Keep calm and enjoy your wedding day. But is that even possible?

If you’re in the process of planning a wedding, you may be skeptical about the potential of keeping your nerves under control on the big day. But professional wedding caterers – who handle hundreds or even thousands of events every year – have perfected techniques for keeping the panic at bay.

Follow these simple tips and you can relax and enjoy every moment of this special day.

Plan, Plan & Plan Some More

Wedding caterers know that, to ensure the success of any big event, planning is everything. When you have every moment and every detail of your event planned well in advance, you gain a sense of confidence that you couldn’t otherwise have.

Don’t be shy about following up repeatedly with all your vendors and anyone else who will play a role in your wedding or reception. They understand your concerns and they should be more than willing to give you regular updates.

Share the Burden with Someone You Trust

Whether you hire a professional wedding planner or ask a trusted friend or family member to act as your co-coordinator, taking some (or all) of the burden off yourself will do wonders to calm your nerves.

If you have a loved one helping you, find ways to share all the details and keep them in the loop about everything. Talk well in advance about how they should handle any last-minute questions or glitches and find ways to minimize your involvement in any issues.

Put Issues into Perspective

As your big day approaches, even the tiniest issues can start to feel like the end of world. But, if you stop to breathe and really think about it, very few issues warrant a meltdown. Certainly, you want every aspect of your wedding and reception to be perfect but, as wedding caterers well know, things happen. And, when they do, you find ways to deal with the situation and move forward.

As long as you, your fiancé and your loved ones are safe and present, the celebration will go on. And it will be perfect, even if you have to substitute a type of flower or deal with a wardrobe glitch.

Hire Proven Vendors You Can Trust

The fastest way to send your nerves through the roof is to select an amateur photographer, florist, musicians or wedding caterer.

No matter how much experience your neighbor says she has with floral arranging – or how many family reunions your co-worker’s brother-in-law has taken pictures of – there’s a reason they aren’t working professionally in the field.

Amateur service providers rarely have the state-of-the-art equipment they need to get the job done. They may not have the supplier connections necessary to get high-quality supplies or preferential pricing.

And, when it comes to your wedding catering, amateurs rarely have the safety certifications and health department approvals they need to legally – or safely – feed your guests.

When you hire professionals to handle the important aspects of your wedding and reception, you can rest assured that you’ll have the benefit of extensive knowledge and experience behind you. You’ll never have to worry about whether they can pull off their portion of your big day.

Brown Brothers specializes in wedding and reception catering. In fact, we cater more than 500 weddings every year. With more than a decade of experience helping northern Utah couples make their special day perfect, rest assured that we are the wedding caterer you can count on.

Business catering doesn’t have to break the bank. In fact, you can virtually any company function professionally catered for little more than it would cost you to make the food yourself or pick something up from the store.

The advantages of having a professional caterer handle your food are compelling, saving you time, hassle and money. Your caterer will deliver your food, set up, provide all the necessary service items and clean up when you’re done.

This ensures that you always come across looking like a highly professional organization that cares enough to service your staff and visitors flavorful, well-prepared food. And, when you follow our simple and effective tips, you can keep your catering costs to a minimum.

Choose Cost-Effective Menu Options

Your catering costs ultimately depend on the cost of ingredients and the time and effort the caterer has to invest in preparation. Some dishes and types of cuisine are less expensive to prepare – and that helps reduce your cost.

Italian-themed menus are often some of the least expensive options, yet your guests will enjoy these dishes as much (or more) than any other type of food. Stick with simple pasta dishes or ask your caterer to recommend the most cost-effective options.

Opt for Buffet-Style Service

In most cases, serving your business event attendees a buffet-style spread will help keep your costs low. When your catering company can bring in pans of food and set them up on a buffet line, guests serve themselves when they’re ready. This minimizes the staff necessary to handle your event. It also allows your guests to take only the foods and serving sizes they want.

Order Only What You Need

When preparing for a business catering event, corporate clients tend to order more food than they need. The reason for over-ordering is understandable – you never want to be caught short on food – but it’s not necessary in most cases.

Talk to your business caterer about quantities, based on the number of attendees you’ll have at your event. Catering companies are experts at determining the appropriate quantity of food and you can trust them to ensure you’ll have plenty to keep everyone well-fed.

Ask Your Business Caterer for Budget-Friendly Tips

Don’t hesitate to talk to your caterer and explain that you’re working with a limited budget. They can give you recommendations for high-impact, low-cost menus and strategies that can help you save money.

This is especially true when you work with a local corporate catering expert like Brown Brothers. We know exactly how to make you look good with your business catering. We specialize in making your events as stress-free as possible, handling every aspect of your event. Our business catering company is located in Provo, but we assist customers throughout the Salt Lake City area and northern Utah.

