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13 Things to Consider Before Hiring a Wedding Caterer

Caterers play a major role when it comes to any event—debuts, weddings, baptisms, and even kiddie parties. This is because caterers make these events so much easier for the coordinators and the hosts by giving catering companies the job of handling food services. Wedding food catering, for one, is special and should be prepared well in advance. This is because it does not only concern one family but two, along with close friends of the bride and groom.
You should aim for caterers who could meet your demands, your specifications; the way you want everything to be ‘perfect’. But is this all the standard to look for in caterers? Is good food the measurement for hiring catering services per se? Here are some of the other considerations you should take—other than their menu options—before you hire caterers for your upcoming wedding event.

Personal Attention

The first consideration you should think about before hiring caterers is their time, and how much of that time they can give to you. You always want updates; you always want to hear from them for changes. They should be readily available when called upon.

Attitude

Take into account the caterer staff’s attitude. When you first make contact with the caterer, you can easily sense if they have a good air about them. Did they greet you with a smile? Are they polite throughout your whole inquiry? If so, proceed with the consideration of hiring them. Otherwise, it’s better to turn to someone else.

Communication

Personal attention isn’t enough to consider the uprightness of a catering service. You also have to note how much time you need to make contact with them to get your point across. The standard contact time between a caterer and a client should be 10 times, up until the wedding day.

Food Preparation

You are hiring a wedding food catering service not just to provide a buffet to serve your guests. Rather, you are hiring them because you want a sense of class and professionalism even when it comes to your wedding fare. Consider caterers who have this respect towards food as much as making them taste good.

Quality Ingredients

You don’t want to spend a fortune on a caterer only to get complaints that their food tastes dull, dry, or stale. Ensure that the caterer uses only quality and fresh ingredients for their recipes to avoid negative comments on the wedding day itself. You may even ask to sample their food for confirmation before hiring.

Cost Per Plate

Find out how much they charge per plate served. This does not only concern the plates alone, but also the cost of linens used, tables, chairs, and other miscellaneous fees. Simply put, ask them for their package rates before closing deals. Do not hesitate to bargain with your caterer.

Menu Rates

Other than the utensils used and the set-up for tables and chairs, scrutinize the menu and the rates for dishes that will be served. Usually, it comes in sets (set A, B, and so on), but you can bargain for what to include or not. This way, you can reduce unnecessary items if need be that may cost more.

Willingness to Help

You can judge if the caterer is merely there to “do their job”, or if the caterer really shows passion and willingness to be of service. The caterer will give his/her all out from the point of your inquiry to the end of your wedding ceremony. They should support you (giving suggestions and taking criticisms) to the point you want to recommend them to friends and family, or re-hire them in the future.

Flexibility and Experience

It’s not that you should avoid caterers that are new to the business, but if you truly aim for a top-notch, class, and high-performance caterers, go for those who have enough experience in the field. You can find that by browsing through their website and reading about their background and accomplishments. Flexibility also means the ability to handle any event, not just weddings. This often indicates a worthy caterer with enough experience.

Knowledge of the Venue

A good caterer to consider is not only praised for their craft when it comes to food (and table) preparation but for their knowledge of the venue that you would want as well. It’s a huge advantage to know what the venue looks like, so they can have an insight of how to set-up their service to make it appealing. They can also measure their travel time from their catering area to the venue on the day itself.

Complete Contract Details

Up until the point of signing the contract necessary to make the deal official, you have to ensure that everything that was explained to you. In addition, everything that was discussed should be in written form on the contract. Read the terms carefully to avoid any points which might have been left off in the discussion.

Cancellation is Possible

Should an anomaly arise or should you decide that you have a different option other than catering, there should always be a cancellation option. If this is not stated in the contract, then it should at least be allowed by the caterer. They are not to hold you hostage and be aggressive towards cancellation as long as your reasons are valid.

Check For References

Just like reading book and/or movie reviews to find out other people’s thoughts about this particular title, find out what previous clients have to say about your caterer. This isn’t because you distrust their services, but you want to feel a sense of security when you look into the experience of other people by hiring this or that caterer.

