Although you should always appreciate the maternal figures in your life, we designate a special day each year to show just them how much we care. Whoever you’re honoring on Mother’s Day 2020, celebrations will certainly look different in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The virus may have temporarily paralyzed the world and put people in quarantine, but it hasn’t affected people’s creativity or capacity to show love.

Find some inspiration with these innovative ways to celebrate Mother’s Day, even when you’re apart:

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Here at CBM, we spend a great deal of time talking about food.

However, when planning an event, we know that food is but a part (a great part, but a part nevertheless) of the whole experience.

With this in mind, let’s talk about the non-food elements of an event and how they affect the final look and cost.

Major Event Spending Categories to Keep in Mind

Besides the food itself, there are a few other major spending categories that you should consider when planning your catered event.

Budget

We like to remind our customers to always begin with the budget. Plan within your budget; don’t budget within your plan. Successful low-cost events featuring only the basics are possible.

Vendors

For larger-scale events, you will inevitably deal with many vendors. You may decide to be your own event planner or hire someone else to act as your middleman.

To help understand which route to take, ask yourself:

• Are you confident you can get the best deals?
• Do you have the time?
• Would you rather order your own rentals or let the catering company do it?

Your staff is your army. With full-service catering, Catering by Michaels takes care of many event details for you.

Aesthetics

Decorations can dramatically improve the look of your event. Depending on whether you DIY or hire a decor company, they can also have a big impact on budget. Be realistic about your available time and ability to handle the decor for your event — it may turn out to be more cost-effective to hire out this part of the process.

Entertainment

Entertainment is another important consideration for your event’s budget. Depending on the type of event, you’ll have different options for entertaining your guests — a DJ, full band, or even individuals hired to do things like read tarot cards, draw caricatures, and so on. It’s important to know where to draw the line, especially as it relates back to your budget for the rest of the event.

Identify the Necessities & Nice-to-Haves

You don’t want to give everybody a great memory and leave yourself with a painful one. Know what non-food elements are a must and those that aren’t. This will help you to be realistic about your budget for the event.

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You don’t need to host large or major events like weddings or corporate Christmas parties to hire a caterer.

Catering by Michaels accepts bookings for small to medium parties, which can range from 15 to 125 guests. With this number of people, small venues and special requests such as interactive food stations (which won’t work for large crowds because of logistical constraints), can still be accommodated.

In the same way that we cater to large groups, we also do occasionally get bookings for fewer than 15 people.

These small to midsize events are often dinner parties, corporate receptions, or small celebrations. With events of this size, we also get a mix of both family and corporate picnics and cookout requests in the summer.

Deciding on the Catering Delivery Method

Most people don’t know that most professional caterers will offer several ways of having your food delivered, including:

• Pick up: You pick up the food from the caterer’s location. If you live near the caterer, this is a good way to save on delivery fees.
• Drop off: The caterer delivers food to the location in disposable food containers. This is a common catering practice for corporate and social events.
• Full-service: The caterer takes care of everything: from the food, tables, and set-up, to the food serving area. You can even have the food cooked and prepared on-site!

Most people — especially those holding corporate events — go for the full-service option.

Aside from the larger budgets available to them, they understand the benefit of working with a caterer that has been in the business as long as Catering by Michaels has. As a result, they are guaranteed that all-important details will be taken care of and that guests’ comfort and experience aren’t compromised.

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From acclaimed events designer and tastemaker Tom Kehoe comes The Geraghty, a sophisticated and diverse space intent on redefining the standard for custom event venues. Located in the up-and-coming Pilsen neighborhood on the south side of Chicago, it is the perfect place for all your social events.

With his background as an event designer, Kehoe has brought together everything you need to pull off a flawless event. From the size and design of the place, to the smallest decor details, The Geraghty’s purpose is to make events easier to plan and manage. 

Designed by industry visionaries, The Geraghty was built to be fully customizable: the perfect backdrop for event designers to execute any vision. But even if you don’t have an event designer in mind for an event you want to plan, there’s no need to worry.

The Geraghty is owned by a decor company that offers in-house separators and drapes that you can hang from their 22-foot ceilings to change up how different rooms are defined for specific events. The 25,000 square feet of open space can seat 800 guests comfortably and can fit up to 1000 standing guests or more (with the right permits).

Visit The Geraghty on a normal day and you’ll be impressed by the modern industrial feel of the place.

When you walk in, you’ll be greeted with giant chandeliers in mixed metal at the entryway. Walk into the event space itself and you’ll find high-end decor, custom chandeliers, and lounge furniture that you can also use for your event. 

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Delivery? Full-service? What’s the difference and which is right for you?

When we speak with new clients, sometimes they are confused about which option is best…and suits their needs. “Don’t you deliver all your food? Don’t you provide full service to every order?” These are questions we have heard, and we understand the thought process. Yes, we will deliver food for our full-service events to the sight, and, yes, you will receive our exemplary service on delivery orders. Confused? No worries! Read on….

FULL SERVICE

Are you looking for a catering partner who can manage the entire experience at your special event? Whether it’s a wedding, bar/bat mitzvah, milestone birthday party/anniversary, company picnic or holiday party, choosing full service means that you can fully hand your event over to our team. We’ll take care of everything so you don’t have to worry about a thing!

Here are some of the reasons why you may prefer full service to delivery:

Chef-prepared fresh on-site

You read that right! With full service, we bring the kitchen to you! All dishes are fully prepared and cooked on-site using only the freshest, high-quality ingredients. This flexibility in preparation also allows us to customize dishes for those picky eaters or any guests with food allergies.

Fully customized menus

We believe that every event should be unique! That’s why we offer personalized menus which are custom designed to complement the unique style or theme of the event.

Serveware to match your event style

Speaking of customization, with full service we offer a stylish range of china, flatware, glassware and linens to fully enhance the event theme or style.

Professional and helpful staff

Our friendly, knowledgeable staff is available throughout the duration of the event to provide only the finest service and personal attention. From food preparation and serving to the ever so dreaded cleanup, you’ll have the peace of mind knowing that all aspects of the event are covered.

Speaking of clean up….

We understand the last thing on your “how-to-have-fun-at-my-event” list would be cleaning up. With full service, we will take care of everything, so you can spend time catching up with friends & family, or dancing the night away!

DELIVERY

If our full service offering is more than you need, worry not! With Catering by Michaels delivery, we bring gourmet catering right to your door! It’s the ideal option for business meetings, casual social gatherings, luncheons, employee appreciation events, and religious celebrations.

Here are some other great reasons why you might choose delivery:

Prepared in our kitchen and delivered to your door

There’s no need to go out of your way for anything. No shopping. No driving all over town for elusive ingredients. No hours spent in the kitchen. We’ll make sure your order is delivered to you, fresh, delicious, and with everything you need.

Easy set-up and beautiful presentation

Our simplified delivery service comes with everything you need for a stress-free experience. From display and serving pieces to utensils, we’ve got you covered!

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