery and setup
- Serving equipment and rentals
- Live stations
- Service charge and taxes
- Cleanup
Prices shown are as published at the time of writing. Contact us to confirm current pricing for your date.
Step 4: Look for Menu Variety and Customization
Indian cuisine is too diverse for a wedding menu to be “a few curries.” Your caterer should give you enough choice to build contrast between courses.
Indian Eatery’s catering menu includes:
| Category | Number of Options | Examples |
| Appetizers | 13 | Samosa, Paneer Tikka, Hara Bhara Kabab, Assorted Pakora |
| Veg entrées | 29 | Kadai Paneer, Palak Paneer, Malai Kofta, Paneer Makhani |
| Non-veg entrées | 15 | Murgh Tikka Masala, Murgh Korma, Kadhai Murgh, Murgh Kolhapuri |
| Chaat station | 18 | Pani Puri, Bhel Puri, Pav Bhaji, Dahi Vada |
| Gujarati menu | 28 | Dhokla, Undhiyo, Khandvi, Khasta Kachori |
| Desserts | 22 | Gulab Jamun, Rasmalai, Gajar Ka Halwa, Shrikhand |
Custom items are available on request. This matters if your family wants regional dishes (Punjabi, Gujarati, South Indian) or a dish with personal meaning, like a dessert both families love. Browse the full Menu.
Plan the Menu Around Your Guests
- Mostly Indian guests: you can include more regional dishes and bolder flavors.
- Mixed Indian and non-Indian guests: pair familiar dishes (paneer, grilled appetizers, biryani, naan, mild chicken dishes) with a few signature regional items.
- Multigenerational guests: offer a range of spice levels instead of making every dish spicy.
Step 5: Confirm Vegetarian, Halal and Dietary Options
At an Indian wedding, vegetarian food should never feel like a backup option. With 29 vegetarian entrées on our menu, the vegetarian side can stand fully on its own.
Indian Eatery offers halal options, and our menus include options for vegetarians, vegans and guests with dietary restrictions. Discuss your exact requirements with our team before booking.
For allergies (nuts, dairy, gluten), don’t assume removing one ingredient makes a dish safe. Ask how dishes are prepared and handled, and collect dietary information from guests during RSVPs.
Step 6: Schedule a Tasting
Photos show how food looks. A tasting shows how it tastes. Use it as a working session, not a free dinner. Check:
- Flavor and spice level of each dish
- Whether too many dishes have similar rich sauces
- Balance between light and heavy dishes
- Presentation and portion size
[ADD: Does Indian Eatery offer tastings? If yes, how to book and any cost.]
Step 7: Choose the Right Service Style
| Service Type | Best For | What You Get |
| Full-Service Catering | Receptions and larger weddings | Our team handles everything from setup to final cleanup |
| Drop-Off Catering | Small to medium events, or venues with their own staff | Freshly prepared, ready-to-eat dishes delivered in disposable trays |
| Special Package Catering | Cultural and festive celebrations | Curated festive menus, customizable to your event size |
| Pickup Trays | Intimate family gatherings around the wedding | Large trays you collect and serve at home |
Learn more on our Catering Services and To-Go Trays pages.
Step 8: Plan Catering for the Whole Wedding Weekend
Many Indian weddings include a mehndi, sangeet, welcome dinner, ceremony, cocktail hour, reception and post-wedding brunch. Serving the same menu at every event gets repetitive.
Give each event its own identity. For example, a casual chaat and street-food spread for the mehndi, and a formal buffet for the reception.
Live Food Stations
Live stations such as pani puri, chaat or dessert stations add energy to cocktail hour. They’re available as an add-on at extra cost. Before booking, check with your venue on space, equipment and whether live cooking is allowed.
Step 9: Coordinate With Your Mount Laurel Venue
Your caterer and venue need to work as partners. Ask your venue:
- Is outside catering allowed, or is there an approved-caterer list?
- Is there a catering kitchen or warming equipment?
- Are open flames and live cooking stations permitted?
- When can the catering team arrive and where can they unload?
- Who handles trash removal?
For larger receptions, also plan buffet flow: how many buffet lines you need, clear veg and non-veg labels, and how often dishes get refilled. Long lines can spoil great food.
Step 10: Get Everything in Writing
Your catering contract should clearly list:
- Date, venue and service times
- Final menu and service format
- Guest count and the deadline for the final count
- Staffing, setup, cleanup and delivery
- Every fee: service charge, tax, add-ons
- Deposit, payment schedule and cancellation terms
- Dietary arrangements
Also ask what happens if your guest count goes up or down after the deadline, and whether children and vendor meals are priced differently.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Choosing only on per-person price. Compare the full proposal.
- Skipping the tasting.
- Ordering too many similar dishes. Contrast matters more than quantity.
- Collecting dietary needs too late.
- Assuming setup, staff and delivery are included.
- Booking too late. Popular wedding dates fill up. [ADD: recommended booking lead time]
12 Questions to Ask Before Booking
- Are you available on our date?
- How many weddings our size have you catered?
- Have you worked at our venue?
- Do you offer tastings?
- Can we customize the menu?
- What halal, vegan and allergy options do you have?
- Can spice levels be adjusted per dish?
- Are servers, setup and cleanup included?
- What do live stations and delivery cost?
- What service charges and taxes apply?
- When is the final guest count due?
- Who is our contact on the wedding day?
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Indian wedding catering cost in Mount Laurel, NJ?
At Indian Eatery, wedding catering packages are $29 (Silver), $39 (Gold) and $49 (Platinum) per person. A 20% service charge and NJ sales tax apply, and seafood, goat dishes, live stations and delivery cost extra.
What is included in an Indian wedding catering package?
Our packages include a set number of veg and non-veg appetizers, veg and non-veg entrées, rice, naan or roti, and desserts. Platinum also includes a fruit platter. You choose the specific dishes from our menu.
Does Indian Eatery offer halal catering?
Yes. Indian Eatery offers halal options. Share your exact requirements with our team when planning your menu.
Can an Indian wedding menu be fully vegetarian?
Yes. Our menu has 13 appetizers, 29 vegetarian entrées, an 18-item chaat station, a 28-dish Gujarati menu and 22 desserts, so a complete vegetarian wedding menu is easy to build.
Can we customize our wedding catering menu?
Yes. Custom items are available on request, so you can add regional or family dishes beyond the standard menu.
Do you offer live food stations?
Yes. Live food stations are available as an add-on at an extra charge. Confirm with your venue that live stations are allowed.
Buffet or plated: which is better for an Indian wedding?
Neither is always better. Buffets offer more variety and let guests choose portions, while plated service feels more formal. Your guest count, venue and budget should decide.
What should I share when requesting a catering quote?
Your date, venue, guest count, event schedule, preferred service style, dietary requirements and any interest in live stations or special dishes.
Plan Your Indian Wedding Catering in Mount Laurel
Indian Eatery Kitchen & Catering serves weddings and special events from 915 Route 73, Mount Laurel, NJ 08054, with authentic Indian food, halal options, a large vegetarian menu, customizable dishes and Silver, Gold and Platinum packages.
📞 Call +1 (856) 856-8676 (9 AM – 9 PM EST)
✉️ info@indianeatery.com
👉 Send an inquiry with your date, guest count and menu ideas.