Is there a better time to get engaged than over the holidays?

You’re surrounded by the people you love and spirits are already high due to all of the holiday cheer. A wedding proposal makes for a beautiful cherry on top of your end of year festivities.

For most couples, excitement gives way to the hubbub of wedding planning. Brides are especially in a hurry to start gathering information – for good reason. Venues book out quickly, especially if you’re planning a Saturday night wedding. As a result, it’s not unheard of to plan up to two years out in terms of booking the venue of your dreams.

From the catering perspective, a quarter of that time will be sufficient to secure your perfect menu. We recommend signing a catering proposal at least six months out – with more time being better.

Just like wedding venues, caterers also book up fast. But unlike venues, caterers can be more flexible in terms of the exact deliverables you’re agreeing on. This means that you’ll have the opportunity to switch up your menu specifics even after locking in your caterer.

Ideally, you’ll chat with a caterer before booking your venue. The reason? You might otherwise get locked into an inflexible arrangement.

So many people fall in love with a venue because that’s where they started the wedding planning process. Before you sign on the dotted line, make sure to look through the venue’s list of approved caterers and find out if that’s going to result in another large expense.

Caterers are a great place to start when it comes to establishing budget because they have all the numbers regarding details that include cost per plate, rentals, staff, and various other odds and ends that you may not have considered. Caterers work with venues and can provide a more complete picture while you’re going through these early planning stages.

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The holiday season is here, which means that holiday celebrations, events, and parties are in the planning stages by many busy hosts across Chicagoland.

Hosting a holiday party can certainly be stressful — no matter how long you’ve been doing it. There are a lot of things to consider in order to give your guests the best possible holiday party experience.

When all else fails, it helps to fall back on a solid foundation: good food!

Let’s take a look at a few reasons why you might want to consider catering or delivering during the busy holiday season.

Then, even if you’re opting to take on the food aspect of party planning, you’ll want to stick around for our holiday party planning tips — based on many years of helping people throw unforgettable events.

Why You Should Cater Your Holiday Party

Hosting and organizing a party can quite overwhelming during an otherwise joyous holiday season. One of the biggest time and energy sucks of the process revolves around preparing food and drink for your guests.

Here are a few reasons why you should consider catering or delivery for your next holiday party:

• Pre-set menus are available. When you let someone else take care of the big picture, you don’t have to bother with all the minute details of what you need to grab at the grocery store and whether or not you even have the right tools to make your desired menu items! Most catering services offer pre-set menus that can be customized according to specific tastes or dietary preferences.
• There’s no need to join the holiday crowd at the supermarket. The holidays mean other people are also working on their own holiday parties and you can expect empty shelves for key ingredients on the day of a major holiday or at the very least, long checkout lines.
• Full-service catering gives you the type of assistance you need the most. Full-service catering takes care of after-party cleanup in addition to food preparation and delivery, so that you can focus on your guests.

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Fall is in the air.

As we bid farewell to Summer BBQs and beach bonfires, we welcome some of our favorite Fall traditions: apple picking, pumpkin patches, and of course Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving: the Busiest Travel Day of the Year

One thing that makes Thanksgiving so special is being able to spend time with friends and family. Many people travel long distances by car, train, or plane to be with their loved ones.

This can often mean traffic, delays, and long commute times. It’s easy to get cranky but remember why you’re traveling in the first place. Having a good attitude and checking all time expectations at the door will keep your spirits right where they need to be.

Reasons to be Thankful: Friends, Family, and Food

Friends: Making New Traditions, Upholding Old Ones

With everyone’s busy lives, it can be hard to gather everyone together, all at one time. But Thanksgiving is the perfect opportunity to catch up with old friends. Making time for your friends also helps alleviate some of the pressures of family time.

A Friendsgiving potluck is a great way to celebrate the season and show thankfulness for friendship. Have everyone bring a dish (make sure to cover appetizers, sides, and desserts at minimum!) to the host, who will be in charge of the turkey. Or, hire a caterer to take care of everything so that you and your friends can spend all of your time catching up — instead of worrying about cooking and cleanup.

Family: Get Everyone Involved

No matter how much you love them, when it comes to family, spending the holidays with them can be stressful at times. To get in front of any potential negativity, this is the perfect opportunity to organize some fun activities that everyone can participate in.

A few ideas:

• Put together a friendly family football game.
• Host an early breakfast/brunch bash to keep the hunger at bay.
• Grab a game that everyone can participate in and let loose a little.

The Feast: Getting All Your Favorite Foods On One Table

As families grow and new members join, including everyone’s favorite dish on the Thanksgiving menu can be tricky. To be sure, it isn’t always practical (and there certainly isn’t enough stove space) to have six different types of potatoes on the menu!

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It’s apple season!

Fall into the crisp, decadent taste of fall with our gourmet hand-decorated caramel apples featured in our new Taffy Apple Menu. We offer a wide variety of delicious seasonal toppings, including chocolate toffee, orange and black sprinkle mix, fall-colored M&M’s, and more.

Our delicious apples are the perfect seasonal treat for football games, holiday parties, family get-togethers, office parties and more. We also offer gift baskets that include an assortment of jumbo hand-decorated caramel apples. A delicious seasonal gift!

Celebrate the fall season with our delicious hand-decorated caramel apples delivered right to your door. Check out our Taffy Apple menu, and then give us a call to place your order!

You may not have realized but the holiday time clock has already begun ticking. The moment the leaves start to turn and Halloween candy hits the stores — Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, and New Years are practically here (at least when it comes to party planning!).

The question is: how much work are you willing to do for your holiday entertainment?

Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a hosting newbie, entertaining for the holidays can be stressful. No matter how much holiday cheer is in the air, it is still the busiest time of the year. With this in mind, we’ve put together a holiday survival guide to help you host a magical holiday event!

Sending Out Invitations

Knowing how many guests you will be entertaining is an important place to start the process. Is it going to be a quaint, cozy evening with a few family members or a mingling mixer for your whole neighborhood?

If your guest list is long, online invitations are a great way to keep track of your guest list. Online invites are quick and handy, allowing people to set reminders, encourage conversation between guests, and keep an accurate headcount.

That said, traditional snail mail invitations allow for a more personal approach. This a nice touch if you’re planning to host a more intimate affair. If you decide to go this route, make sure to keep an accurate guest count as people send in their RSVPs.

Holiday Catering: Full Service + Delivery Planning

Once you have an idea of how many people will be attending your party, you can start planning the best part — the food!

When it comes to holiday planning, you can never be too prepared. If you are opting for full service or delivery there are a few things to keep in mind:

• It’s never too early to get your order in
• There are often peak date charges during the holidays
• Labor can be tight during the holidays so if you’re going full service — make sure to secure your staff early
• Take the time to find a caterer you trust
• Don’t forget to create storage space in your refrigerator and pantry to accommodate your order (and any leftovers)
• Make some time to research fun, festive specialty drinks or cocktails to enhance your party

In general, using a caterer will help you free up time during the busy holiday season. Imagine how much more you’ll be able to get done without having to worry about shopping, cooking, and the dreaded cleanup. You’ll also benefit from the expertise of hiring a good caterer in terms of how they’ll work with you to plan the perfect party.

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