Key Takeaway

If you are searching for the right, fair, and quality catering service to be provided for your wedding event, we at Juan Carlo assure you that we practice professionalism on everything we do.

At Juan Carlo, we cater with love, sheer hard work, and an unrelenting dedication to delivering you the best catering experience. Click here to learn more about what we can offer you!

Impress Guests With These Simple, Yet Stand-out Food Catering Ideas

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What are some ideas for unique and simple wedding food catering?

Bite-sized food style
Food truck style
Wedding party potluck style

Simple is beautiful. Celebrations don’t always have to mean an elaborate display of design, venue, or even food catering for weddings. What’s important are the treasured memories and the fact that the people you invited as trusted and loving guests are there to witness a life-changing event.

However, this doesn’t mean that preparations are just so-and-so. Making last minute hassles—trying to find a venue, a catering service, or (event) coordinators—will take so much out of you and your partner. You want to keep it simple, but you want it to be an unforgettable reception for the beloved guests. Ease your worries, and plan how you will execute that unique yet uncomplicated food catering with these suggestions:

Bite-sized Food Style

To summarize this in two words that will surely catch your guests’ attention: mini food! That’s right! If you want to show a simple yet new experience for everyone, why not try teasing the guests with bite-sized catering food? It doesn’t literally mean you’ll be making miniature versions of food (like those Japanese mini-kitchen videos you may have come across on social media). Rather, you’ll produce a menu where guests are left wanting for more, so they’ll ask for seconds or come back to the buffet area.

Sample menus for this style include:

Buttermilk (fried) chicken and waffles — have servings of small waffle slices and fried buttermilk chicken cut in nugget-shaped sizes. You could have a small container or a small saucer (depending on how creative or unique you can get) with syrup in it for dipping.

Food pops — it’s like candy pops, but using food like mac n’ cheese or even meatballs coated in a special sauce, for instance. As candy pop makers get creative with how they present their sweet desserts, so can you! Get your creative juices flowing and experiment with which food pops your guests might want to try. You can even surprise your guests by letting them choose which food pop they think would make their mouths water.

Miniature desserts —— if the theme of your food catering will focus solely on sweets, then opt for this one. Desserts can be better appreciated in moderation. Guests will be satisfied with small portions of dessert. Go for cute and photo-worthy miniature sweets. This includes bite-sized donuts of varying flavors (for example, munchkin-type donuts), graham balls, or even miniature ice cream complete with finger-length cones and different flavor options. This could either be done in a buffet style or single-serving only.

Food Truck Style

One of the unique ideas on this list would be a food truck-style wedding food catering service. Food trucks are common in countries such as the United States. They range from ice cream trucks parked outside schools to tasty taco-selling trucks on a freezing day. With this said, it will be quite an uncommon experience to bring the idea of a ‘food truck’ in the country.

Since we’re aiming for simplicity, it doesn’t necessarily require that you rent actual trucks and have them decorated just to say that it’s truly one of a kind. Why not go for something as simple as our favorite go-to food parks with stalls (or tables) instead of actual vehicles? Besides, what we’re after is the vibe that guests are eating from food trucks by including hamburgers, grilled cheese sandwiches or sliders, barbecue, sushi, ice cream in the menu. You could even substitute the “American” food truck menu for Filipino flavors such as tusok-tusok food.

Wedding Party Potluck Style

Here’s an idea which calls for guest participation: instead of asking your guests for gifts, why not ask them to bring their share of dishes for the wedding day? Of course, certain rules still apply such as letting them know beforehand how many people will be present at the event. Give them the final count and not just an estimate. Brief them on your requirements: is there a theme? What are the menus already offered by others?

This idea also appeals to guests whom you and your partner may be very close to. You can’t expect all guests to comply, so you must respect the declination of those who don’t plan on joining this unique potluck idea. As much as possible, limit the guest list to your close relatives and friends.

Key Takeaway

What will impress your guests are the innovative ways to play with the wedding reception, especially in the food catering segment, as well as the modesty which comes with executing the service. Planning is as important as the nuptial day itself, so keep it simple yet amusing with the power of originality.

