Catering Special Events What To Think About
Any special event is bound to be exciting — whether you’re planning a wedding or gala, you’re undertaking something that is out of the ordinary. People are able to take a break from their normal lives through special events, and they’re certainly meant to be fun and enjoyable experiences. With that being said, giving that kind of excitement to people is about more than just throwing a party. You also need to be sure that they’re properly fed — and that, in turn, means more than just feeding people until they’re full. The food you serve should reflect the formality or informality of the event in question. It should be a spread that provides options for all of your guests. And there is a style to food; a style that can make or break the memories people have of your event. In fact, food is perhaps the second most important factor of a wedding — behind only the happy couple themselves. Certainly, food can define galas surrounding holidays. To put it plain and simple, food is extremely important when it comes to special events. And the best way to provide food for a special event is through professional event catering services.
Events And Catering: What To Expect
When considering events and catering, you should know what to expect from your catering company ahead of time. How much, for example, will be handled by you and how much will be handled by your catering company? If you’re paying a catering company to handle your food and drinks, you wouldn’t be wrong to expect a certain amount of cleanup — and in some cases all — to be handled by the catering company. Another important part to remember when thinking about events and catering is location. Some catering companies come with food pre-prepared. Others prefer to cook food at your event location. Others come as a part of a “package” with the event venue you’ve chosen. If your caterer is off-site, usually pre-ordered food is less expensive than buffets or food stations. Furthermore, if you get married in a locale that doesn’t have much in the way of appliances like ovens and stoves, it will cost more to have them brought in by a catering company. You should put a lot of thought into how much physical involvement you want in the catering of your event. Otherwise, you could easily find yourself in over your head. This is the last thing you want during any event, let alone a wedding or another similarly personal event.
Choosing Your Flavors: Deciding On The Food
Event menus are a bit more complicated than your average menu. This is because you need to keep the menu relatively simple, while at the same time satisfying your guests. Events and catering services often provide a number of options. With that being said, you as the host need to take a certain level of responsibility. You need to make sure that you are aware of all of your guests’ dietary needs — especially in regards to things like allergies. Undoubtedly, you’ll also want people to enjoy their food. Good caterers often make suggestions, but ultimately the final choices surrounding event catering ideas are up to you. Heavy food — like cream sauces, pork chops, and deep-fried appetizers — is no longer as popular as it once was. Remember for weddings in particular that cocktail hours are now the norm; food during cocktail hours should be kept small, ideally in the form of antipasto skewers or mini lettuce wraps. Another option to consider is a “green” course, using organic options. Brides and grooms shouldn’t forget that their wedding guests will be using up a lot of energy, especially at evening weddings. A recent trend has been that of serving a late-night snack at evening weddings. A great option could be a sliders bar, or even a salsa bar.
Whether you need a wedding catered or another kind of special event, you’ll want to provide the best food possible. Think of food as another form of self expression — one that everyone is sure to love!
