If you’ve got lots of family and friends to invite to your wedding, your biggest problem (after remembering all their names) is how to feed them. Anyone attending a wedding celebration lasting more than a couple of hours expects some kind of sustenance. Catering costs account for over 25% of every wedding budget, so any savings you can make on catering could add a significant amount to your budget.

Here are some great ways to save on wedding catering:

Wedding experts say handing out appetizers and nibbles, rather than having them on a table for guests to help themselves, means guests consume around 40% less during cocktail hour.

Instead of a full sit-down meal, you could make the whole evening a cocktail party. Finger foods are cheaper and still taste delicious, and as long as there’s plenty to go around, no one will miss the full-service meal.

]]>

Presentation is everything. You can make cheaper dishes look fancier by dressing them up on fancy plates or in unique styles. One food stylist suggests serving macaroni and cheese in a martini glass.

Generally speaking, buffet meals cost much less than full plated service. Buffet is also easier to organize, allowing each guest to choose only what he or she wants to eat.

If you’re serving cake, you could always skip the dessert course.

Some foods are pricier at certain times of the year. Discuss seasonal choices with your caterer and find out what stunning dishes are cheaper this season.

If you’re having children at the reception, look for a caterer or wedding venue hire that offers a half-price or free service for children.

If you’re a big foodie and want lots of unique flavours at your wedding, serving a “taster” menu of seven-eight small courses can actually cost less than a heavier three-course meal. Asian-inspired themes and tapas are incredibly popular.

Dressing up plainer, cheaper foods with stunning garnishes will make a cheaper meal look like 5-star cuisine.

To cut costs on the wedding cake, choose a simple one-tier cake to cut and display, then have cheaper sheet cakes of the same flavour in the kitchen for the staff to cut and serve to your guests.

The post Cutting Costs on Wedding Catering appeared first on Catering on the Move.

Catering for Friends and Family

Enjoying time with family and friends is an Australian tradition.  Here are a few tips to help you planning food and drinks for your next dinner party.

Preparation is the key to any good party.  It is essential to have a basic understanding of the jobs that need to be done in relation to the time you have available to you.  There are three steps that will guarantee that you are not in the kitchen when you should be enjoying the company of your guests.  Preparation, cooking and cleaning up are your biggest time consumers.  Create a menu that allows preparation the night before and can be quickly & easily cooked.     

A checklist can be done in advance to cover your basic setup; drink station, tables and chairs for guests, food service area, tea/coffee setup and rubbish bins.  Create a list of the items you will need for each area.  On the day of your party it can be quite easy to forget the basics or find yourself distracted  with early guest arrivals.  It always helps to have food and drinks ready in advance, this way you won’t be caught short for time!  If you are having a buffet, ensure you have enough serving utensils.  Don’t forget to have bins scattered around, as this will make cleaning up much easier.  Be practical when planning a party and don’t forget to add your own style and personality!

The type of cups, plates and cutlery you provide will be dependent on your budget, guest numbers and reason of function.  A BBQ in the park would be perfect for disposable items.  If you are having a cocktail party, glasses can be hired and are generally quite cost effective.  Providing finger foods is a great option to reduce the cleaning up required later.  Finger foods are also perfect if you are limited with space for table and chairs.

Once you have prepared for your party, it is time to relax and enjoy time with your friends and family with good food and drinks.

The post Catering for Friends and Family appeared first on Catering on the Move.

The internet is an indispensable tool today. From function tickets to wedding hire  catering, travel arrangements to work, you can find everything on the web. Maybe your favorite music band performing in town or wish to attend a private movie screening, there are several ways to obtain the functions tickets or event passes. Similarly, you or your family member may be planning to get married. You can browse online for the best wedding catering services for the occasion.

So, how do you buy any function tickets? It is very simple. Today, many event venues, hotels and ticket websites have email subscriptions. You can subscribe to these mailing lists to know about the program schedules. You can know about all events in your city in advance and plan to buy the function tickets for yourself or a group of friends. Many websites also offer group discounts and early bird prizes for buying function tickets in advance.

]]>

Planning a wedding can be little more stressful than buying function tickets. Wedding ceremony is a rare occasion and you will want it to be very special. However, it need not be highly expensive. You can hire a wedding catering hire  company by asking your friends and relatives for references. Meet a few wedding caterers and take their quotes. Always sample their food before making the crucial decision.