As Utah’s preferred corporate event caterer, we have the knowledge and experience to make your event a success, no matter what your budget may be. Contact us today to learn more about how our business catering services can enhance your next company event.

When choosing a wedding reception venue, catering may not be at the forefront of your mind. However, if you want your reception catering to be everything you’ve dreamed about, you need to verify a few key details.

Although wedding reception caterers can work around almost any conditions or circumstances, you can make it easier on everyone if you make sure that your venue provides a few critical features.

Will Your Caterer Have a Location to Set Up and Stage?

Although it’s not necessarily a deal-breaker, most catering companies need a suitable space to stage and set up. The size of the space will vary depending on your menu and the number of guests you expect. However, if they need to hold food hot or cold but no staging area is available, the catering company may have to transport their own warming ovens or even bring a refrigerated truck.

Does the Venue Have Water Usable for Catering Purposes?

Similarly, your reception caterer will need water for a variety of purposes, but especially for hand washing. If hot and cold running water is not available at a venue you’re considering, your caterer will have to bring the appropriate temperature-controlled storage vessels to ensure safety and meet health code requirements.

Is Power Available for Your Caterer to Use?

Much like water, your catering company will likely need power to ensure that your food is kept at the proper temperature until time to serve your guests. If you choose a venue that does not have a nearby power supply, you’ll have to check with the caterer about the possibility of using generators or other power sources.

Does the Reception Venue Allow for Disposal of Catering Materials?

Not every venue allows you to use their dumpsters or cans after cleanup. If your caterer must pack out the trash, this could affect their logistics and potentially the price of your food.

Are You Allowed to Use Your Own Reception Catering Company?

Some venues have their own catering arm or have an exclusive agreement with a local reception caterer. In that case, they may not allow you to use your own caterer. In other cases, they will let you do your own food but you must pay them an extra fee to do so.

This is an important consideration, especially if you have a catering company already selected.

Do You Have Access to Tables for Catering Purposes?

Some wedding reception venues allow you to use the tables, chairs, etc. that they have available. Others allow their use but tack on an extra charge. Many venues, however, do not have these amenities available for your use, even for a fee. In that case, you may need to rent your equipment or, if you talk with the catering company, they may be able to provide a solution.

To be safe, consider asking your caterer to accompany you to your top two or three venues to see the space for themselves. Although this may not be necessary – as most local caterers have seen and worked every conceivable Utah wedding reception venue – it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

Located in Provo, Brown Brothers provides high-quality catering services throughout northern Utah. We are known for our exceptional quality and service, and you’ll love our transparent, affordable pricing. Contact us today to learn more, or to learn more about what catering questions you should ask your potential wedding reception venues.

Whenever you want to celebrate with a meal, catering can help you make the event truly special.

Whether you want to celebrate a business-related event or a personal event, you will enjoy your day even more when you trust a local catering company to handle the food. You can choose a menu befitting of the occasion and, for little more than you might spend to purchase and prepare the meal yourself, you won’t have to think twice about shopping, cooking or cleaning up.

Catering Menus Appropriate for Any Special Occasion

Whether you would like to celebrate a personal occasion, a business event or any milestone that deserves a celebration, catering makes the experience simple as well as special.

Your local catering company can help you design the ideal menu. Whether you prefer a buffet, chef action stations, a plated sit-down meal – or some combination of the above – you can choose the dishes that suit the event and your guest list.

If you prefer a theme, choose a menu that celebrates cuisine from Italy, the Hawaiian Islands, the deep South or the rustic countryside. Have a light reception with meats and cheeses or indulge your guests’ sweet tooth with a delightful chocolate fountain.

Catering for Your Personal Celebrations

For birthdays, anniversaries, graduations and other special occasions, what could be better than gathering with friends, family and loved ones to share a meal?

You don’t have to wait for once-in-a-lifetime events like weddings to take advantage of catering services. Neither do you need a large number of attendees. In fact, your caterer can handle a dozen guests or a thousand with equal ease.

You can choose any location you prefer. Have your celebration at your home, a park, a mountaintop, your event venue of choice or virtually anywhere you can imagine. Your caterer will bring the food, set up, serve your guests and clean up the mess. You get to relax and enjoy the event with your guests.

Corporate Catering Make Business Celebrations Special

Your local catering company has everything you need to make your next corporate celebration an event to remember. Grand openings, open houses, holiday parties, sales meetings or any other business events are the perfect time to call on a professional caterer.

If you have special clients in from out of town or you want to make an important pitch meeting more memorable, your caterer can help you design a menu that’s sure to impress. This is also a perfect way to show your appreciation to your valuable staff or a long-term employee who is preparing to retire.

