These policies apply to Painted Prairie catered events, weddings, and Private Gathering Experiences unless otherwise stated in your event agreement.

Our goal is to make planning simple while allowing our team adequate time to purchase ingredients, schedule staff, and prepare specifically for your gathering.

Final Guaranteed Guest Count

Your final guaranteed guest count is due 10 days before your event or gathering.

Once submitted, this number becomes your guaranteed count. You are responsible for payment for the guaranteed number of guests regardless of the number who actually attend.

After the 10-day deadline, guest counts may be increased only when Painted Prairie is able to accommodate the change. Guaranteed guest counts cannot be reduced.

Food will be prepared based on the final guaranteed count.

Food Payment

Food is purchased and prepared specifically for your event based on your selected menu and guaranteed guest count.

The required food payment is due according to the payment schedule established for your wedding, catered event, or Private Gathering Experience.

Once the final guest count has been submitted and food purchasing has begun, food payments are non-refundable.

For Private Gathering Experiences, the $200 reservation deposit is applied toward the host’s food total. The remaining food balance and applicable food gratuity are due with the final guaranteed guest count 10 days before the gathering.

Private Gathering Experiences booked within 10 days, when Painted Prairie is able to accommodate them, require full food payment and applicable food gratuity at the time of booking.

Food Safety, Food Purchases & Leftovers

Food safety is a priority at Painted Prairie. All catered food is purchased, prepared, held, and served according to our food-safety practices and guidelines.

Food quantities are planned and prepared according to the final guaranteed guest count submitted 10 days before your event. The host is responsible for payment for that guaranteed number, regardless of the number of guests who ultimately attend.

Leftover Food

For food-safety reasons, not all leftover catered food may be taken home following an event or gathering.

Once certain foods have been prepared, held, or placed into service, Painted Prairie cannot ensure proper time and temperature controls after they leave our care.

Whether leftover food may leave the property will therefore be determined by Painted Prairie based on the type of food and applicable food-safety considerations.

Certain foods may be permitted to leave the property at Painted Prairie’s discretion.

Remaining food that cannot safely leave the property will be handled by Painted Prairie according to our food-safety procedures.

Cancellations

Reservation deposits are non-refundable.

If an event is canceled after the 10-day final-count deadline, all food payments are non-refundable because ingredients, staffing, and preparation have been committed based on the guaranteed guest count.

Any additional cancellation terms contained in a wedding, venue, or private-event agreement will also apply.

Gratuity

Applicable gratuity for catered food service is the responsibility of the person or organization purchasing the food.

For Private Gathering Experiences, food gratuity is paid by the host with the final food payment.

When guests are permitted to open their own beverage tabs, each guest may pay for their beverages separately. Gratuity associated with individually purchased beverages is handled on the individual beverage tab.

Beverages

Unless specifically included in a package or experience, beverages are separate from food pricing.

Available wine, beer, cocktails, and non-alcoholic beverages may be purchased during the event according to Painted Prairie’s beverage policies.

For Private Gathering Experiences, guests may open and pay their own individual beverage tabs.

Wedding and private-event beverage arrangements will follow the beverage selections and requirements established in the applicable event agreement.

Winter Weather & Rescheduling

We understand that Minnesota winter weather can make travel unsafe.

When significant winter weather affects a scheduled event or Private Gathering Experience, Painted Prairie may allow the event to be rescheduled one time to a mutually available date.

Payments eligible for transfer will be applied to the approved rescheduled date.

However, food costs already incurred for the original date may not be transferable. Food that has already been purchased or prepared remains the financial responsibility of the host.

If significant winter weather also affects the approved rescheduled date, Painted Prairie will work with the host to determine an appropriate alternative.

Winter-weather rescheduling does not apply to ordinary scheduling conflicts, changes in plans, reductions in attendance, or individual guests choosing not to attend.

Agreement to Policies

Payment of a deposit, reservation payment, or other required event payment confirms acceptance of Painted Prairie’s applicable food, cancellation, final-count, and rescheduling policies.

Questions or requested changes should be addressed before the 10-day final guaranteed guest-count deadline so we can make necessary adjustments before food purchasing and preparation begin.