NY Metro/Long Island

Expert Advice

PLANNING A PARTY

Caterer Reveals Top "Do's and Don'ts" for Easiest Party Planning

By Karin Greenberg

Perhaps you know exactly what kind of party you want to throw. On the other hand, you may need help with the planning. In either case, meeting with the caterer or restaurant manager and chef to discuss the food and other important details is crucial to the success of your event.

Jordan Schwartz, director of catering events and marketing for Big Daddy's; City Crab & Seafood Company, and Duke's in New York City, agrees. Caterers always do their best to ensure that every event is successful, and communicating your wishes to the caterer is essential. However, Schwartz points out, "there are some things that are important for a client to understand when working with a caterer," she says. Here are some of her "Do's and Don'ts" to make working with a caterer smooth and easy:

Chef

Do be realistic about the budget

If you are working within a specific budget, plan the party with all costs in mind. Everyone wants a good deal, but being unrealistic about what your budget can pay for is pointless. At one of Schwartz's restaurants in New York City, the least expensive option would be a cocktail party with a wine and beer open bar and appetizers served family-style.

For fifty or fewer people, guests could be seated in the back of the restaurant. That means that if you were hosting the party, you wouldn't have to rent out the whole space. For a two-hour party (with no upgrades of food or alcohol), the minimum cost would be about $1,500 before tax and gratuities (though the average client ends up spending about $2,500, she says).

Renting out the entire restaurant with extras such as audio-visual equipment, extravagant flowers, balloons, top premium open bar, passed hors d'oeuvres, customized food and a more extensive array of dishes, or special requests for dishes not on the menu can add considerably to the cost, boosting the tab for a party for 50 people to potentially over $15,000.

Do plan for bad weather

Even the best caterer cannot control Mother Nature. If you're planning a garden party for 100 guests, you must have a back-up plan. Clients should always work with their planners to create an indoor option for an outdoor event. The back-up plan may not be ideal, but having one is essential.

Do give the caterer enough time to do a great job

Clients who expect to be able to book a party at a nice restaurant or have a catered affair in their homes within a couple of days are bound to be disappointed—or totally shocked at the "rush" charges. Having small groups over is great for impromptu entertaining. Large events, however, require special food, preparation, and time. Even if you find a willing caterer, the minimum amount of time you should allow for a large party is one week.

Don't change things at the last minute

A successful event is one that flows flawlessly. Each detail is planned meticulously. When clients want to change major aspects of their event the day before the party, they don't realize how many hoops the caterer must jump through to ensure that the event does not suffer.

Schwartz recalls one particular nightmare: Clients who, at the last minute, wanted her to change the party to another room; put up a mock wall to close off an area in the restaurant; and bring a microphone and speakers into a party that was using only half the restaurant.

Do stick to your guest count

A good caterer or event planner will always be prepared for an extra few guests. There is a difference, however, between one or two unexpected people and twenty guests whose presence hadn't been anticipated.

Letting the planner know the day before your party that the event has grown by more than ten percent is a big problem. At a time when staff should be setting up the event and adding final touches, they don't need to be searching for additional cases of wine, preparing hundreds more hors d'oeuvres or finding 15 more pounds of salmon.

Do let the staff do their jobs

It's wonderful for clients to be actively involved in the initial party planning process; their input is almost always appreciated. Clients who micromanage the caterer, the serving staff, and the bartenders during the event make it difficult for everyone—and wind up not enjoying themselves, either.

The time for communication of your wishes and special requests is prior to the event. On the day of the party, relax and let the professionals take over. If you find yourself succumbing to the urge to oversee every detail, take a deep breath, have a sip of wine, and remind yourself: That's why you hired them in the first place.

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