Catering Tip #2 of 4: The 3 Things To Consider When Choosing Your Caterer and Menu.

1. Never use a caterer whose work you have not seen (and a tasting does not count)
   
   Try using restaurants whose food you know when choosing a caterer.  Restaurants have consistent recipes, and quality.  The chef at the restaurant proves his ability to prepare for a large group of people every evening, and you can pop up at the restaurant and see what he has to offer.  In addition, restaurants usually feel honored to have their food served at your event; therefore, they put a lot of effort into making sure that your event will be the proper introduction of their food to a group of prospective new patrons. 
   
   Conversely, lots of event caterers use head chefs that do not work in house.  The result can be poor quality control and inconsistent service.  Some event caterers wrongly view their customers in isolation because they know that their reputations are protected by the fact that the majority of the guest won’t be in the market for an event caterer, or won’t even know who catered the event.
   
   
2. Never serve small proportions
   
   Women, I know that some of you eat like birds, and that many of you have been dieting for months to fit into your dresses;   but, on that night – do not serve small proportions.  I don’t care how beautiful, or how fancy, or how award winning the chef says he is, if you don’t satisfy your guest they will leave as quickly as possible so that they can go get something more to eat.  Hunger is a demanding bodily function that can not be ignored.    
   
   If you ensure that people eat a lot of food then they will drink, they will laugh, and they will help you create those embarrassing stories on the dance floor that will make your event memorable.

3. Never choose your favorite dish as the dish you serve at your wedding
   
   While I love Indian food, I know that at a large multicultural gathering some people might find the spices too strong.  Likewise, I could eat Mexican everyday, but I recognize that depending upon the gathering the cheeses, strong spices, and heavy oils might prove overwhelming to certain guest.  Think about your guest first.  Think about who they are, and who they are not.
   
   Are there Muslims or Jews in the group?  Are there vegetarians?  Are they risk takers when it comes to food?  Yes, it’s easy to say it’s not about them, but in reality it really is.  Every one of them is here to honor you because you invited them, and they deserve to enjoy a good meal.  

Please take this advice as wisdom.  Over the years I have attended many events, and seen many catering faux pas.  I know that these rules seem very simple, but if you follow these three simple rules you will find that you can avoid many of the pitfalls that others before you have fallen into.  In the future I will expand upon the importance of following these three golden rules regarding event catering.

LOVE ROBERT

Save big on planning your BIG DAY. Tip #1 of 5

Consider a park wedding.  Chicago has some beautiful parks.  "The point" in Hyde Park on Chicago's South Shore Drive is one of my favorite, Evanston is also gorgeous.  Picture a candle lite tent.  Park weddings are always so beautiful and romantic.  Your guest will appreciate being outdoors in the summer time.  You can couple this with a barbecue theme.  A great restaurant that could cater your outdoor reception would be Cedar's Mediterranean also located in Hyde Park.  Right there you can save thousands of dollars;  but, standing at "The Point" with your new Husband and watching the fuscia, orange, and yellow hues of the sun as it sets over Lake Michigan is priceless.

LOVE ROBERT

An Uplifting Message for Thicker Women

While I know it's normal for women to diet before their Big Day, I offer uplifting message to all thicker "brides to be", and I would like to dispel two myths so that they may be free when choosing their bridal gown.


There are two myths I would like to dispel:

Myth #1      Thicker women can not wear Cinderella (ball) gowns because they make them look larger.  This is absolutely untrue.  Ball gowns can be very flattering on larger women primarily because women who are larger up top can really fill the gown out and give the gown more presence.  If the cut of the gown is slightly highwaisted this can be a wonderful way to create a slimming effect.  Often times pear shaped women can have very flattering shoulders, back, and cleavage.  These can be assets to show case with a strapless or sweat heart ball gown.

Myth  # 2    Thicker women cannot wear mermaid looks.  This again may be misguiding  The mermaid dress is designed to emphasize curves.  The curvier you are the better this dress actually looks.  With a nice strong undergarment often plus size women can really create an hour glass image using the mermaid cut.  I would say that the mermaid cut and the trumpet cuts are excellent choices for plus size women especially if your waist is smaller than your hip line and your breast line.   The mermaid and the trumpet cut will work to show your curves instead of making you look rounder.


