If I could give Distinctive Catering zero stars, I would. Our wedding on October 11, 2025 was supposed to be a seamless, well-coordinated event - especially after months of plannin...g, countless emails, and repeatedly clarifying our expectations. Unfortunately, the bar service fell so far below what we were promised and paid for that it truly impacted our night.
To start, Distinctive ran out of vodka by around 10:00 - 10:30 PM, nearly two full hours before our wedding ended. We told Distinctive Catering over and over again that our guest group consisted of heavy drinkers / party people and that running out of alcohol was our number one concern. Despite this, it still happened.
Next, the staffing was unacceptable. We requested four, preferably five, bartenders for our approximately 260-guest wedding. We were told that their rule of thumb was to have one bartender for every 50 guests. Instead, we had three, and for most of the night it looked like only two were actively taking orders. The lines were long and constant, exactly what we tried to avoid.
We also experienced serious issues with one bartender in particular. He was pouring extremely light drinks, giving guests (including our maid of honor) a hard time about ordering, and at one point told our maid of honor she couldn’t get another drink until she “finished what was in her cup.” The most upsetting moment, though, involved my brother, the best man, who was being deployed with the Navy the next day. My brother went up to the bar to order a drink and already had an encounter with this bartender earlier in the night because of something that my brother had nothing to do with. After pouring his drink with a look of disgust, my brother simply walked away. Then, my brother’s friend, who ordered next, mentioned to the bartender that my brother was leaving the next day to be deployed. The bartender responded, “Good, because I was about to cut him off.” My brother was not intoxicated, and the comment was inappropriate, unprofessional, and frankly offensive.
To make matters worse, we later learned that the buffet ran out of meat before all tables were able to serve themselves, another disappointment to add to the list.
But what has made this entire situation even more disappointing is the complete lack of communication from Distinctive Catering. When they needed payment from us, we received instant responses and fast follow-ups. Yet as soon as we reached out with concerns after the wedding, the communication stopped cold. I emailed detailed feedback explaining exactly what went wrong, and five business days passed with no reply. I sent a follow-up, and still nothing. The silence speaks volumes about their priorities.
Between the alcohol shortage, understaffing, unprofessional bartender behavior, missing food at the buffet, and now the refusal to even respond to legitimate concerns, I would strongly caution anyone considering Distinctive Catering. Overall, going through Distinctive left us disappointed, frustrated, and feeling ignored after investing a significant amount of money into this company.
I truly regret choosing Distinctive Catering, and I wouldn’t want another couple to experience what we went through. If you’re looking for someone to cater your event, don’t both with this company.