Whatever corporate event you want to turn into a special celebration, trust a caterer to help make it easy, affordable and memorable.

Brown Brothers Catering, northern Utah’s premier catering company, provides exceptional service for our customers. Based in Provo, we provide wedding and reception catering, corporate event catering and caterer services for any other type of event. Contact us today for more information. We look forward to showing you why we are Utah’s preferred catering experts.

If you’re planning an outdoor wedding, catering takes on an entirely new set of challenges, as compared to an indoor venue.

You can have the most amazing experience in an outdoor setting, even under challenging conditions, as long as you are prepared for whatever our unpredictable northern Utah climate may throw at you.

Working with an experienced local wedding caterer is the best way to ensure that everything goes smoothly, no matter what Mother Nature throws your way.

Assume the Worst for the Weather – and for Your Wedding Catering

No matter what time of year you’ll be tying the knot, you simply cannot trust northern Utah’s unpredictable weather. Hope for the best but expect the worst, to be sure you’re prepared.

Just as you need a backup location for your wedding ceremony if inclement weather strikes, your reception caterer also needs a backup plan, in case they can’t do their work in the pre-identified location.

Many outdoor wedding venues offer alternative spaces for holding both the ceremony and reception, should outdoor event become impossible due to weather.

Provide Indoor Access for Your Wedding Caterer Whenever Possible

No, it’s not always possible to have a conditioned structure where your catering company can set up, prep, plate and stage. You may not even have power at your chosen location. Still, the better the conditions you can offer for your caterer, the better your experience is likely to be.

If possible, at least provide a tent for shade and protection from the elements – and bugs – and a generator. This is as much for safety as comfort, as most dishes need to be kept hot or cold/

However, if this simply isn’t an option, don’t stress – your outdoor wedding caterer will tell you what is and isn’t practical or possible. Follow their lead and you’ll have the perfect day you’ve always dreamed of.

Plan Your Wedding Catering Menu for the Weather & Conditions

This might sound like common sense but, when deciding on your menu, keep the weather and your surroundings in mind.

For example, if you’re planning your event in a rugged location in the Wasatch Mountains or the woods near Park City, your caterer already has plenty of logistical challenges to overcome. Choosing menu items that are to delicate, labor-intensive or highly temperature sensitive will not only be expensive but you’re also setting yourself up for disappointment.

The best and safest approach is to let your caterer recommend dishes that will provide the best dining experience for you and your guests, wherever your location may be.

With headquarters in Provo, Brown Brothers Catering is northern Utah’s wedding reception catering expert. We handle hundreds of Utah weddings every year, in locations that range from resorts to the most remote corners of nature. Contact us today for help designing your ideal outdoor wedding catering experience.

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If you’ve ever tried to get a restaurant reservation on February 14, you know how difficult (or impossible) it can be to get a table in your restaurant of choice. Or your second choice, or your third choice… If you can get in, you’re stuck with a 5:00 early-bird special or a ridiculously late table, because all the good time slots are taken.

And then there’s the price. Eating at a nice restaurant for Valentine’s Day is going to cost you a fortune.

When you opt for the services of a caterer instead, you can choose your location and time. And, even if you choose an elaborate spread, you won’t likely pay any more than you would at a restaurant, after taxes, tip and other costs.

Incorporating Catering for Valentine’s Day into Your Plans

Whether you’re planning an intimate meal for two or you’d like to have friends and family join you in your celebration of love, catering services will fit right in.

A local catering company can help you perfect the details of your evening, right down to the minute details of the menu. Depending on the size and structure of your event, you can choose buffet style or a plated, sit-down dinner with servers at the ready.

The sky’s the limit with menu choices for your love-infused feast. You can choose from the catering company’s standard menu options or work with them to customize a meal your beloved is sure to love.

And, since your caterer will do all the cooking and the cleaning up, you’ll have nothing to distract you from gazing deeply into your sweetheart’s eyes.

Choosing the Best Utah Valentine’s Day Caterer

You could order food from a local restaurant but, honestly, that’s much more like takeout than catering. When you choose an established northern Utah caterer like Brown Brothers, you can rest assured that your event – no matter how large or how intimate – will go off without a hitch.

Brown Brothers Catering is the locally owned and operated catering expert, serving clients in Provo and throughout northern Utah. To learn more about how we can make your evening one your loved one will remember forever, contact us today to discuss your many options for Valentine’s Day catering in Utah.

On the wedding reception catering scene, chef action stations are one of the hottest trends to hit in the past decade.

Elegant plated dinners and casual buffets still have their place, but today’s party guests want a little excitement with their meal – and chef-attended food stations never disappoint.