And also "brides to be" remember that on this day, you must love yourself.  At the end of the aisle is a man who has chosen to spend the rest of his life with you.  In the audience are your invited guest who love you for who you are.  And amongst them are many men and women who can appreciate your outstanding beauty so don't be too hard on yourself.  I hope I didn't offend anyone with the use of the term thicker.  It's a term of endearment and I prefer it to plus size.  Now this doesn't mean hop off your diets; but, be you.  Be all of you.

LOVE ROBERT

Catering Tip #1 of 4: Dessert

After you cut the bridal cake, go ahead and take the photo ops, then instead of serving the cake try packaging the slices in individual containers (similar to the take home containers used for pastries at Starbucks) for your guest to take home. You can also have these containers decorated with ribbons printed with you and your hubby's names.  Once your guest have eaten a big meal often the wedding cake seems like just a gesture and goes to waste;  on the contrary, after a long night of dancing your guest will appreciate it more while at home with a tall glass of milk.  So, pass these containers out as your guest leave, and your cake goes from boring into a pleasant surprise.

Besides, everyone loves dessert trays.  A great way to get your guest back on their feet is to have dessert trays with individually sized pastries, and candies placed strategically throughout the reception.  Guest will walk over to the tables, and are therefore more apt to 'shake a tail feather' while they are munching a bite sized cupcake.

While we are on the subject of desserts, I'd like to plug my friend Richard at Rueters Bakery in Chicago.   They have the most wonderful personal sized shortcakes.  They make them daily with fresh strawberries and homemade whipped cream.  He is also a five star artist when it comes to wedding cakes. In fact, Richard and his family have been making desserts for over eighty years.  Just go try one, and you'll see why they have been around so long!

LOVE ROBERT

For the Green Bridal Gown Go Local

While I'm no Al Gore, I too have really begun to think about how I interact with the environment.  When planning the ultimate celebration - your wedding day - there is no better time to send a clear message that you are going to live the rest of your life in harmony with mother earth.  Recently we've heard a lot about "green" fabrics. We at Atha are considering adding two "green" destination pieces to our forth coming bridal collection, so that we can cater to those brides who want to buy green;  nevertheless, there are some points that are important to add to the discussion of the "green" wedding gown.

For starters, there isn't a governing body that regulates who can use the word "green" to describe fabrics.  So, of course you have business men/women who could care less about the environment claiming that fabrics are green that actually put more stress on the environment than our more traditional fabrics.  As, fabric expert Richard Scneider of Supreme Novelty Fabric Company pointed out in our discussion last month "often times fabrics that may be deemed "greener" may use more dyes which add to their stress on the environment in other ways."  So, one must look at the overall picture in order to gauge the true impact on the environment of the fabrics' production.

Not to mention, silk has always been an extremely durable fabric; and, its ability to stand the test of time lends itself to being re worn.  Also,  the popularity of silk amongst brides over the years means that the chances of another bride - even your daughter - in the future wanting to wear your gown is higher.  Consider that wearing a vintage, or once wed gown is perhaps the most practical way to avoid waste when choosing a gown.  This point is not lost by our friends at White Chicago who have a wonderful collection of once wed and sample designer  gowns.  And here at Atha we can help you rework those gowns, and make them new by adding your own unique flare.

But all things considered, one of the oldest ways of shopping for your bridal gown turns out to also be one of the most environmentally friendly - getting your gown designed by a local designer.   The environmental standards that we adhere to here exceed those of China which is where over 90% of the gowns purchased at boutiques are imported from.  You can also avoid all the waste caused by shipping from overseas that has been an unfortunate byproduct of globalization.  At most of the stores where our label is sold we are proud to say that we are usually the only brand that is manufactured in the United States.  And, for those brides who can make it to Chicago, you can enjoy a custom made gown made right here in a way that is entirely eco-friendly - by hand.

LOVE ROBERT