Many wedding catering services charge enormous prices for serving alcohol and appetizers. You can cut down on such bills by ordering alcohol from a retailer and asking the caterer to serve it. You can return the leftover beverage to the store after the party. Likewise, consider serving low cost appetizers like crackers, chips, cheese, vegetables and dips.

Consult and discuss with the wedding catering company in detail about your requirements. Find out about items and things included in the price and other additional charges. More wait staff can be more expensive. Hence, hire a minimal staff to save your expenses. Thus, be it wedding catering or function tickets, you can look up online for reviews and recommendations before making a decision on your own.

The post How to Buy Function Tickets or Organize Wedding Catering on your Own appeared first on Catering on the Move.

No one wants to run out of food at their wedding. And yet, no one wants to spend excessively. So you need to take certain steps to ensure that you have enough food for your guests…food that they’ll appreciate…and still save money. First study your guest list, figure out if there are any vegetarians among them. If there are any vegetarians, order fewer dishes which contain meat or fish in them. Don’t order too many kinds of appetizers – ordering larger quantities of the same dishes will help you cut down on costs.

If you decide on around three kinds of appetizers along with a salad, you may not require a five course meal to follow. If you have a large wedding cake, you can reduce the number of desserts you serve. Also, decide on the combination of dishes you’ll serve based on the costs of individual dishes. For instance, seafood items tend to be more expensive. So you can opt for chicken and fish for your main courses. And again, keep your vegetarian guests in mind – they shouldn’t be left without choices.

Of course, it is very important to base your decision on the time of day for your wedding reception. If it’s in the afternoon, or early evening, you can order heavier food, and more of it, from the catering service. If you’re inviting people at night, the food can be lighter and in smaller quantities since people usually prefer to eat light at night. Try to avoid ordering rich, fatty foods for dinner and include more salads and soufflés.

However, many people these days like to have themes for their weddings. So you may find yourself ordering dishes that are relevant to your theme. But you can still follow these basic guidelines in order to cut costs on the catering service for your wedding reception.

If you are looking for catering in Tampa Bay, check out Lupton’s Catering!

The post Ways to Economize on the Catering Service for Your Wedding Reception appeared first on Catering on the Move.

Children’s Birthday Parties

Children grow up so quickly these days, so it is important to enjoy the youthfulness while they are young.  A birthday party may seem like another job for some parents; however they can mean the world to kids.  Birthday invitations, presents, getting another year older and why not help them celebrate!  I see on TV that some parties are ¼ million dollars with full catering, DJs, decorators…but who are we kidding.  Children don’t understand the value of money fully, they just want to have their friends with them and have a great time, with yummy birthday cake and treats.

Where to have your party?

This will depend on the age of your child and where you live.  Make the most of what you have and work with it.  If you have a great local park with plenty of space, a BBQ in the park with games may be the best place.  As children grow older, the local indoor skate rink or bowling club may be perfect as it is interactive for children and less taxing for the parents.

]]>

What food to serve?

If you are having a birthday party at a venue, do ask if you can bring nibbles and food to celebrate as they may require this to be bought in-house.  Catering is a great way to involve the children, especially decorating cup cakes.  Don’t feel that everything has to be perfect, simply provide plain cupcakes, icing and little decorations and lollies they can decorate themselves.  Children love to be involved and eat what they have made.

Depending on the age of your child, select food to serve that is a treat.  Fruit is a great way to start, and will give them energy.  Junk food can be great; however can be expensive or difficult to heat if you are in the local park.

If you children are turning 18, you may like to hire a professional catering company to serve Finger Foods or a buffet, as alcohol may be consumed.  Finger Foods are great for teenage birthday parties, as you can guarantee that everyone will eat something during the event.

Finger Foods can be placed on tables for guests to help themselves, or hot foods walked around for guests to enjoy.  Consider your catering options and work within your budget and time schedule.

Enjoy your children’s birthday parties, they grow up so quickly! 

Party Tip: Have plenty of bins scattered around so children can put their rubbish in, it will save time and mess. 

The post Ideas for Catering a Children’s Birthday Parties appeared first on Catering on the Move.

Great Birthday Themes and Catering Ideas                           

As we get older, we become a little more relaxed about having birthday parties and styling a theme to become a real party.  Generally most of us are a little more financially secure than when we had our 18th or 21st.