5 Beautiful Wedding Venues In And Around The Metro

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Which beautiful venues in and around the Metro can you book for your wedding?

Versailles Palace
La Pergola Verde
The Green Lounge
Sitio Elena
Velada Estate

Looking for the right wedding catering services for your upcoming marriage might be a straightforward affair. But even if you already have a catering service and a concept in mind, how can you make it happen without the right venue?

Just because you have an outstanding program or exciting food to serve doesn’t mean that you can overlook the area where your wedding reception will take place. The perfect wedding venue can actually have a huge impact on the overall nuptial event, so don’t take any of its elements for granted. Your choice of venue could significantly affect the program or the decoration. The right location could also play on the emotions of both the newly-weds and their guests. Lastly, your guests are going to scrutinize the area they are in. They are going to ask questions such as “Does it fit the theme?” or “Is it worth the accommodation?”

When talking about the best catering in Manila, there’s going to be a lot of options; same with deciding on a venue. Here are five of the most appealing wedding venues you can find in and around the Metro:

The Versailles Palace

Location: Almanza Dos, Las Piñas, Greater Manila

If you want to feel the vibe of a royal French court, Versailles Palace in Almanza Dos is the perfect place to celebrate your love and marriage. Inspired by the world heritage site located in France (from which the venue also takes its name), the Versailles Palace already sparks the notion of a luxurious wedding.

From a distance, you could already spot the poolside, the trellis, and a gazebo which calls for its outdoor ambiance, especially during sunset where you could see the reflection of the surroundings on the pool. The veranda is just one of their locations for hosting events. It can be divided into three areas or you can rent it as a whole. Should you decide to book their grand ballroom, then the veranda can serve as an area for cocktails and conversations. There are waiting areas where your guests could pass the time while waiting for the program to start.

No matter where you look, you will feel a sense of royalty and the treatment of a princess/prince when you decide to book your wedding venue at The Versailles Palace.

La Pergola Verde

Location: CCP Compound, Gil Puyat Ave, Roxas Blvd, Pasay, 1308 Metro Manila

Pergola Verde is located in the heart of Manila which makes it readily available for all sorts of events: debuts, kiddie parties, even simple (formal) gatherings. Of course, they can also be the venue for your wedding and reception catering. Indoor seating capacity ranges from 200-350 guests, while the Verdant Gardens can seat up to 400 guests.

There is also a permanent stage for the highlight of the celebration. The area is spacious with high ceilings, drapes, and chandeliers to complete the simple, yet classy style.

The Green Lounge

Location: Ortigas Ave, San Juan, 1502 Metro Manila

Besides being a great catering space for an elegant and modern-style wedding reception, the Green Lounge offers an amazing view of the Makati and Ortigas skyline. Enjoy the gorgeous city backdrop from its events area located at their penthouse floor. True to its name, the Green Lounge is eco-friendly and is the first green building located in the city of San Juan.

Sitio Elena

Location: Don Celso S. Tuason Ave, Valley Golf, Cainta, 1800 Rizal

Located in one of the most prestigious golf clubs in the country, Sitio Elena has a fully air-conditioned grand hall with a glass interior. It has a cozy bridal suite, a comfortable office facility, and other high-class amenities which can be found within the area. It is a nature-friendly venue which will captivate guests with its waterfalls and ponds along with tall trees and surrounding landscape.

Velada Estate

Location: 21 Don Juan St., Villa Cecilia Subd., Antipolo, Rizal Province

There are seven carefully and creatively designed rooms, all air-conditioned, to choose from. One example of their offered venues is the El Patio with its crawling vines and draped linens. It also houses old, fruit-bearing trees such as mangoes and blackberries among others, which provides a sweet, natural fragrance to the room. The El Fuente can sit up to 200 guests. It has a white trellis and a small paved tent. A water fountain can also be found here.

Velada Estate speaks of nature blending with love to produce a romantic feel, far from the usual modern atmosphere of buildings and structures.

Key Takeaway

No matter which wedding venue you choose to celebrate one of life’s most awaited events, it should keep you, your beloved, as well as family and friends satisfied. It’s about creating memories and ensuring that the day is focused on love and the vows exchanged all throughout the day. It’s your enjoyment and success which always counts, and the venue is just one of the ways to spice things up a bit.

