By ED BARNA

Fortunately for residents and for those seeking Vermont country weddings, the Rutland area has a wide variety of caterers capable of handling the varied demands of uniquely planned nuptial events.

Some are contracted specialists; others are on the staff where the wedding will take place and where guests will stay. Some are connected with area restaurants; others are caterers who use their skills creatively.

But, all help to provide one thing guaranteed to bring people of all sorts together: good food.

The Brandon Inn is an example of a location that provides lodging, food, and sometimes the setting for the wedding itself. Lynn Garrity, front desk manager, said when people book the four-story, 39-room historic hotel, “it’s a whole, total package.”

That package includes owner and prizewinning head chef Louis Pattis, Garrity said. Unlike some caterers, the inn offers drinks at its bar, she said.

A different type of catering business – Plan-it Sheri –has its home in the same building as the Brandon Boys and Girls Club, which sometimes gets food from that kitchen. Sheri Sullivan had plenty of experience cooking for weddings while chef at Brandon’s Lilac Inn, but decided to start Plan-It Sheri, which is now in its seventh year.

Sullivan said a key element in surviving as a business is procuring the ingredients for her recipes as economically as possible. Part of her planning for a wedding often includes a trip to Chittenden County, where Costco and Cheese Traders sometimes have better prices than wholesale food purveyors, she said.

For choices, the bride-to-be can go to Sullivan’s Web site at www. Planitsheri.com to see the range of dishes she can prepare for as many as 200 guests. In some cases, there may be special requests, but those choices can guide preparation for a rehearsal dinner, bridal shower, wedding reception or any other associated event.

Each wedding is unique, in Sullivan’s experience, which she said is good because, “I could never do the same thing over and over.” Getting to know the people involved and helping them to have the best time possible is “a wonderful experience,” she said.

The 25-year-old East Creek Catering in Rutland is one of the biggest catering businesses in the county, if not the biggest, said Kathie Comstock, wedding catering manager. She has had 30 years of experience in hospitality and food businesses, she said, which helps with the many responsibilities she and her team of employees take on.

For some weddings, Comstock is as much of a wedding planner as a caterer. Some clients want to focus completely on the ceremony and the invitees, she said, telling her, “I don’t want to deal with anything,” she said.

Comstock can call Celebration Rentals in Brandon to arrange a tent, and obtain table linens from The Linen Shop in Rutland, among local vendors. She can do that, she said, because she has superb assistants.

“Our staff is very passionate about food,” and chefs Kraig Willis and Sandy Price do an excellent job, Comstock said. At wedding receptions, people get to see them in action, she said, because East Creek Catering has the county’s only mobile kitchen.

That same attention is paid to service, she said. “We are so dedicated to service. I stand by that 100 percent.”

In some cases, wedding events can take place at their headquarters, because East Creek Catering operates out of 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 Belden Road. One space in that line of storefronts is available for events such as a bridal shower to be held that afternoon, Comstock said.

“I can’t imagine not being in this business,” she said. “I’m proud to work here.”

At the other extreme of catering, the Granger Street Market & Deli in Rutland helps people who “are going to do stuff for themselves and put in with what they can add,” said Margie Downs, who with husband Steven Downs owns and operates the store.

They can fill orders for pans of lasagna, meat platters, side dishes like coleslaw, beans – whatever people think will assist their efforts to keep costs low.

Like others who assist at weddings, Downs said meeting the people involved is a bonus to what they earn.

Best Moon Catering, a name that refers to partners Corey Best and Tom Moon, fills still another wedding niche. In addition to their other duties, they cater about a wedding per month, Best said.

She deals with the cooking, and Moon keeps the big garden going, Best said. They said they try as much as possible to offer green wedding catering, she said, with recyclable utensils and tableware for the guests, and food from as many local sources as possible.

In part, their way of preparing food for weddings has roots in SolarFest, which originally was held in Middletown Springs. Best said she made food for that event, and received positive feedback.

Staying local is an approach that has gotten them work with several of the area’s colleges, where the environment is an increasingly important area of study, Best said. Green and localvore thinking generally “is picking up very rapidly,” she said.

Speaking of picking up, what does Best Moon do with the leftovers? “I leave them with the guests,” Moon said, or if they’ve had all they want, “I bring them to the Mission” in Rutland.

Besides the love of food and cooking, it’s the chance to meet all sorts of people at diverse events that keeps wedding catering interesting, Best said.

“That’s a big part of it, to see people, and help them,” she said.