From family reunion picnics to Governor Gregoire’s daughter’s wedding, Occasions Catering and Special Events does everything in scrumptious style, from casual to formal, little to large.
Occasions has been creating memorable meals and events in Olympia for nearly 25 years, when owner Jennie Hannah first started catering weddings. She and her husband installed a commercial kitchen in their home, and Occasions was born.
After the company outgrew the space, the Hannahs purchased the former home on State in downtown Olympia where Occasions still resides.
After years of building the business, Jennie now leads the Occasions staff and leaves the majority of the cooking and creating to her talented team.
“Now we have two full-time chefs and sometimes we bring in an extra chef, especially in the summertime when we’re really busy with weddings,” says Cathryn Lewis, marketing representative for Occasions.
Lewis believes that service is the key to Occasions’ success.
“We work really hard to provide great service,” she says. “From your first phone call to us until we’re pulling out of your driveway, we really try to set ourselves apart in that regard: how we look, how we present ourselves, how our food is presented.”
The Occasions team also strives to make each event exactly what the client wants. “Whether it’s a wedding, an anniversary party, a birthday party, or a corporate event – we really listen to what they want,” Lewis says.
And Occasions offers more than just amazing menus. “We also provide everything from décor to any kind of entertainment. We really go out of our way. I spent part of December looking for a Santa for somebody,” Lewis says with a laugh.
“We’re not just there to just do the food; we can do your event planning as well,” she continues. “That really sets us apart from other caterers in the area. We truly can do it all.”
Anyone who has ordered catering for any event knows budgets can run large. Occasions acknowledges this, and works hard to respect all budget levels.
“We try really hard to give you a really good value for your money, knowing that catering can be expensive,” says Lewis.
But that doesn’t mean clients with smaller budgets must pick from a pre-set package. “Every event is completely different than the last,” Lewis says. “We don’t have a package deal that we sell people.”
Occasions has its own venue, The Heritage Room, which can be rented for any type of event, from corporate to weddings, birthdays to bar and bat mitzvahs. Located downtown on the corner of Legion Way and Water Street, right on the banks of Capitol Lake, it’s a gorgeous space that Occasions can decorate in a myriad of stunning ways.
“It’s great because it really shows off the city in a nice way for out-of-town people, with the capitol right there, and the lake,” Lewis says.
Occasions also holds regular tastings at its Heritage Room and at different venues in Pierce County.
“Our tastings are really fun. They give a bride and groom and whomever they’d like to invite a chance to see Occasions in a reception setting. We hold them every month, except for July and August because that’s when our busy time is, and try to hold attendance to just 50 people.”
The room is set up to look like a reception and dinner is served so guests can taste Occasions’ food and experience its dinner service. There is no charge for the first two guests; additional guests are just $15.
Occasions invites a variety of trusted vendors to attend its tastings – a photographer, florist, DJ, lighting person, and more – so couples can learn about event options in a smaller, more intimate setting than a big bridal fair.
“The nice thing is, we’ve worked with these vendors, so we know that they’ll do what they say and deliver what they’ve advertised,” Lewis says.
Occasions is proud to support Boys and Girls Clubs of Thurston County, hosting an annual Santa Breakfast, with all the proceeds going to the nonprofit organization. Lewis also sits on the Boys and Girls Clubs of Thurston County’s Foundation for the Future breakfast fundraiser board.
And Occasions’ sales person Ashley Veenendaal sits on the Board of the Salvation Army and volunteers with their fundraisers each year, cooking the meals and organizing the staff.
Occasions is an award-winning green company and works hard to be green and help the environment. “We participate in LeMay’s recycling and composting program, use compostable disposable service ware, and compost all food scraps both in the kitchen and on job sites,” says Lewis. “It’s not just lip service but something we feel strongly about.”
Occasions Catering and Special Events
1615 State Ave. NE
Olympia, WA 98506
360-943-9494