Creative Wedding Reception Ideas

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What creative reception ideas can you incorporate in your wedding?

Provide a guest transportation service
Apply themes to food catering
Have an area exclusive to children
Add a unique element which will stand out

One of the best part about a wedding—any event, really — is the actual planning process of where the reception will be held after the formal program is done. Once the couples have made their vows and have received their blessings, only then can the festivities can begin. To have the perfect wedding food catering, the venue, and ambiance, and the overall program flow should all be considered. But nowadays, everyone wants to have an event which is not only memorable but also stands-out.

If a wedding is one of the greatest celebrations that will happen in your life, why not plan one which you and your guests will never forget? Here are some creative and unique ideas to give that “wow” factor and ensure satisfaction among your guests:

Provide a Guest Transportation Service

The moment the priest or pastor announces “you may kiss the bride”, whispers of where the reception will be held and how to get there starts filling the air. Guests will end up asking the coordinators or the couples themselves on where the reception area is and how they can get there Sometimes convoys are held just to avoid getting lost and missing the program because of it. But even this isn’t completely foolproof.

The solution? Make it comfortable and fun for your family and friends by renting a transportation service with a twist. If your wedding (or reception) has a working theme, why not hint that the fun is only getting started by having a vehicle related to the theme? For example, renting a yellow school bus or anything which is nostalgic of school days will remind guests of their childhood, where perhaps you and your partner first met. How about keeping it simple and asking your guests to post funny signs related to the wedding on their cars so it’s “paraded” while traveling towards the reception area? Whatever idea you have in mind, assure your guests that this is the start of a great time you want to build memories with.

Apply themes to food catering

Admit it, you are getting tired of attending receptions with a bland presentation. It’s time to show guests how to liven up the wedding catering design through the most awaited part of the program: food. Here are some amusing themes you could consider:

Carnival Style – a carnival or a fair is a great way to have fun, so bring that ‘fun’ on your wedding day by having your food catered in carnival style. This includes food such as popcorn, donuts, cake pops, or even hotdogs. You can go further and have a mini Ferris wheel hold up the food, for instance.

Do it Yourself Dessert area – this works well with a buffet-style catering for the main dishes. Sure, it may not be all too unique now that this idea is being reused, but still, you can go one step better by planning out what will be involved in your dessert area. You can serve cookies, cakes, foreign candies, or perhaps a fountain which features different chocolates.

Children’s Bar – Sure, there may already be a built-in bar area serving cocktails and wine, but have you ever thought of a bar exclusive for children? That’s right, we’re talking about serving milk tea, shakes, carbonated drinks, and all other non-alcoholic drinks.

Have an area exclusive to children

Children have the tendency of losing interest after their curiosity of the happenings around them. They will get bored if they see that the program does not involve their age. One creative and unique idea you can do is to provide some sort of children’s area with about 2 tables where your guests’ young ones can bond and play without having to bother the adults. The table can include coloring and/or art materials, activity books, or puzzles to keep them busy and entertained. A kiddie buffet that’s still part of the food catering can also be done, complete with their own child-friendly menu.

If you want the kids to participate, you can also allot a part of the program which can associate them.

Add a unique element which will stand-out

This is the “I didn’t see this coming” point of your wedding reception. If you really plan in raising the bar for a creative celebration, don’t limit yourself to the ideas mentioned above. For example, have your pets tag along dressed in bowties or tutus. If they trained to fetch, have them bring wedding gifts, for example.

Key Takeaway

Weddings are truly an anticipated life event. Making sure that everything is “perfect” in your wedding could keep the relationship strong and inspire others to unleash their creativity in event planning. No matter how colorful or strange your wedding reception can get, be sure it’s one of the stories you can tell over and over again in the future.

Wedding Food Catering: Cocktail Style Wedding Reception

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What are the advantages of a cocktail style wedding?

