I currently hold down a part-time second job with a local catering company - we'll call it ABC Co. for the purposes of this post (so original, right?). ABC Co. is contracted for events throughout the city, even though it's exclusive to some main large venues.
I don't really have a title at this job - I kind of do everything. Set-up, tear-down, bartend, serve, clean, labor. . .the works. This company is fierce and I freaking love it.
I was really excited to start this job as a bride-to-be because I knew it'd allow to me to firsthand witness a ton of behind-the-scenes goodies. The planning, the execution, the delivery, all of it. This might sound a little Captain Obvious but folks, so.much.work goes into even a basic happy hour-styled networking event. Weddings, as you might imagine, are a whole other ballgame.
Maybe I'm the only one who borderline obsessively ponders the behind-the-scenes action? (Like, are they touching my food with their bare hands right now? Are they cursing me for my specific instructions or are they thanking me for being so thorough?), but working on the other side of events has provided me with a wealth of clarity and knowledge. Granted, I am event- and planning-minded, so I'm sure that helps keep my interest piqued. Also, prior to my first Big Girl job post-college, I had put in about 7 years of experience within the food service industry, so I'm sure that's a factor, too. Regardless, I figured it couldn't hurt to share a few tips. . .of course, these are my personal tips and in no way am I speaking on official behalf of ABC Co. and of course, every event, company, individual, etc. is different. These are just general things I've picked up on during my time as a Catering Assistant (has a nice ring to it, right?).
#1: Catering and event staffs will do almost anything that you request. If you ask for your workers to wear candy striper-esque uniforms as they work your son's Bar Mitzvah complete with spun cotton candy, they will rent candy striper-esque uniforms for the workers and they'll find a way to get that cotton candy machine into whatever venue and make sure these candy striper-esque unformed workers can run it.
What does this mean for you? No request is too outlandish! They have seen it ALL. So if you have cray cray visions, speak up - these are experienced professionals. If they can't do it exactly, they'll help you find a happy compromise. However, keep in mind that these things come at a price. Your Linen Rental cost might be upwards of $800.00 after those rented uniforms, but if it's worth it to you, that's all that matters.
#2: Passed hors d'oeuvres are A Thing these days. Whether it's during a cocktail hour or an entire event, this has become almost a standard. In fact, I'm pretty sure the package we booked at our venue includes passed hors d'oeuvres during the cocktail hour. If I'm working five events in a week, I anticipate that we'll be passing bacon-wrapped scallops and the like for each one. Often, clients will pick three or four appetizers and we'll alternate making our rounds with them. Sometimes there will be set times for the passing, others it'll be on a "until they run out" basis.
What does this mean for you? What I didn't mention just then is that dread goes hand-in-hand with that anticipation. Passed hors d'oeuvres are not the answer. If you have a small event, you will be offering the same thing to the same people and they get annoyed. I have had people literally ignore me as I stand there, I have had them purposefully turn away from me, I have had them bark rude responses ("didn't I say 'no' the last four times you asked?"). Conversely, if you have a large event, the passers will never get through the crowd and will never be able to keep track of who has eaten/been offered what, so some people will go unserved. I mean, have you ever watched Four Weddings? Those chicks HATE when they don't get to eat during the cocktail hour (I don't blame them). You also have rude people who double-dip (true story), people who put their shrimp tails back on the same platter from which you're offering the shrimp (true story) and people who will cough or sneeze over the entire tray (true story). Granted, these last few things cannot be solved by having hors d'oeuvres stations, they just are what they are. People are cray - and it's ALWAYS the big ballers, you know? The corporate events, the fancy sponsors.
For the record, stationed hors d'oeuvres have their problems, too (long lines, people loading up their plates) and I'm not blind to that. You often just have to go with what is best for your crowd and your venue. I'm a big fan of certain appetizers delegated to certain rooms - whether stationed (which is, admittedly, a personal preference of mine) or passed. Ultimately, though, this point was just one to keep in the back of your head.
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| personal photo | Gratuitous skillz shot. Assorted chesecakes and other yummies. |
#3: Tasks often get delegated to various staff members the day of the event. For instance, I worked a wedding a few months ago and because of my previously showcased dessert arranging and general organization skillz (horn tooter right here, beep beep!), I was assigned to the Cookie Table. As is often the tradition 'round these here parts, the cookie assortment was MASSIVE. I'm talking two large, factory-sized dollies loaded up with cookie trays. We were given 'x' amount of specific platters, we provided 'y' amount and were told that we had a fairly tiny space - like, maybe about the size of a four-person dinner table - to display them.
What does this mean for you? Be specific with your instructions and desires. After a co-worker and I spent at least an hour trying to make sure we had a good variety of cookies displayed - and displayed prettily - the mother of the Bride or Groom or someone showed up and kind of freaked out about certain cookies being on a certain platter.
"WHERE ARE MY LORNA DOONES?! WHY AREN'T THEY ON THE DOONETASTIC PLATTER?!"*
Despite my best efforts trying to grow into this power as a youngster, I am not a mind reader. Nobody told us the Lorna Doones belonged on the Doonetastic Platter, so we used our best judgement. Now, I'm not saying Momma was wrong. Not at all, if she and the Bride and Groom and/or whomever discussed what went where, that's how it should have been. HOWEVER, if that was not communicated to us: not to the boss, not to the venue and certainly not to those of us who showed up on the day-of to put it together. We fixed it, Momma was grateful and the Bride was pleased when she arrived.
Don't feel like instructions are too much - we value them. I mean, let us do our jobs, but if you have a vision for things, make it known. A simple Post-It on top of the Doonetastic Platter and the Lorna Doones tupperware stating that they were to go together would have made this a non-issue.
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| personal photo | One more yummy display. |
Hopefully this has been at least a teeny bit helpful to all of you who are planning. Does anyone have any additional Advice from the Other Side? Any past-Brides have any 'I wishes' to share in a similar vein?
* they weren't really Lorna Doones and even though it would have been awesome, there was no mention of a Doonetastic Platter.
HAHAHAHA I love this post! I used to work for a caterer too, and thank goodness I was young, so I don't remember too much of the crazies. We did 95% buffets, though, with only stationed hors d'oeuvres, so we didn't suffer through the passing. I do, however, encounter LOTSSSSSSSSS of people who think putting an empty sample cup back on the tray is acceptable. People are SERIOUSLY cray.
ReplyDeleteGOOOOOOOOOD TIPS for brides out there though! The more details, the better. It saves people from questioning, and saves you from being upset later!
The other night, someone laid down toothpicks that were just in his mouth onto the platter. REALLY, FOLKS?! Vom.
DeleteI hope it's helpful! This is stuff I probably wouldn't have thought about before working.