Planning the Perfect Event
Budgeting
The cost of a catered party can be broken down into various components. This is a general guideline for things to consider.
- Food - number of courses, food selections
- Beverages - soft drinks, coffee, alcoholic beverages (Bespoke is a BYOB caterer)
- Rentals - including china, flatware, glassware, servingware, linens, tables, chairs, other decor
- Floral arrangements and other decorations
- Bar setup fee and liquor liability coverage
- Service staff plus gratuities
- Delivery charges
- Sales tax
Timing
What time should you set for your event? For example, a cocktail reception with hors d'oeuvres is appropriate between 5pm and 7pm. At or after 7pm, guests may expect dinner; any earlier they may not be hungry enough for a savory spread. Following are general rules of thumb, but knowing your guests is key to managing their expectations when it comes to what foods/beverages will be served.
- breakfast is generally served between 9am and 11am
- brunch between 11am and 2pm
- lunch between 12:30pm and 3:30pm
- tea between 3pm and 5pm
- cocktails between 5pm and 7pm
- dinner between 6pm and 9:30pm
- dessert only between 9pm and 10:30pm
- midnight snack between 11pm and 1am
What to Serve
Meal Types
- Brunch/Breakfast
- Tea
- Lunch
- Cocktails & Hors d'oeuvre
- Dinner
- Dessert only
Possible Dinner Courses
- Hors d'oeuvre
- Soup
- Appetizer
- Pasta
- Entrée
- Salad
- Cheese and fruit
- Dessert
About Hors d'Oeuvre
A good rule of thumb: for a two-hour passed-appetizer-only party, serve at least six different kinds of hors d'oeuvre; for a four-hour affair, at least nine. For quantities, plan on 2-3 pieces total per person if also serving a meal, and 5-7+ pieces per person if just serving hors d'oeuvre.
Service Options
Cocktails
- Passed hors d'oeuvre
- Hors d'oeuvre buffet
- Passed + buffet
Seated Meal
- Family style (food on platters on the table)
- American (standard)
Buffet
- Formal (staff-served)
- Casual (self-serve)
- Food stations
- Combination
Server Attire
- Black pants, white shirt, black tie & black bistro apron (standard attire)
- Casual with black bib apron
- White gloves are optional
- Tuxedo service is an upcharge
Bar Service
Bespoke does not provide/purchase alcoholic beverages. Clients can either provide their own beverages and get bar setup and bartender(s) through Bespoke, or, if the event is in a home only, provide their own beverages and have a self-serve bar. Bespoke staff cannot service a self-serve bar.
In setting up your own bar, refer to our Bar Setup list for suggestions on types of beer, wine, hard liquors, mixers, nonalcoholic beverages, garnish and supplies for both the basic and expanded bar setup.
Providing Your Own Food
Some clients inquire about providing some of their own food for the event. It depends on whether you just want Bespoke's foods delivered or whether you need us to come and run the event. If you just need foods delivered, say hors d'oeuvre trays, then providing other foods is not an issue. If, though, you need us to cater and staff your event, then this entails a substantial commitment of time and staff, and may require us to turn down other work at the same time. As such, we may allow you to provide some foods but may charge you handling fees to compensate for the loss of food sales.
Additional information on staffing, rentals, payment/deposit terms, insurance and more can be found in Ordering Guidelines.