It has a more relaxed atmosphere
There is freedom in planning it
Budget-friendly menu
Flexibility towards guests and hosts

Among the modern ways of planning a nuptial event which includes the wedding food catering, venue, program, and all, what appeals to couples these days (especially the youth) is the so-called cocktail wedding style.

It’s becoming more prevalent with its lax nature and affordability. But for some, they consider it as an informal way of executing a wedding reception. This is mostly because of its light atmosphere and the slight breakaway from the traditional wedding reception experience. Still, it attracts most lovers who are planning their wedding day. These are the advantages and the beauty of why weddings of the modern age would opt for this famous catering style:

It has a more relaxed atmosphere

Oftentimes, there is a slight pressure on the part of the coordinators and the guests on how they will act upon arriving at the reception area. Where will the guests sit? How will the coordinators instruct them on the program proper? These are just a few questions that pop up in their minds.

With a cocktail style wedding, there is no need to panic as guests are free to choose their own seating space. Table numbers and guests’ table assignments aren’t very strict. In fact, it is encouraged among guests that they sit where they are most comfortable so they could mingle with others while enjoying the rest of the wedding proper. If they feel hungry, they could go ahead and walk towards the designated food stations and have their fill of food. Otherwise, it is part of the catering that appetizers be passed around by the waiters when guests have settled down.

The couple or the wedding planners do not need to worry if their guests are confused about what to do or how to act as they wait for the program to start. The bride and groom can rest assured knowing that with a cocktail style wedding, there won’t be any pressure on their part or worries if their loved ones are doing alright.

There is freedom in planning it

Most of the time, during an appointment with the wedding food catering service who will provide for the reception, there will be packages of services and deals which you could avail. You could just discuss with the caterer on what goes with these promos and how best to arrange it. You can make a few tweaks and optimizations based on what you and your partner may or may not like. However, in requesting for a cocktail style arrangements, you are given the reins in planning everything goes over all. Your only limitation will be the lack of originality or perhaps the fear that you will overdo the whole thing.

Freedom in a cocktail style wedding can also be exercised on the program flow itself. You don’t have to do it in the boring, usual tradition. Rather, you can give it a twist or have it arranged in a different manner which best suits our program flow.

Budget-friendly food options

The highlight of a cocktail style wedding is the selection of food and how it is presented. This is entirely at your disposal as well. You can coordinate the menu with your caterer during the planning process. The cocktail style is known to have budget-friendly food offerings. The menu can range from chicken strips, grilled cheese combos, to sliders and sandwiches. You can even serve everyone’s comfort food of fries and ketchup on the side.

It’s budget friendly in a way that there are no requirements urging you to prepare a classy dinner if you don’t want to nor is it confining you to just this specific food theme alone. Just like a cocktail style’s purpose is to exercise the liberty to experiment and customize, so is it lenient towards food catering ideas. Mix and match casual potato fries with a fancy lobster menu if you must, the choice is entirely yours.

Flexibility towards guests and hosts

There are no awkward moments with a cocktail style wedding. You provide space for your guests to explore and be satisfied with their day. You give them the right to move at their own pace as long as it’s not interrupting the program flow. They could eat and drink at any time they want to, be sociable towards others, or be by themselves. You and your significant other can relax and enjoy your wonderful celebration without too much concern.

Key Takeaway

The cocktail style wedding is a fun idea you can do for your wedding. It seems to break away from tradition, but really, it just gives the dull, usual wedding reception a bit of a kick with an exciting twist!

5 Reasons Why Food Service Needs to Be Considered When Planning Your Wedding

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Wedding catering services are always around to help you with your grand and special day. There are some that think that it’s unnecessary to hire a catering service because they can whip up their own meals and decorations. Though it is possible to do everything on your own, it could take a toll on you. There will also be limitations due to being bound by time because of the other aspects of your wedding you need to handle. Here are five reasons why you need to consider hiring a wedding catering service:

Ways to Make the Most Out of Your Wedding Catering

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How do you make the most out of your wedding catering?

Have a concept in mind
Go for what’s in season
Do as much as you can on your own
Work within a budget

Many couples leave the wedding food catering necessities to the experts. All they end up doing is paying their dues and letting the caterers do the magic. But most of these packages are not usually tailor-made for you. Chances are, it’s not going to meet your standards of style.

