Waitstaff Info | aldrichwaitstaff

If it is a chapel wedding waitstaff arrive 1 ½ hours before start time.

If it is not a chapel wedding waitstaff arrive 1 hour and 15 minutes before start time.

First thing first - read the events menu.
One staff member put out tray stands.
One SM puts out Salt / Pepper / Sugar.
One SM folds napkins.
Everyone else – polishes silverware with a damp cloth - not to wet because it will leave water marks.

Once above tasks are completed - wheel / carry everything needed for dining setup to Ivory room.

When setting up start in the far back of the Ivory room and go through one table at a time (almost like a conga line!). Meaning one person grabs a handful of dinner forks and starts at one table, completes that table, then moves on to the next and everyone follows that one person (preferably a HWS leading). If someone runs out of the utensil they are putting down - everyone stops and wait for them to grab another handful. (It sounds like a waste of time, but it is more efficient.)
Once the entire room is set up - move on to the porch (if dining on porch) or straight to Aldrich room and start setup following the same idea as in Ivory room.
There is an order to this - dinner fork, dinner knife, salad fork, spoon, top fork, top knife, coaster, bread plate, coffee cup, butter, wine glasses (if needed).
Dinner fork and knife should be meeting the end of the table a hand width apart, not floating an inch or two above or placed sideways. Bread plates should hover a bit over the forks and should be low toward the edge of the table as well, not hanging off the table. Salad fork should be tucked nicely into the dip of the dinner fork and the dessert fork and spoon should be touching.

*Please refer to picture*

Once setup in dining rooms is complete, bring everything back to waitstaff room. Assign staff to the tasks below.

Set up champagne glasses on trays will doylies for toast.
Set up slide for dirty glasses.
Cut up all dinner selections.
Set up coffee pots, teas, and creamers.
Flowers might have to be brought over from the chapel at this time – KNOW where they are going.

During this time HWS does room assignments.

Arrival of guests / Cocktail hour - Some events you might be passing water, wine, or signature drink at the front door.

JR Waitstaff (Bussers) – Buss bathrooms, foyer, porch, bar, sitting room, outside.
SR Waitstaff - Pass hors d’oeuvres – KNOW what you are passing, name and ingredients – this is very important! ALWAYS have enough napkins in other hand.

Once it is time to put our ice water and salads…

A couple of JRWS continue to buss and couple SRWS continue to pass apps.
Everyone else puts out Water and the Salads (again starting in Ivory at far table).
When completed - TIME for champagne.
2 waitstaff pop and pour – while EVERYONE ELSE DOES A BUSS.
Pass champagne.
SRWS - pass champagne to the bridal party.
JRWS - open all the doors to the dining rooms, latch the porch doors. (In some events you might be setting up the porch for dining at this time (introductions).
This is the time when you will have a second break - during the introductions.
Once introductions end – EVERYONE Busses and goes to their assigned dining rooms.

First Course

At this time the guests will be eating salads and bread.
If there is wine service, you will fill wine glasses, hold one white and one red - labels out with black napkin on the red.
Go around to your assigned tables to confirm and mark meal selections.
Once done the SRWS will let half the room take a break.?
Clear your assigned tables salad plate, salad fork and bread plate. Fill waters.
Clear salad dressing once all salads are cleared from the table.

Main

Everyone will be in the room for clearing dinners.

Once all dinners are cleared from the table grab the salt and peppers and wine glasses.
Reset for dessert.
When resetting for dessert again the forks should move to the left and the spoon be brought down to the right. If we put out coffee cups, then those should be brought down as well to become part of the setting and this way we do not have to reach super high to get the cup and napkins get put under the fork or on the back of the chair if there is no jacket on the chair.

Dessert

Cake cutting / Dances

Either cake will be served by WS, or dessert room will be open. One WS will be assigned to the dessert room.
Everyone else will be filling coffee and water if needed in their dining room.
Clearing Dessert plates.

Final Clear

Everyone does and final buss and then cleans back room, late bussers stay bussing, while everyone else cleans waitstaff room.

Late bussers:

EXTRA:

If a guest leaves their seat at any time during dinner reset their place setting.
If you don’t know an answer to a question – speak to Hostess, SRWS, AL.

Throughout the function WS should look for trash and empty glasses on the tables.

If a guest, ask you for coffee at any time of the night – get them Coffee, Cream, and Sugar if needed.
When in dining rooms do not have your back towards guests, simply face the guest and talk side by side.
No sitting on AC.
Absolutely no phones unless on break.
No touching face or hair on the floor.
Wash hands thought out your shift.

Dress Code

LINENS

Any “FALVEY” NAPKINS (WS BLACK NAPKINS- UNLESS NOTED OTHER WISE) get put in the light gray linen bag in back room.

Any “FAVLEY” TABLECLOTHE get put in the light gray linen bag in back room.