Merri-Makers Catering

About Merri-Makers Catering

The Merri-Makers Catering Team

Rick & Cynthia Bott, Owners

Our story begins in 1978 with Rick Bott, a lifetime resident of Monmouth County and recent graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, at the inception of his career at his small storefront in Red Bank, NJ. At that little shop on Monmouth Street, Rick meets Cindy, his partner in business and in life. Over the past 40 years, Rick and Cindy have had the privilege of catering over 6,000 unique and custom weddings, nurtured four children (and one grandchild!), and have led Merri-Makers to become one of the distinguished caterers in the country.

Services

Cuisines

  • Farm-to-table
  • Southern

Dietary accommodations

  • Dairy-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Halal
  • Kosher
  • Nut-free
  • Vegan
  • Vegetarian

Meal types

  • Food stations
  • Passed appetizers
  • Seated meal
  • Stationary appetizers
  • Wedding cake service

Reviews

Write a review
Rating: 5.0

5.0 out of 5

3 reviews

  • BJ

    Brooke and J.

    Rating: 5
    •Jul 6

    The best food!

    The food was absolutely incredible! From cocktail hour through dinner and dessert, every bite was delicious. Not only was everything beautifully displayed and presented, but the quality and flavor exceeded all of our expectations. Our guests are still talking about how amazing the food was, and we've received countless compliments about the variety, presentation, and overall dining experience. The catering staff was professional, attentive, and helped everything run so smoothly throughout the evening. Great food was one of our biggest priorities, and they absolutely delivered. We couldn't have been happier and would recommend them to anyone looking for an exceptional wedding caterer!

  • AP

    Audrey P.

    Rating: 5
    •Oct 18, 2025

    Delicious!!

    Merri-Makers Catering was the perfect choice for our wedding day. From our first conversation, they were incredibly knowledgeable and guided us through the menu selection process with expertise. On the day of, their service was impeccable and the food was delicious. The entrees were cooked to perfection and the variety of options, including the gelato bar and bananas foster bar, wowed our guests. Many of our friends reported that it was the best food they've ever had at a wedding. We are so grateful to Merri-Makers for helping make our special day truly unforgettable.

  • B

    Brianna

    Rating: 5
    •Incentivized review
    •Nov 7, 2024

    Best Venue EVER

    MIYC is an absolute DREAM. Gianna is incredible at her job. Her and her team went above and beyond all day and all the days leading up to the wedding. When we toured Mallard, aside from loving the venue, we loved Gianna!! She was extremely patient with all my questions (and there were a lot), putting us completely at ease that our day would be seamless. Her and her team did such an amazing job making sure everything is on schedule down to the very minute. They are truly experts in their field and made sure us and our parents were taken care of the entire day. Not to mention you get the entire estate – we had our bridal party stay in the suits upstairs so the party could keep going! MIYC’s catering is MerriMakers who is also out of this world. So many of our guests raved about all the food, especially the cocktail hour. If you’re a sushi lover - SPLURGE FOR THE SUSHI. The display was incredible and the freshness was out of this world.

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Our vegetarian options will change by season, but our top menu pick is the Butternut Squash Tortelacci with sage browned butter, roasted Brussel sprouts and shaved parmesan cheese. Additionally we have a Mushroom Agnolotti blended with fontina and mascarpone cheese & a Spinach and Artichoke Risotto cake finished with white truffle oil and shaved pecorino Romano cheese.
We have an assortment of vegan options to offer our clients, and some of the most popular are: Roasted spaghetti squash, Grilled vegetable napoleon with house made basil oil and balsamic reduction, Citrus and Chipotle BBQ cauliflower steak with hand cut French fried sweet potato and frizzled onion straws & Portobello mushroom scaloppine in a lemon, caper & white wine sauce with zucchini noodles.
Gluten free is never a problem and quite common.
We handle nut allergies by limiting our use of them and when they do occur on a menu we call it out on a menu card and discuss it with staff at pre event meeting.
Expertise Day-of Coordination Excellent Cuisine and Menu Design Day of Logistics Peace of Mind and a built-in therapist
Referrals from past clients How they made you feel Chef’s Knowledge and Training How many years they’ve been catering
Someone that “fits” with your personality. They must understand your vision and be flexible.
The food is not fresh or cooked on site. It’s not restaurant quality. A sit down dinner is more expensive than a cocktail reception. Having a back yard wedding is less expensive, when in fact it is more expensive, you need to bring in tables chairs, china, flatware, tents, bathrooms.
How many years are you in business? Do you have any past referrals? Will you be able to discuss the menu options with the chef? Can they customize the menu to suite your specific tastes? What are the hidden costs?
We are a design caterer, the best food options are the ones that speak to who you are. Our job is to get to who you are and design a menu. We understand that every bride is not the same and menus are designed to suite specific tastes, heritages and seasons. A fall bride may like a braised short rib with creamy mushroom polenta. A summer bride may prefer Surf & Turf – Lobster tail or crab cake.

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