If you want to make the most out of your wedding catering, you should be hands-on. You should have a solid plan and stick to it. This way, you could make your wedding reception a much more magical occasion. How do you make the most out of your wedding catering services? Simple: work hand in hand with the catering services Here’s how:

Have a Concept in Mind

One must lay out a detailed plan when catering a wedding. The food, theme, and the number of guests, while essential, shouldn’t be the only thing in mind. You must have a concept that covers every single detail that would help the wedding catering services fulfill your needs. Providing a comprehensive checklist for the wedding catering service will be of great use for them to fully execute your dream wedding catering.

Without a clear concept, you may end up spending much more than what you initially expected. Following a plan prevents you from making too many changes over the course of your wedding planning. Of course, at times it’s inevitable that you’re going to make some changes. But with a concept in mind, you can stick as close as you can to your original ideas.

Here are some common questions to ask to develop your own wedding catering checklist:

When is the date of your wedding?
Where will it be held?
How many guests are you expecting?
What food will be served?
What food style would you want at the event?
Are there special foods you want to be served?
How much staff do you need at the event? What is the theme of your wedding?

These are but a few questions you need to ask yourself. You can start with these basic questions and then develop your own wedding plan.

Go With What’s in Season

Similar to the approach of choosing seasonal flowers to maximize your total wedding budget, going with in-season products can be applied when choosing ingredients for your wedding catering. To make the most of your budget even more, you could opt for in-season local food or ingredients. It isn’t necessary to really go for offseason food and ingredients to satisfy your guests. There’s always some good or better in season meal and ingredients during the time of your wedding.

Food that is in season is more likely to taste better and easier to order. Keeping your food in season means that you get fresher ingredients at a cost-effective price.

Do as Much DIY as You Can

Your wedding catering service will probably offer to decorate the place with their own furnishings. However, this will obviously come with a price. To cut costs and save more money, offer to provide your own decorations. Crafting your own decorations may take up a lot of your time, but it gives you the chance to incorporate how you really want the place to look. You could even ask a couple of friends to help you out to speed things up and have a good time.

Don’t think you’re limited to decorations when you want to DIY, either. You could also help your catering services with the food, provide your own utensils, plates, and table decor. Though this requires a lot of time, effort, and organization, it’s the most fulfilling of all wedding DIY’s to do.

Work Within a Budget

Establishing an amount of money to spend is not only important for you but for the wedding caterer as well. It will be easier for the caterer to come up with a perfect menu if they know how much their client is willing to spend. Many caterers can whip up astounding menus with any budget. Leaving them clueless about your budget will be a disaster for you and the caterer.

Finalize a set amount of money you’re willing to spend and let your wedding catering services know about it right away. Don’t make too many shifts in the budget allocation as this will mess up with the plans of the catering services. Don’t forget to give an allowance for a few more people, adjust your budget accordingly.

Key Takeaway

Maximizing your budget when it comes to food catering is always possible. Make sure to coordinate everything with your wedding catering services. It’s key to never leave them out of the blue. Working accordingly with everyone involved from the wedding to reception will bring out the most of your big day. This special day of yours doesn’t have to cost millions to make it special. You could work with a tight budget and it can turn out as grand as any other expensive wedding.

6 Popular Wedding Food Catering Styles

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What are popular wedding food catering styles?

Buffet Style
Plated Dinner
Cocktail Style
Family Style
Serve-yourself Style

Back then, you didn’t really need to think much about food catering services. After you’ve chosen a venue, you would either go for a sit-down dinner or a buffet-style dinner. In recent years, wedding food catering services have gotten more creative and can fit any type for venue or theme. You could make your reception mealtime more conversation-inducing than ever before!

Buffet Style

A buffet-style catering for your wedding food service is perfect for any kind of reception. Guests will have the freedom to choose the food they want and how many servings they’ll get, making it quite the popular catering style for many. What’s great about buffet style dinners is that there’s sure to be food for everyone. At weddings, it’s common to have a server behind the buffet table to assist with giving food and describing the dish.