Today we receive many enquiries for 40th 50th and 60th Birthday Parties.  These are great parties that on occasions work to a theme and have suppliers to suit the evening.  Cabaret Night, Movie Star Night is very popular, with guests generally having clothing and costumes in their wardrobe to suit.

The evening can be welcomed with guests arriving at a particular time.  This works perfectly if you have a gate or partition that guests will have to wait if they are early.  Building the atmosphere is wonderful in this regard, and really gives guests a chance to talk and get excited about the night ahead.

]]>

Providing a drinks table on arrival, with staff to serve is a great way to start a party.  The best cabaret party we have been too had staff dressed in theme, which really was a great talking point.  It allowed guests to loosen into the party and have a few laughs.

When catering to an older crowd, it can be a lot of fun when selecting a menu and caterer to suit.  As guests will appreciate the food supplied, it is up to you to choose the style, quantity and budget to suit.  Mix the service up with Thai Chicken Curry, Stir-fry’s, Beef Stroganoff or simply anti-pesto and fruit platters to suit everyone.

A flamboyant menu does not need to cost a fortune, and if guests are staying late into the night it may be a great idea to offer mid-night munchies to guests.

While having catering provided, with service for 2 hours…do keep in mind that guests will become hungry again later in the night.  Easy to make food that is filling is great to serve once guests have had an intake of alcohol. 

Enjoy your Birthday Party, and don’t be shy to have it your way! 

The post Great Birthday Themes and Catering Ideas appeared first on Catering on the Move.

Marriage is believed to be the most important and exceptional of all the celebrations which happen in our life. This is why people want to make their wedding as unforgettable as they can. So along with all the essential arrangements which add to the splendour of a wedding ceremony, an excellent catering services provider is something without which the entire ceremony may turn into a flop show. And here comes the role of wedding catering Vancouver, if you are in Vancouver.

There are a number of wedding catering Vancouver service providers but finding the right one is very difficult. There are a number of factors that you require to find the best wedding catering Vancouver service provider that should not only go well with your budget but also go a long way in making your marriage more and more memorable.

In Vancouver, there are several caterers promising to live up to your expectation but not necessarily all will surely meet all your requirements. So, while finding the best wedding catering Vancouver or caterer Vancouver, there are a number of factors that you are required to keep in mind before you finalize your decision on which catering Vancouver to hire for the marriage.

Before finding the right wedding catering Vancouver, you are required to finalize your decision on the food you want your guest to relish at the grand occasion of your marriage. Once you have decided the food that you want your wedding catering Vancouver to serve to all of your guests, you can now think about the catering Vancouver service provider accordingly.

This is all because of the fact that all caterer Vancouver service providers are at home in everything. So choose the wedding catering Vancouver according the selected food item. But never put it off for tomorrow or you may not get the right wedding catering Vancouver service provider in a big city like Vancouver. The earlier you get a caterer Vancouver booked; the better off it is for you.

But before you start to shop for a wedding catering Vancouver, there are also some other factors that you must take into consideration. It is imperative to come to a decision with regard to whether you will be having a set guest list or an open reception. Negotiate a budget with respect to your reception and plan the list of the guest list in view of that. You must have clear-eyed understanding of how many guests you want to be present at your reception before you think to hire wedding catering Vancouver.

Once you have decided each and every thing, you can now go to hire a wedding catering Vancouver service provider accordingly keeping all the above mentioned things in your mind. Last but not least, hire only those which have been in this catering industry for many years.

The post Wedding catering Vancouver: Things to Consider appeared first on Catering on the Move.

Weddings at Home

Weddings are planned for months, coordinating all your efforts into one magical day.  Holding your wedding at home, family friends or relatives can provide a really intimate wedding day for you and your guests. 

In the early stages of planning, do consider if hiring a venue is suited for you.  If you live a fair distance to town, or live in a pretty part of the world and have the space to hold a wedding why not consider having the wedding reception at home.  Even hiring a holiday house is a great idea, a home away from home.  This may require a larger block than your average suburban block, as you may need a marquee for larger guest numbers.

There are some great advantages to weddings at a private residence, especially if you have children or elderly attending your wedding.  If need be the children have their toys, change of clothes, and most things they will need to feel relaxed and comfortable for a late night.  Weddings can be really exciting for children; however it can tire them just as quickly.  Grandparents can relax in the lounge room and put their feet up, and still be part of the wedding celebrations.

