What Types of Parties Can Be Catered?
What Types of Parties Can Be Catered?
Most people think that catering is only for large gatherings and parties, i.e., corporate meetings, weddings, and seminars with at least 30 guests. It’s a misconception brought by the lack of understanding of how catering companies operate. The reality is that even small events can be catered, and the number of guests is irrelevant.
Food, as always, is the focal point of any event. Guests turn up excited about what’s in store at the buffet table. Serving great food is your responsibility as the organizer, but it doesn’t mean you do everything. From buying the ingredients, cooking to the presentation and service, which of course will depend of the types of parties you are throwing.
If you have zero experience in preparing food for several people or if you’re preoccupied with all the other aspects of event preparation, consider hiring a catering company. No matter the number of guests, venue, or theme, these parties can all be catered:
1 – Holiday Party
Holiday parties for the extended family or friends are always fun to organize, especially when everyone wants to help in the preparations. These types of parties usually are more informal, and for this reason, you may be tempted to cook and prepare food on your own.
But no need is too small for catering companies. Focus on other stuff like entertainment and venue preparation while letting the professionals handle the food and beverages. You’d be surprised at the number of caterers who are willing to accommodate holiday parties with less than 20 guests.
2 – Birthdays
A birthday party and catering are a perfect match; it doesn’t matter if it’s a private party with no other guests than family or a great birthday surprise for someone you value a lot. Catering companies try to “outgun” each other by offering unique setups and versatile menu choices. You can even go for an exclusive or private dining experience in a restaurant, so you won’t have to worry about venue preparation.
3 – Business Meetings
It may appear like staff and client meetings don’t need a catering service, but there’s reason to consider it. There’s always an option to order some take out food. But what if some of your bosses and colleagues have dietary restrictions? You don’t want to be scolded for being insensitive to a vegan or someone who avoid gluten. Catering affords a versatile menu that’ll address every guest’s dietary preferences.
4 – Baby and Bridal Showers
Organizing a baby or bridal shower means prepping food for a limited number of people – from family, close friends to in-laws and neighbors. You find it impractical to cater because there aren’t enough people on the guestlist to serve. But once again, the number of guests is irrelevant at this point, especially if you want the menu to be as satisfying as possible. Don’t let the awful food ruin the shower, so hire a catering service to come up with an impressive lineup, i.e., finger food, dessert, pastries, champagne, and anything you want to include.
5 – Anniversaries
Everyone celebrates anniversaries, and your closest family and friends go the extra mile to be part of the occasion. Well, you don’t want to disappoint them by offering them burgers, pizza, or Chinese takeaway food near your place. Even if you’re celebrating with less than ten people, you’ll find a reasonably priced catering menu that’ll impress everyone. The highlight of any anniversary celebration is alcohol, so you better talk to a catering company that’s known for serving unique brews and cocktails.
6 – Reunions
Reunions are meant for people to catch up and reconnect. Even if you’re in charge of organizing the event, it doesn’t mean you must handle the food prep. It’s the one area of event preparation that’ll take a lot of your time to the point that you no longer can enjoy the reunion. Hire a caterer to take care of the food so that you’ll relish the experience. Be sure to talk to the caterer about dietary preferences and restrictions, especially when there are children and older folks on the guestlist.
7 – Retirement Parties
There are a few events that can get as emotional as a retirement party. It celebrates the hard work and life of someone who’s about to call it a day. The party’s focal point is the storytelling, where family, colleagues, and friends talk about the memories they’ve had with the retiree. The next most important thing is food. Hiring a full-service caterer makes sense as everyone can focus on the recollection of memorable stories instead of griping about the quality of the food and service.
8 – Rites of Passage
Rite of passage is a popular celebration as embedded in most cultures. The list includes graduations, baptisms, and even funerals. The concept of this event is to mark a milestone or transition into another stage in life. Since it involves the gathering of people, you should consider paying for event catering. Rites of passage are usually ceremonial, solemn, and formal, so you’d want a customized catering service fitted for the event.
9 – Engagements
Engagement celebrations are quite popular in this part of the world; couples mark it as one of the most important events in their life. It may be not as elaborate as reunions and retirement parties, but this type of party still needs excellent food service. It’s more of an intimate gathering of family and close friends, yet the desire for high-quality food remains the same. A catering company should take care of the job and may even throw in something unique since they only have to work on a limited number of guests.
Final Thoughts
There’s a lot going on when you’re organizing an event or party. While you can handle practically everything from the guest list and invitations to the venue décor and entertainment, the food helds special attention. This is the reason why you need to focus on the types of parties you are planning to throw. Work with a caterer as it guarantees great food and service – relieving you of stress and keeping your guests impressed.
