By Katie Hurley
The holiday party season is just around the corner. Any season is good for a party in my book, but November and December offer more occasions to celebrate than most of the rest of the year. Whether you’re entertaining neighbors, clients, employees or family members, Kelly Young of Bayview Catering has some tips to make your holiday party a pleasure for host and guests alike. This advice is helpful for the do-it-yourself party, a fully catered event or something in-between.
Secure your date and venue
Whether you’re preparing the food yourself or hiring a caterer, this is the first step. If you’re having the party somewhere other than your home, reserve the space and the caterer. Once you have your date, Bayview Catering can assist you with selecting a venue for your party if you don’t already have one.
Determine the party style
Will it be a seated dinner or an open house? Do you want passed hors d’oeuvres or a dessert buffet? Once you have this decision made, you can move on to menu planning.
Plan the menu
Bayview Catering offers a full range of menu options, ranging from a traditional holiday buffet dinner to platters of festive hors d’oeuvres and desserts. You can have the whole menu catered, or just a portion and do some of it yourself.
Organize the beverages
Will you have a bartender or self-serve beverages? Will you need ice buckets to chill beer, wine and mixers or do you have enough refrigerator space? Can you brew enough coffee for your guests, or should you rent a large percolator?
Determine the logistical details
Should you rent chairs, tables, linens, plates or glassware? You can rent almost everything you need for a party, from punchbowls to coffee urns to candelabras. The sooner you reserve, the better the selection. You can do this yourself or let Bayview Catering handle all of these details for you, using their sister company, Celebrations.
Decorate the space
Do you need centerpieces? Candles? Decorations for the buffet table? Colored table linens can enhance your décor without adding cost. Bowls of holiday candy can serve a dual purpose as both centerpieces and décor.
“You can create your own menu of holiday favorites,” says Young. Bayview Catering offers a wide range of options, and will work with you to create the perfect menu. If you have some special recipes you want to prepare, figure out how much you can easily prepare on your own and then select a range of options from Bayview Catering’s menu to complement your dishes.
If your specialty is making desserts, they can deliver the dinner and you can cap off the event with your homemade specialties. Or you could make the hors d’oeuvres and dinner yourself, and order platters of mini tarts, mousse cups and Bayview’s delicious homemade fudge in festive holiday flavors.
Bayview Catering’s Holiday Party Planner menu includes options such as baked Brie with praline topping, smoked salmon pate, pork riblets, focaccia bites and many other options. They also offer a Traditional Holiday Buffet Dinner menu that includes roast turkey, baked ham or prime rib roast served with traditional sides like mashed potatoes, herbed stuffing, green beans amandine, butter pecan carrots and assorted salads.
Contact locally owned Bayview Catering today to book your holiday party or to get more information. You can reach Kelly at 360.-357-8016.