A marquee, tables and chairs can be hired from your local party supplier.  This will save guests constantly in the house, and create a social environment for everyone.  Consider hiring a mobile cold room to store your drinks, wedding cake and food provisions if guests are camping over.

Mobile Caterers can work with you to create a menu perfect for your wedding, and will generally be less expensive than a plated dinner at a restaurant or venue with in-house catering team.  Mobile caterers are perfect for weddings at home, as they can provide Catering Finger Foods after the ceremony and a substantial dinner to follow.  Dessert can be provided, or to keep costs down ask about using your wedding cake for dessert.  The wedding cake can be cut and plated, with bowls of cream and Berry Sauce to be self served as suited.  A fruit platter is also a great addition.

If you are interested in having your wedding at home, contact your party hire and catering specialist for wedding ideas.  They can be extremely helpful with planning tips, to ensure every last detail is organised.  Having a wedding at home does not need to be stressful, and can be the perfect night.  There is no need to rush away for an 11pm curfew if the venue closes or if you feel like staying up late chatting with your bride’s maids.

The post Catering for your Weddings at Home appeared first on Catering on the Move.

Catering Equipment and Party Hire

Catering Equipment and Party Hire can provide a range of items to hire for an upcoming event or function.  Australian Caterers has local party suppliers in your area. 

Working with a great Party Hire business can really help make your function setup run smoothly and look great.  They hire everything from the basics including tables, chairs and covers, tablecloths, to larger items for self catering.

Catering Equipment is perfect for Weddings and Functions that require items you don’t generally require at home.  Items can range from urns, Mobile Spit Hire, Heating Bays and Cooling Devices and Serving Platters.  When catering for a larger group of guests, hiring equipment to suit will make life much easier.

]]>

Glass and table ware is an important part of any function.  When planning for your event, think about what type of drinks you would like to serve and the number of guests that will be in attendance.  Water, wine and champagne glasses are options available. 

Marquees, Isle Runners and Mobile Dance floors are all available for hire.  They are great additions to your function that help create the WOW factor.  If you have time, make sure to visit your local Party Hire Specialist.  They will have plenty of information on their products for hire, pricing and information regarding pickup/delivery.

 Some Party Suppliers and larger suppliers may have the technology and expertise to assist in function planning.  This is crucial for large scale events, requiring imagery and expertise in dealing with and serving large number of guests.

Speak to your Party Hire and Catering Equipment Specialist about pick and delivery services, as this can save you time and money if you don’t have transportation to fit larger items.

The post Catering Equipment and Party Hire appeared first on Catering on the Move.

The weather outside may be frightful but your winter wedding is sure to be delightful! One of the best ways to incorporate the snowy season in your wedding is through your menu. Some of the best Salt Lake City catering companies share their unique and tasty wedding catering ideas that are perfect for the season.

Soup Shots – Not only are scrumptious soup shots a great way to warm up chilly guests, they give everyone the opportunity to sample each flavor. A few winter favorites include butternut squash with cinnamon croutons, lobster bisque, French onion, or the perennial favorite, tomato with basil.

]]>

Drinks to Warm the Soul – Give your guests a special treat in the farm of toasty beverages, both alcoholic and non-. For the adults, consider serving spiced wine or your version of the hot toddy (often mixed with bourbon). For the kids and those who prefer something non-alcoholic, hot chocolate with whipped cream and apple cider with cinnamon sticks make perfect seasonal favorites.

Winter Entrees – Consider serving warm, winter entrees with a twist. Instead of the old chicken standby, try serving roast beef, lamb, or even Cornish hen. Other great options include seafood like lemon ginger salmon or seared scallops with pineapple.

Enticing Side Dishes – Think comfort foods when it comes to your side dishes. Consider gourmet macaroni and cheese, homemade baked beans, mashed potatoes and gravy, or creamy au gratin potatoes.

Delectable Desserts – The perfect winter desserts are rich and sinful. Velvety cakes, fruit pies, warm cookies, and of course chocolate (e.g. a chocolate fountain with endless choices to dip) all make ideal desserts. Try to stay away from ice cream and sorbet, as they are more suited for a spring or summer wedding.

The post 5 Ideas For Winter Wedding Catering appeared first on Catering on the Move.