Selecting a caterer for your reception is one of many important decisions you will execute regarding a stressful, exciting and very special day.

Every caterer will of course provide food for yourevent.  But, that being said, every reception is its own, depending on wants, needs, tastes and budget.  Creating a great reception has many moving parts.  When exchanging correspondence with your prospective catering choices try to have some ideas of budgets in mind.  This will help your caterer to be very specific when building your catering package.  You plan your wedding your caterer has many.

Some important questions to ask.

• Cost of the proposed menu yours or theirs
• Services provided included in that cost….Set-up, travel, service attendants, clean-up, china or disposable serviceware, linen and cake cutting
• Will you be provided a contract?
• What are the deposit requirements?
• When is a guest count required?
• When is the final payment due?

Just remember that when selecting your caterer you compare apples to apples in selection.  These bids can vary a great deal, make sure you are going to receive the quality food and services that are required for your reception.  Full Service and not full service catering prices will always differ.

Submitted by: 

Jonathan Jacobsen
Big Sky Catering
375-0937
www.bigskycatgering.com

Smaller wedding cakes and environmentally friendly decorations

Catering – Choose a caterer that uses locally grown organic ingredients, not canned, frozen, or packaged ones, in the preparation of their food. Not only will the food taste better, but you will save on all of the packaging and on the pollution associated with transportation.

You can prevent a great deal of waste by asking your caterer to use real dishware, not disposable plates and plastic utensils. Also rent coffee cups and glassware rather than using plastic or Styrofoam. Avoid using plastic tablecloths or paper napkins. Though it may cost a bit more to rent dishes, glasses, and linens, and they will all need to be washed (by the rental center, not you), you will keep a huge amount of refuse out of the landfill. If you choose to use disposable plates, eating utensils, and napkins, choose ones made from recycled paper, sugarcane, cornstarch, or other biodegradable materials, such as those found at http://www.earthwarebiodegradables.com/.

Ask the caterer what happens to the left-over food. If you are having your reception at a hotel, restaurant or another facility that has an in-house kitchen, you won’t be entitled to leftovers. If you are using the services of an outside caterer to bring prepared food to your location, ask for those leftovers that can be safely consumed later. You paid for them, so you should get them. Health laws require that foods containing eggs, cream, seafood, mayonnaise, and some other ingredients must be disposed of after setting at room temperature for a period of time. Other items, such as pasta salad, green salad (minus the dressing), some meats and cheeses, fruits, and breads should be fine for you to take. Be sure to bring zip-lock bags and coolers with ice in which to store the food. If you don’t have a need for the food, donate it to a homeless shelter or soup kitchen.

Ask your caterer and bartender to provide containers to sort cans and glass for easy recycling later. You will need to arrange for someone to remove the items from the reception site and take them to a recycling center.

Wedding Cake – If you are inviting more than about 100 guests, order a smaller wedding cake and supplement with sheet cakes. The sheet cakes require less icing and decoration and therefore cost less, as well as saving on ingredients. If you have left-over cake and you don’t think you will eat it soon, take it to a shelter. The residents will enjoy the treat.

Check back next week for environmentally-friendly wedding transportation options!

-Submitted by Glenna Tooman, Memory Makers Event Planning, LLC
© 2006, all rights reserved
www.memorable-events.com

Red or White or both?

Are you considering serving wine at your upcoming Idaho wedding? Is the choice of serving red or white or both stressing you out?

Consider the following items when making this wedding catering decision:

• Are you and your family/friends wine fans? Would most of your friends/family prefer to drink wine instead of champagne?

HINT: consider using wine for your toast – a nice white wine could be a great crisp note after a brilliant toast

• What time of day is your wedding? Indoors or out? Time of year?

HINT: pair your wine selection with the weather and the atmosphere just as much as with your food

• What are you serving? Snacks or sit down catered meal?

HINT: pair your wine selections with your food flavors, but narrow down your choices so you can buy in bulk and cash in on savings

• Who all will be drinking wine? Is it an open bar? Is it the only alcoholic beverage you will be serving?

HINT: just as you wouldn’t dare serving any catering or your wedding cake without sampling – be sure to sample your wine choices! Have a pre-wedding tasting party and invite key family members and friends. See which wines are the most popular and stock up for the big day!

Above all, don’t let this choice be a stresser. Your friends and family are there to see you get married, and any sauce on the side is just gravy… so to speak!

If you have the luxury of having some time before your big day, there are a few things that you will want to keep in mind during these early planning stages to help save you money and stress in the future.

1. Consider setting up a website, blog, or facebook page regarding your wedding. Share your address with your friends and family – then share your ideas, decisions, questions, anything that you would like input or would require picking up the phone to repeat yourself too many times.
2. Take a good look at your friends and family members’ talents. What resources do you have at your disposal that you could utilize? Asking them early-on and involving them in a non-stressful planning situation will guarantee you more “yes” answers. While this is the day of YOUR dreams – remember to delegate! Sharing the responsibilities will help to keep you sane as the day approaches!
3. Have any married friends or family? Ask for referrals or recommendations in regards to professional wedding planners, locations, caterers, and wedding cake designers. Asking early gives you a couple of advantages: first, you’ve asked, so you won’t hurt any feelings, and second, you have time to check it out for yourself and decide if it works best for you.

Remember, even though the temperatures are warming up outside – keep your internal “wedding planning” temperature cool and you’ll be ready for your wedding stress-free!

Researching Idaho wedding ideas, today’s modern bride-to-be can be defined as stepping away from more traditional wedding reception ideas and looking to create a unique and lasting impression on her guests through less traditional means.

Coffee Catering provides an opportunity to express a unique and creative sense of style, catering to each of your guests individually, adding a pleasant, unexpected element to your wedding reception. Why do couples-to-be love the idea of an espresso and fruit blend bar at their wedding reception? With a service like coffee catering, a unique, personalized service is available to each wedding guest, no matter what age, providing a variety of espresso and fruit drinks, which can be enjoyed hot or cold depending on the time and setting of your event.

Having your wedding reception catered by an espresso company can add a modern twist to the traditional items typically served at many receptions, or to add an enjoyable alternative to alcoholic beverages for all of your guests to enjoy.

One of the best Idaho wedding ideas is to have the passion you have for creating the perfect atmosphere for your special day met with an equal passion from your caterer in planning the details for your wedding reception. With this meeting of the minds, your coffee caterer can create an extraordinary experience for you stemming from this shared passion for creating a memorable time for you and your guests.

Because coffee catering provides such a distinctive service, you can be assured this detail will not be overlooked by your wedding guests. With an emphasis placed on each individual guest at your wedding reception, coffee catering is a perfect way to ensure each guest feels special and accommodated while adding a unforgettable element to your special day.