This style should definitely be a part of your wedding catering checklist as it gives you the option to save more by not having to hire too many servers and waiters. It also provides your guests with a variety of food choices. Buffets are also a good way to encourage interaction among guests. A few drawbacks of this food catering style is that the guests may have to fall in line to get their food. You’re also going to need larger quantities of food, you should expect every guest to make the most out of the buffet.

Plated Dinner

The most traditional and the most formal catering style of all, plated sit-down dinners are perhaps the most eloquent of food services. Usually, guests will be served a three- or four-course meal. Catering services will give the guests a limited selection of appetizers, and entrées. Before the reception, guests are given a menu on what meal course they will have. A sit-down meal service will require more servers, waiters, and most likely more expensive food. This option will require you to shell out much more money than other catering style options.

This may be a costly catering service, but it’s worth the price. Your guests will experience a lush dining event where everyone receives their food at the same time. Having everyone seated gives the event an opportunity for activities such as band performances, dance numbers, and dedication speeches.

Cocktail Style

This catering style has recently grown in popularity for weddings and other formal events. Instead of serving full meals, guests are served hors-d’oeuvres and bite-sized food throughout the event. Usually, cocktail style catering services offer hot and cold food options. You could have the meals served on a table much like a buffet-style or have servers walking around to offer food to guests. If you have a small venue in your wedding catering checklist, then cocktail catering services will be the ideal option.

This catering style has been trending in recent years due to its space-saving potential. It allows the bride and groom to roam the reception area and interact with friends and family members. This option could prove to be cost-efficient due to the fact that you won’t be serving any main entrées. Cocktail-style receptions highly encourage guests to interact and mingle since there won’t be any set tables or fixed seating arrangements.

Family Style

In a family-style setting, guests are served on their table, much like the plated style. But instead of set menus being served to the guests, meals are served on the table for guests to serve themselves. In some events, waiters may even replenish the dishes upon request of the guests. It’s just like having dinner in your own home, hence the name.

This catering style cuts across the buffet style and plated style catering service. Guests are served a meal that has been previously chosen, and they can get as many servings as they want. This makes for a more efficient mealtime as guests can help themselves with the presented foods. This style may be costly due to the serving pieces and serving sizes of food that have to be prepared. Rental for larger tables and more platters may require a large venue.

Serve-your-self Style

A trendy option would be to go for a serve-yourself-catering service. Much like a buffet style catering service, a serve-yourself-service doesn’t require the guests to fall in line and have them all pass through the same table of food. This style sets multiple stations of different cuisines very similar to hotel buffet set-ups. These stations are a great way to spice up your wedding reception’s theme.

Guests can enjoy a wide variety of cuisines and the freedom to choose what they want to eat — minus having to fall in line. You could have different stations that serve different cuisines or you could take the more traditional approach of having separate stations for appetizers, entrees, finger foods, and desserts.

Key Takeaway

There are many food catering service styles to choose from, all of which have their own pros and cons. It’s important to allocate your budget properly so that you can have more creative and fun food catering services options to choose from.

Juan Carlo – The Wedding

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Original article courtesy of Themes & Motifs

From the moment we received our wedding invitation to the del Rosario – Valladolid (JC & Pia), we knew it was going to be a wedding like no other. The wedding invite of the scion of one of local wedding industry’s stalwarts, Juan Carlo – The Caterer, was actually a box of assorted snacks – pretzel sticks, nuts, dried fruits, chocolates, etc. intended to be munched on while reading the pull out invite card, map, and entourage sheet. Everyone, according the invite, must be in black — “Strictly Formal.”

From the solemn mass at the Manila Cathedral, to the elegant white flowers that bedecked the entire aisle stretch, to the eight white stretch limousines that carried the wedding entourage, no stones were left unturned to showcase how a wedding expert gets married in style.

The wedding reception, with a glamorous cocktail event prelude that gave a foretaste of an extraordinary culinary experience, did not disappoint with tasteful details that one can only expect from one of local wedding industry’s foremost creators of dream weddings, Juan Carlo – The Caterer.

Original article courtesy of Themes & Motifs