Wedding cold storage checklist
Quick answer
Book cold storage as soon as you have a venue and date. Schedule delivery for the day before, and park the trailer near the caterer’s staging area with a level spot and power. Use it for catered food, drinks and ice, the cake and the flowers. Keep it closed between trips, and plan pick-up for the day after.
As soon as you have a date
- Ask your venue whether it has a walk-in cooler or commercial kitchen. Barns, farms and backyards usually don’t.
- Ask your caterer how much cold space they need, and whether anything must be frozen
- Reserve the trailer. Spring and fall weekends are the busiest for events.
Two weeks out
- Pick the spot: level ground, close to the kitchen tent or service door, out of guests’ sight lines
- Confirm power at that spot, or plan a generator
- Share the delivery time with your venue and caterer
What to keep cold
- Catered food, staged by course
- Drinks, kegs and bags of ice
- The cake and other desserts
- Flowers, bouquets and arrangements
- Ice cream or frozen desserts, in a trailer set as a freezer
The day before and the day of
Delivery the day before gives the trailer time to cool and lets your caterer stock it early. On the day, keep the door closed between trips and let one person own the cold storage. Drop-offs and pick-ups happen between 8 AM – 6 PM.
Going for an outdoor reception in summer? Read keeping food cold in Georgia heat.
Need a trailer? Call (404) 418-8290 or get a quote in about a minute.
Get a quoteQuestions we hear a lot
Do I need a refrigerated trailer for my wedding?
If your venue has no walk-in cooler or commercial kitchen, or you’re serving 100+ guests outdoors, it usually saves a lot of stress. Ask your caterer what they need.
Which size is best for a wedding?
A 7’×14’ is a popular choice; one caterer used it for a two-day outdoor wedding. Smaller parties often fit a 7’×12’.
Can the florist use it too?
Yes. Flowers stay fresher in the cold until the ceremony. Coordinate shelf space with your caterer.
More guides
- What size refrigerated trailer do I need?
- How much does it cost to rent a refrigerated trailer?
- Walk-in cooler stopped working? Your first-hour checklist
- Power outage food safety: how long does food last?
- Getting your site ready for a refrigerated trailer
- Hurricane prep for restaurants and food businesses
- Keeping food cold at outdoor events in Georgia heat
- Refrigerated trailer vs. reefer truck vs. portable walk-in: which do you need?