One of the most important choices you’ll make while planning your event is your event venue.  Selecting the perfect venue is critical to the success of every wedding, party, special event or corporate event.  There are many facilities like hotels and banquet halls that include your venue and catering all in one.  However, many of the most unique and interesting event spaces do not offer catering, like museums, parks, barns, or even your backyard.  We’re going to focus on event locations that require an outside caterer to be brought in.  After all, we are a caterer!

Here are some key things consider when selecting your venue:

• Budget. How much have you budgeted for venue rental and what locations are in that budget? Consider what is included in your venue rental so you can compare locations accurately.  It’s not just about price, it’s about what you get for the price.
• Location. This is a pretty obvious point, but it’s still important. Where are your guests coming from and how convenient is your venue location?  How much travel time should you allow if you are having a ceremony at another location?  Should you considering providing transportation for your guests?
• Size. Make sure your event venue can accommodate everyone invited with the setup you have in mind.  Ask your venue about capacity for reception style, buffet, or plated dinner, depending on your needs. Ask for a mock floorplan or tour to show you how the space might be set up.  Don’t forget you may need additional room for dancing, DJ table, gift table, dessert table and other considerations. Consult with your event planner or caterer.  They may have some input based on prior events at that location or similar venues.
• Style. Beyond the functionality of an event venue lies the style. The venue can really dictate the decor and vibe of your event.  For example, if you want a modern decor for a wedding, you might not want to host it at a historic mansion.  Or maybe you do, it might be an interesting contrast.  But it should be considered.
• Season. Consider the time of year your event will take place.  Certain venues may be a better fit for different times of the year.  Consider what the surroundings will look like.  Will the fall leaves be in color? Will spring flowers be in bloom?  Will the lake be frozen for a unique vista? Consider the temperature.  Will you need additional heating or cooling?
• Kitchen Facilities. Does your venue have a kitchen or will kitchen equipment need to be provided? If there is a kitchen on-site, check with your caterer and see if it is adequate. Kitchen rentals can add up quickly and get expensive.  Elements has a Mobile Kitchen we can provide for a much more affordable price, but many caterers may require renting the equipment.
• Rentals. What does your venue include? A catered event might require china, flatware, tables, chairs, amongst other items. If your venue includes some of these items, it could cut down on your rental costs. This is definitely something to consider when budgeting.  A location may be more expensive, but that might be offset by savings on your rentals.

If you need any advice or help selecting a venue, feel free to contact us at (203) 706-0995 or events@elementsfinecatering.com. We have catered events a many locations in Connecticut, and may be able to help you select a venue that is perfect for your event.

So you’ve decided to plan an catered event and don’t know where to start.  Start with the budget! Regardless of what your vision is, starting with a realistic budget helps build the perfect foundation to start building your event upon.

Let’s be realistic here.  It’s impossible to know exactly what all the components of your catered event are going to cost.  However, if you start with some solid estimates, you’re ahead of the game.  The first step is to decide on your budgeting tool.  It might be a pad and pen, Microsoft Excel (click here for a basic Excel event budget template), or any other way that work for you.  Being comfortable with your budget tool will help you actually use it!  For wedding planning, websites like Martha Stewart Weddings or The Knot offer budgeting tools as part of their free planning tools, but you do have to register with the website. There are also lots of articles about budget planning.  Again, The Knot and Martha Stewart Weddings, along with tons of other sites, have great article and resources to help guide you.

There are many budget items to consider for a catered event or catered wedding.  The main items to consider are food and beverages, event rentals, venue/location rental, decor, and entertainment.  Depending on the type of event you are planning, you’ll have to come up with your own custom budget item list.  When doing this, be sure to try to incorporate the details. For example, don’t forget to factor in postage for your invitations, and don’t forget about sales tax, it can add up.

Now let’s focus on catering. After all, that is what we do at Element Fine Catering & Events. When planning your catering budget, having an estimated guest count is a good place to start. The main portion of your event catering is variable, based on you guest count.  At Elements Fine Catering, we choose to post all of our standard Catering Menu prices on our website. However, many caterers do not do this, so you may have to contact them to get pricing.

For variable pricing, our standard catering menu prices range between $50 and $80 per person.  Beverages packages range between $17.50 and $32.50 per person.  Custom menus, custom beverage packages, and add-ons bring the price up from there. Other caterers in connecticut could be way below of way above those prices, but the important thing to remember is value.  What are you getting for your money?

Other variable costs to consider are rentals.  Many of your event rentals also are based on the number of guests.  The number of pieces of china, flatware, glassware, tables, linens and many other items are tied t you guests count. You can research rental prices online form event rental companies to get an idea of prices.  However, the best option is to consult with your caterer.  Most reputable event caterers, including Elements Fine Catering, can provide rental estimates.  This is a task best left to professionals.  A good caterer will know exactly what you need, where as if you do it yourself, you may not get an accurate quote.  If you do get a rental quote yourself, make sure you factor in damage insurance, delivery charges, and tax.

Another thing to consider when thinking about rentals is kitchen equipment.  If your venue does not have adequate kitchen facilities, additional equipment my need to be rented, this is usually handled by your caterer.  Elements Fine Catering has a 30 foot state-of-the-art mobile kitchen that can be brought to any location.  Use of the mobile kitchen can be added to your proposal, and is much cheaper than renting all that kitchen equipment.  However many caterers in Connecticut don’t have a mobile kitchen, so make sure to ask if your caterer is including kitchen rentals in your proposal.

Venue rentals are pretty straight forward for budgeting.  Get the rental price and ask about any extra fees like a charge to bring in a caterer, costs for additional hours of rental, or any other hidden charges that my apply.

Now that you have your catering budget ready to go, you can start getting proposals.  In general, it’s a good idea to let your caterer know what type of budget you’re working with.  This way they can make sure your proposal is realistic for your needs and budget.

Planning an extravagant off-site event can seem daunting, but don’t worry, it’s not as hard as it seems! If you need help or advice about planning your catered event, feel free to contact Elements Fine Catering at (203) 706-0995 or events@elementsfinecatering.com.  Good luck!

Planning a catered event can sometimes seem like a daunting task.

What should you budget per person? Where should you host your event? How the heck do you figure out tents and rentals? Can your caterer execute a great menu at your location? How do you find vendors you can trust? These are all important things to know.  Have no fear, Elements Fine Catering is here to help!

This blog is the first in a series that aims to provide you with some insider hints on planning a perfect catered event.  Over the course of the next few blogs, we will discuss several key points in event planning including budgeting, location selection, cuisine, beverages, staffing, rentals, entertainment, decor, and more…

The team at Elements Fine Catering has years of experience in event planning, hospitality, and catering.  In our blogs, we’ll pass our insider tips on to you and help out you on the path to the perfect event.

Stay tuned for our upcoming blog posts.  In the meantime, if you have any questions, feel free to contact us as a resource for planning your event.  You can always call or email JT, Director of Operations, at (203) 706-0995 or Events@ElementsFineCatering.com.

In an effort to create a better experience for our current potential clients, we have launched this brand new website! This new site is designed to be more user friendly and easier to find on the web.  We’ll be working hard to complete our new content and keep the website updated with the latest information and news.