By Word of Mouth Limited

What By Word of Mouth Limited does

By Word of Mouth Limited is a London-headquartered, privately held luxury catering and event management firm founded in 1985, operating under the dba 'By Word of Mouth' / 'BWoM' and registered in England as company number 3310603. The business delivers an integrated full-service events offering across six product lines: Food & Drink (catering), Event Management & Design, Wedding Services, Waiting Staff & Service, Creativity & Event Styling, and Venue Finding. Service delivery is on-site at the 60+ prestigious venues where the firm holds accredited caterer status or at client-specified private homes and offices, with each engagement assigned a dedicated event planner acting as a single point of contact.

The firm serves three primary customer segments: high-net-worth private clients, corporate clients, and couples planning weddings, with documented use cases spanning charity galas (e.g., Windsor Castle dinner for the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity), corporate hospitality, private celebrations and weddings. Pricing is fully bespoke and quote-based, generated per event from requirements including guest count, menu and venue — no standardised pricing tiers are published. Go-to-market combines direct sales (phone, email, website enquiry form) with referral-based acquisition from venue partners and PR coverage in luxury lifestyle titles (Tatler, Vogue, Country Life, Luxx), supported by an owned content channel (The BWoM Edit) and active social presence on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, Pinterest and X.

Underlying operational capabilities rest on an in-house team of chefs (Executive Head Chef Mark Connolly, Head Pastry Chef Martin Stone, Head of Canapes Jane Wills) and dedicated (not contracted) waiting staff, an in-house creative function, and Orbisk food-waste monitoring at headquarters. The firm is a certified B Corporation, an accredited London Living Wage employer, and holds BSI Quality Management certification (FS 552836), with sustainability partnered through Positive Planet and a stated net-zero target of 2037, alongside a charity partnership with City Harvest London ('Little Canapes, Big Heart'). No external funding, parent company, or M&A activity is indicated; leadership includes Chair Rick Perry and Managing Director Jack Franklin.

Name

By Word of Mouth Limited

Legal name

By Word of Mouth Limited

Website

https://bywordofmouth.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

By Word of Mouth Limited is a London-based luxury catering and event management firm serving high-net-worth private clients, corporate clients, and wedding clients across the UK and internationally, with four decades of heritage and accreditation at 60+ prestigious venues.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Luxury Event Catering Services

NAICS

Caterers (722320), Food Service Contractors (722310), Special Food Services (7223)

akta.pro primary industry

Full-Service Catering (Off-Premise) (HSACAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wedding & Social Event Catering (THAHAKAE), Event Catering (Weddings, Social, Private Parties) (THAFAIAB)

Keywords

• Luxury event catering
• Wedding catering services
• Event management services
• Corporate event catering
• Bespoke catering services

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Luxury Catering Services: Bespoke catering services for events, weddings and celebrations. Pricing is quote-based with custom proposals created for each event based on requirements, guest count, menu selection, and service needs.
2. Event Management Services: Full event management including venue finding, marquees, flowers, lighting, production, entertainment, event styling, printing, digital and hybrid events, and international events coordination.
3. Waiting Staff Services: Provision of trained waiting staff, butlers, event hosts, model staff and security personnel for events.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

By Word of Mouth Limited delivers luxury catering and full-service event management for weddings, corporate events, and private celebrations across London, the UK, and internationally. Its offering spans food and drink preparation by in-house chefs, end-to-end event planning and design, dedicated waiting staff, in-house creativity and styling, and venue finding at 60+ accredited prestigious venues. Each engagement is bespoke, with a dedicated event planner serving as a single point of contact throughout planning and delivery.

Product overview

By Word of Mouth Limited operates as a single, unified luxury event catering and management service rather than a platform with separate modules. The company's core offering is a comprehensive suite of event services built around exceptional food and drink, including Catering (Food & Drink), Event Management & Design, Wedding Services, Waiting Staff & Service, Creativity & Event Styling, and Venue Finding. These services are offered as an integrated full-service package where the planning team serves as a single point of contact for clients. The company sources seasonal produce with integrity, works with trusted sustainable suppliers, and delivers everything from canapes and food bars to plated dinners and late-night food, all prepared and plated onsite by their own team of chefs and served by their dedicated waiting staff.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Food & Drink (Catering) Outstanding food and drink services at the heart of By Word of Mouth's luxury event catering. Includes stylish canapes, food bars, exquisite plated dinners, and late-night food prepared and finished on-site by in-house chefs using seasonal, sustainably produced ingredients. Served to clients at private homes, offices, and prestigious venues across London, the UK, and internationally.
• Event Management & Design Full-service event planning and design providing a single point of contact throughout the planning process. Includes venue finding, marquees, flowers, lighting and production, entertainment, event styling, printing, digital and hybrid events, and international event coordination for private, corporate, and wedding clients.
• Wedding Services Comprehensive wedding catering and coordination services covering catering, marquees, venue search, production, flowers, entertainment, and wedding cakes for ceremonies, receptions, rehearsal dinners, and wedding breakfasts. Served to couples and families across London, the UK, and international destinations.
• Waiting Staff & Service Provision of dedicated, in-house (non-contracted) waiting staff trained at By Word of Mouth, delivering service with charm and charisma. Also offers butlers, event hosts, model staff, and security personnel for events. By Word of Mouth is an accredited London Living Wage employer.
• Creativity & Event Styling In-house creative team that brings event ideas to life through bespoke canape trays, food bars, and imaginative theme interpretation. Builds event look from mood boards through to execution, combining texture, colour, and special detail.
• Venue Finding & Venue Partners Accredited caterer at over 60 prestigious London and UK venues including the British Museum, Natural History Museum, Tate Modern, V&A, Kensington Palace, Westminster Abbey, Banqueting House, Blenheim Palace, Royal Academy of Arts, and Somerset House. Provides venue finding with in-depth knowledge of venue partners and a venue shortlisting tool on the website.

Quantifiable outcome

• Every £1 raised through Little Canapes, Big Heart initiative equals 3 meals for those facing food poverty through City Harvest London

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• City Harvest LondoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharity partnership through 'Little Canapes, Big Heart' initiative. No Waste canapes are offered in support of food redistribution charity City Harvest London, which redistributes surplus produce to over 375 community projects across London. Every £1 raised equals 3 meals for those facing food poverty.
• Positive PlanetcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorking with Positive Planet to support journey towards net zero. Positive Planet provides expert guidance and support for sustainability initiatives and net zero targets.
• 60+ UK Prestigious VenuescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAccredited caterer at over 60 prestigious venues across London and the UK including British Museum, Natural History Museum, Tate Modern, V&A, Kensington Palace, Westminster Abbey, Banqueting House, Blenheim Palace, Royal Academy of Arts, Somerset House, and many more. Venue shortlisting tool available on website.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bywordofmouthUK
• Facebookfacebook.com/bywordofmouthUK
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/by-word-of-mouth
• Instagraminstagram.com/bywordofmouth
• Pinterestpinterest.com/bywordofmouth

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about By Word of Mouth Limited