If you’re in the early stages of wedding planning or have been planning for a while and purposely putting off the sometimes daunting task of choosing your caterer and food; let me see if I can help.
First, you need to decide your catering budget. Then picture your event, and see what comes to mind… Do you think of white-gloved servers placing gold-rimmed plate in a synchronized service? Do you see your guests loving your specialty drink, and the food is working to support it? Do you want everyone to be seated at the wedding?
Cocktail Buffet:
This is one of our most popular menus. As guests arrive to the reception site, they will have several options; 1. they will go to the bar, 2. they will go to the pick-up station for dips and light appetizers, 3. they will go through the buffet, 4. they will go to the carving station (this depends on the type of beef you choose). We generally open the buffet immediately following the ceremony if it’s on site, or once guests begin to arrive. No one wants to wait in line to get food, nor do you want a huge line going through your party!
The pick-up station choices are at the top of the menu, and you generally pick three of your favorites. If you pick one with an additional number next to it, it is that price per person (this will be applicable throughout the whole menu). The menu is priced according to your choice of beef. If you decide on one that needs to be carved in front of guests (for example, beef tenderloin vs. shaved roast beef), you will have a separate table with a green, beef, starch and bread. Then, you pick one item from each of the categories below; you do not have to choose a seafood if you’d prefer not to. When picking from the list, be thinking about the various colors of the items and how your guests’ plates will look. There is no dessert included in this option, since you will more than likely be serving a wedding cake.
One prime advantage of the cocktail buffet, you will save money on tables and chairs as it allows you to only seat half your guests. Why? All of the food is made to eat without needing a knife. They will chat, eat, drink and be merry!
Don’t be fooled by the name cocktail buffet, your guests will NOT leave hungry! There is plenty of food for them to eat, and it is perfectly acceptable to pick this menu for a 6:30 or 7:00 wedding.
Short Plates or Stations:
This menu is designed around “mini-meals” served on our square, white plates. You will generally serve three or four of these options. Short Plates create wonderful flow throughout your party, allowing your guests to mingle and float to their next dish of choice. You can choose from our pre-designed menus, or you can adapt your own from our cocktail buffet menu. Each plate consists of a meat, starch, veggie and bread. One of the most popular ones: pulled pork slider, mac & cheese, sauteed green beans.
You also only seat half of your guests for this option too.
This is a self-serve Tuscan Station
Dinner Buffet:
If you’d like to seat everyone, and walk into the reception with guests enjoying a pre-set salad this is the choice for you! You might also want to offer your guests passed hors d’oeuvres until you are ready for them to be seated. The salad is priced per guests, the buffet price is based upon your beef or pork choice. You then choose a chicken, fish (only if you’d like), and four veggies. If you are doing a wedding cake, you generally forgo the dessert option. Remember to think about color on this plate too. In order to avoid the line forming, we invite one or two tables at a time to go down both sides of the buffet.
Suppers:
This one is home-style, country food and is amazing! It has a lot of the same items as our other menus, but there are fewer choices. You only choose one of the predetermined menus based at $13/person. All of the choices are delicious and you will not go wrong with any of them!
You might have a couple passed hors d'oeuvres as your guests arrive
Served Dinners:
If you want formal dining at your wedding, you’ll choose this option. Each table of eight, is assigned four waiters for a synchronized service. Your guests will begin their evening with an appetizer then a salad, priced per person. You will then choose the entree that you like, if you see two options we can always do a duo with smaller pieces of meat. The entree comes with the sides predetermined, then you choose the green of your choice. Dessert can be added, or again you may serve a wedding cake. Each price is based per person. Service is also increased on this option.
All of the menus are based only on the food aspect, and do not include service. It does include the standard plates and cutlery, serving utensils and dishes. Also, please note all menus are just suggestions, we are always happy to make your grandma’s casserole, a Kosher meal, completely local menu! Hopefully, this has helped some with the breaking down of the menus, and how to best chose the option for you!
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