How much does wedding catering cost per person in South Carolina?

In Charleston and Hilton Head, plan $35 to $65 per person for a buffet, $50 to $70 for stations or family style, and $70 to $110 or more for a plated dinner, with high-end plated service reaching $150. Greenville, Columbia, and Myrtle Beach run materially lower: buffets commonly start at $17 to $25 per person and mid-range menus fall between $30 and $45, while plated dinners center near $70. Add 15 to 20 percent for service charge and gratuity.

What is a food and beverage minimum?

A minimum is a dollar amount you commit to spending on food and drink, separate from any rental fee. Resort and hotel venues set it by room, date, and season rather than by headcount — so a small guest list in a large ballroom on a peak Saturday can still owe the full minimum. Ask whether service charge and tax count toward it (often they do not), and get the number in writing before you sign.

Buffet, stations, or plated?

Buffet is the least expensive per head and the fastest to serve a large room. Stations cost slightly more, move guests around, and work well when the reception space is broken up. Plated service is the most expensive because it needs the most staff, but it controls timing precisely and suits a formal seated reception. Family style sits between stations and plated on both cost and formality.

Do South Carolina caterers handle the bar?

Many full-service caterers either hold a beverage license or partner with a licensed bar service. South Carolina venues typically require that alcohol be poured by licensed, insured bartenders rather than by the couple or a friend, and most require a certificate of liquor liability insurance on file. Confirm who is licensed, who carries the insurance, and whether you may supply your own alcohol — policies differ sharply between venues.

24 Curated Listings

Wedding Caterers in South Carolina

Catering is usually the largest single line in a South Carolina wedding budget, and because it is priced per guest, the headcount drives it more than any other decision. Charleston and Hilton Head buffets generally run $35 to $65 per person with plated dinners from $70 to $110 and up; the same service in Greenville or Columbia often lands between $17 and $45 per person for a buffet, with plated dinners near $70. Service charges and gratuity of 15 to 20 percent sit on top of the menu price, and resort venues frequently apply a food-and-beverage minimum tied to the room and the season rather than to your guest count. Listings below note service styles, published per-person rates, and whether the caterer holds an exclusive at particular venues.

Charleston Wedding Caterers

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Salthouse Catering

Charleston full-service caterer founded in 2013 by Tanya Gurrieri and Chef Todd Mazurek, with published per-person pricing across every service style.

Charleston, SCBuffets from $35/person

Crazy Dutchman Catering

Locally owned Charleston caterer led by Hans, focused on Lowcountry boils, oyster roasts, and BBQ, with a 30-employee team and complimentary tastings.

Charleston, SC

Cru Catering

Charleston full-service caterer founded in 2000, named Best Catering Company by Charleston City Paper for 20 consecutive years running.

Charleston, SC

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Columbia Wedding Caterers

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Catering by The Deft Chef

Chef-owned Aiken caterer with a dedicated wedding program that bundles dinnerware, linens and full bar service.

Aiken, SC

Clarrisa's Kitchen and Catering

Veteran-owned Irmo caterer with its own event space, JC Legacy Event Center, and a documented run of real weddings.

Irmo, SC

Dupre Catering & Events

Columbia's exclusive in-house caterer for the Senate's End wedding venue, family-owned and catering events since 1989.

Columbia, SC

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Greenville Wedding Caterers

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Cribb's Catering

Spartanburg's Cribb's Catering publishes its full wedding pricing online: a $65 three-course plated dinner or a buffet from $32 to $48 per person, plus flat staffing fees.

Spartanburg, SCBuffets from $32/person

Table 301 Catering

The catering division of Greenville's Table 301 restaurant group, running wedding menus from $28 to $200 per person across buffet, plated, and station service.

Greenville, SCPackages from $28/person

Boulevard Catering Co.

Clemson's Boulevard Catering Co. has served as exclusive caterer for multiple Upstate event venues since 1999, with Southern staples like shrimp and grits and carving-station tenderloin.

Clemson, SC

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Hilton Head Wedding Caterers

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Bluffton Oyster Company

A Toomer family oyster house on Wharf Street in Old Town Bluffton, catering oyster roasts and low-country boils from a lineage tracing to 1913.

Bluffton, SC

Catering by Debbi Covington

A Beaufort catering company chef-owner Debbi Covington has run since 1997, built around scratch Lowcountry menus and three published cookbooks.

Beaufort, SC

Lowcountry Kitchen

Bluffton caterer owned by Scott and Carla, cooking Lowcountry menus for weddings and handling the rentals, staffing and bar alongside them.

Bluffton, SC

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Myrtle Beach Wedding Caterers

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La Bella Catering

Pawleys Island caterer run by Debra Guglielmi for more than 15 years, built on family Italian recipes and Lowcountry cookout menus.

Pawleys Island, SC

Layla B's Catering

Myrtle Beach caterer founded in 2021 by Layla Bellamy, offering buffet service and private bartending for American and Cajun menus.

Myrtle Beach, SC

Philomena's Catering Co.

Longs, SC caterer voted Best Wedding Caterer two years running, with in-house TIPS-certified bartenders and its own event space.

Longs, SC

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Good to Know

Wedding Caterers in South Carolina: FAQs

How much does wedding catering cost per person in South Carolina?: In Charleston and Hilton Head, plan $35 to $65 per person for a buffet, $50 to $70 for stations or family style, and $70 to $110 or more for a plated dinner, with high-end plated service reaching $150. Greenville, Columbia, and Myrtle Beach run materially lower: buffets commonly start at $17 to $25 per person and mid-range menus fall between $30 and $45, while plated dinners center near $70. Add 15 to 20 percent for service charge and gratuity.
What is a food and beverage minimum?: A minimum is a dollar amount you commit to spending on food and drink, separate from any rental fee. Resort and hotel venues set it by room, date, and season rather than by headcount — so a small guest list in a large ballroom on a peak Saturday can still owe the full minimum. Ask whether service charge and tax count toward it (often they do not), and get the number in writing before you sign.
Buffet, stations, or plated?: Buffet is the least expensive per head and the fastest to serve a large room. Stations cost slightly more, move guests around, and work well when the reception space is broken up. Plated service is the most expensive because it needs the most staff, but it controls timing precisely and suits a formal seated reception. Family style sits between stations and plated on both cost and formality.
Do South Carolina caterers handle the bar?: Many full-service caterers either hold a beverage license or partner with a licensed bar service. South Carolina venues typically require that alcohol be poured by licensed, insured bartenders rather than by the couple or a friend, and most require a certificate of liquor liability insurance on file. Confirm who is licensed, who carries the insurance, and whether you may supply your own alcohol — policies differ sharply between venues.