Tip 5 of my 6 Tips to the Perfect Day

It’s easy to get caught up in planning your wedding.  People working on a tight budget often think “DIY” is the way to go and that a Wedding Planner will ruin their tight budget.  Before you make the decision to do it all on your own consider that fact that a full service Caterer can provide the same functions as a Planner but maybe more cost effective. Full service caterers have ins with venues, photographers, florists, D.Js, and other service providers that they work with regularly. Which means they’ve already done the legwork so you don’t have to. They are also professionals when it comes to working with budgets. They understand your bottom line means your bottom line and will find creative ways to fulfill your wants. Before you do any other planning start with your caterer, find out if they offer full service wedding planning.  Finding a caterer who can off set the time, stress and money associated with your big day with will never be a choice you’ll regret

But don't take my word for it, check out what some of our newly weds  had this to say about the assistance we provided:

"I could not imagine a better catering experience for our wedding. Heather Casto and The Chocolate Mousse Catering staff were professional, flexible and very personable. The food was varied, fresh, and delicious.  Our wedding cake was so gorgeous and tasty.  Heather was easily accessible and extremely patient with the entire process, including her full coordination of the rental items needed, as well as numerous day-of details. We had a very tight budget, and Heather took the time to go painstakingly through every detail to help us balance cost with the quality of our reception - which was an absolute success.  She made the whole wedding experience so much easier -- beyond what we expected from a caterer!  I recommend Chocolate Mousse very highly!!"

- Heather and Jon Whitman

"I idea of getting married thrilled me, the reality scared the living daylights out of me!  Ican not lie I'm a high maintenance girl.  I like what I like and I wont settle for anything less than perfect. I didn't think I could get everything I wanted on the tight budget I was working with.  Heather didn't just provide an incredible meal (which my guests' still rave about) she provided me peace of mind as well as priceless contacts with venues, photographers, DJ's and florist who were able to make my vision of a romantic rustic wedding a reality without the need to rob stage coaches to fund it all.  If you need a caterer I recommend Heather because her jack-of-all trades versatility and go to attitude were my winning combination" 

-Brittany Smith   

Tip 1 of My 6 Tips On how to Make Your Big Day Perfect

TIP 1: FOOD MAKES THE EVENT! 

 You can plan your day until your brain comes out your ears but it will not matter if you have the perfect venue, best photographer, the most beautiful dress and sunshine all day if the food falls short.  Let’s be real, guests come to weddings for 3 things,to eat, drink and be merry. It’s important that you find the right caterer who is experienced in wedding receptions to secure happy taste buds in all your guests.  We’ve all been to those wedding where we could down the minutes for that appropriate time to make an exit and hightail it to the closest McDonalds.  To avoid the “McDonald” do the research first.  Consider the following when trying to find the right food for your day:

1. Budget:  How much is the max you can spend per guest. This is not to say you should aim to pay your max, in actuality you should do your best to look for a provider that comes in under your max this will allow for more flexibility in your food budget and adjust for changes that may be needed.

2. Know Your Must Haves: Know what type of menu you want before you price check venues and caterers.  Even though weddings may be venues and caterers regularly business this fact does not mean they can give you an accurate quote if you have no idea what you want.  There is a huge price difference between buffet and sit-down service.  Sit-down will require additional wait staff which will directly affect cost.  Service is not the only thing that will greatly affect food cost, food choice obviously affect cost as well.  If you’re considering salmon and filet mignon as main course together with a full pasted appetizers expect a large quote.  On the flip side if you have base idea of your “must haves” but can be flexible with the “wants” you’ll find larger wiggly room in your budget.

3. Cocktail Hour:  If part of your must haves is a cocktail hour consider the type you want. Did you want passed horderves or self-serve stations? Were you thinking hot, cold, mixed? Have  you estimated how many guest will show for cocktails.  These are all important considerations when trying to plan your budget.

4. Desert:  When considering a caterer for the big day I suggest finding one that does cakes as well.  Generally you will get a better overall package deal if you go with someone who can supply dinner and dessert.  Consider the amount of dessert you would like. Consider the timing of dessert and how much your guest will eat.  Guests at a late night wedding are less likely to want heavy sugars and mass amounts of coffee.  Talk to your caterer about what they think would be appropriate based on the time of day and season.

5. Consider Your Guests Dietary Needs.  Try and pick a menu that will agree with the vast majority of the guests but always account for individuals needs.  Let your caterer know if specialized dishes will need to be set aside to account for allergies, kosher practices, or any other dietary restrictions.    

6. Listen to the Professional: Once you’ve considered your price range, must haves and guest needs it’s time to start looking for the right caterer.  If you’ve thought carefully about the above the caterer should be able to easily assist you in planning your wedding day. Schedule tasting and shop around but in the end make sure you pick someone you are sure can deliver the perfect day.  They should be knowledge, have a great reputation, and make you feel at ease. Your wedding day is the day you will remember forever make sure you entrust it to a caterer that understands that.

If you have more questions or would like to schedule a tasting give me a call at (845)-518-6533

Planning Your Prefect Day

Your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life, which is why you should trust The Chocolate Mousse Caterers for everything you'll need. As your wedding caterer, we will handle every detail of your wedding reception. Only one special wedding at a time assures perfection and world class service. It is our pleasure to make your vision a reality, from intimate to extravagant, traditional to unexpected; we are dedicated to creating your ideal wedding and reception.

The Chocolate Mousse creates memories that will last a lifetime. We will be with you every step of the way, from event planning, menu design and decor to entertainment and logistics. All of our catered affairs are custom designed to meet your every want and expectation. Regardless of your needs or budget, the experienced professionals at The Chocolate Mousse will work with you to help make your wedding day dreams come true.

Our primary goal is to make your exceptional day a day like no other. Our entire team will be at your service making your wedding a pleasant, and worry-free event.

What you can expect. from us 

• Unlimited Planning, Unlimited Consultation

•  Creative options to prioritize your wedding budget and get the most out of each dollar

• Help organizing, prioritizing and taking care of the legwork involved in planning a wedding

• Help finding a great venue that fits your personal style and funds

• A personalized menu that is created with the highest quality ingredients, attention to detail, freshness, and flavor

• Custom wedding cakes

• referrals to preferred partners to seamlessly complete the wedding planning process, from venues to florists, photographers and deejays – we'll create your wedding dream team

• wedding day coordination so you won’t have to repeat your details and preferences to various vendors

• rental coordination for Tents and Chairs - from backyard to ballroom and everything in between; China, Glassware, and Flatware in hundreds of styles and colors; Linens, Napkins and Overlays - from the standards to one of a kind

•  Staff - from captains and servers to chefs and utility workers - professionals that care that your wedding is
  
  special, memorable, and stress-free

• Customized bar service during your reception

Your wedding deserves the best planning, and The Chocolate Mousse Caterers will ensure that your wedding reception is flawless. We provide the best, most attentive, wedding planning available!We can’t pick out your wedding dress but we can take the pressure off of planning the rest of the day. To find out how we can help you contact our in house wedding planner 845-518-6533 or at Heather@ChocolateMousseCatering.com