Why Chef Action Stations Are Ideal for a Wedding Reception

Incorporating chef-attended food stations into your wedding reception catering package can create a better experience for your guests. They’re a popular choice, as they offer several benefits:

• Interaction with the chefs – Guests are entertained as they watch the chefs and can also chat with the chef about the food as its being prepared.
• Flexible eating time – Not every guest is ready to eat as soon as they get to the reception. With food stations, guests can decide when to have their meal.
• Made-to-order meals – Guests have input over the composition of the dish and can have their food exactly the way they like it.
• Facilitate mingling – Guests move around and mingle more, which makes the reception more fun.

Popular Wedding Reception Chef-Attended Action Stations

For catered receptions, chef-attended food stations can provide for a wide range of tastes. Some of the more popular selections include:

• Street tacos featuring chicken, pork, beef and/or fish along with a variety of toppings
• Baked potato bar offering fun add-ons like bacon, cheese, chili and onions
• Flambéed crepes filled with custards, fresh berries and whipped cream
• Carved beef sandwich bar, with assorted breads, toppings and au jus for dipping

Customized Action Stations to Fit Any Catered Reception

If you have another idea for a chef-attended food station, professional caterers can usually provide exactly what you would like. Chefs can create just about any type of food station, featuring cuisine from anywhere in the world.

For inspiration, consider the following uniquely fun stations that offer interesting, not-often-eaten foods:

• Mexican street corn
• Jerk pork tenderloin
• Beef bourguignon
• Vietnamese pho
• New England lobster rolls
• Hand-rolled sushi
• German pork schnitzel

Are you ready to explore your options for wedding reception catering? If you’re getting married in Utah and are interested in chef action stations, Brown Brothers Catering can meet your needs.

At Brown Brothers Catering, we offer completely customizable chef-attended food stations. Our chefs are highly-skilled at executing all types of cuisine and can design any type of action station you want for your reception.

Brown Brothers Catering is known for providing amazing catered food, and we’ve been a leading Salt Lake City area professional caterer for more than ten years. To learn more about our chef action stations and wedding reception catering services, contact our Provo, Utah, office today.

Hiring a full-service event caterer simply makes good sense, if you’re in charge of planning a large gathering or celebration.

Organizing a wedding reception, corporate party, family get-together or any other function is not easy to pull off on your own. In fact, it can be highly stressful and fraught with the potential for disaster.

Work with a full-service catering company, however, and you’ll have expert help with many of the most stressful event planning tasks.

Menu Decisions

Do you know what type of food you want to serve at your gathering? Many people don’t, or their ideas aren’t cohesive. A professional event catering company can help you craft a menu that is appropriate for your get-together and pleases all of your guests – even those on special diets.

Venue Selection

Hunting down the ideal spot for your gathering – one that meets your needs in terms of availability, capacity, accessibility, amenities and cost — can take a great deal of time and effort. Hire a full-service event caterer, and you’ll save yourself the hassles of venue selection.

Event Details

Does the nature of your special occasion require you to rent tables, chairs or other equipment? Will you need to book entertainment, choose floral arrangements or find decorations? A full-service event catering company can handle all of these details, along with just about any other party preparations.

Event Setup

Setting up the dining tables and arranging the rest of the venue space is time-consuming and takes a lot of hard work. Choose an event caterer that offers comprehensive service, and you won’t have to worry about any of the setup tasks.

Event Cleanup

Once your event is at its end, the last thing you’ll feel like doing is cleaning up – and with a full-service catering company, you won’t need to. The team will take care of the cleanup, making sure their efforts meet the venue’s specifications. And, if you’d like to keep the leftover food, the event caterer will pack it up for you.

Professional Service

You don’t want guests to look back on your event and think that the food was stellar, but the service was sub-par. With a professional event caterer, that definitely won’t happen – the personnel has a great deal of experience serving guests from all walks of life with courtesy and respect.

Are you planning a social or business function in Utah? Partner with Brown Brothers Catering, an award-winning full-service event caterer serving the greater Salt Lake City area and the surrounding communities. Our team will take on the preparation tasks and make sure your gathering is a great success.

Brown Brothers Catering offers exceptional food along with expert event planning assistance, all at an affordable price. For more information on what we do as a full-service event caterer, or to schedule a free professional consultation, contact our Provo, Utah, office today.

Incorporating a catering theme into your event is a great way to kick the fun up a notch. Coming up with a good idea, however, isn’t always easy.

To make the party memorable for your guests, try matching up their generation with a unique catering theme. From Gen Zers to Baby Boomers, every generation has different tastes, wants and needs – keep those in mind, and you can customize your catering menu to better suit their preferences.

Catering Themes for Gen Zers

The members of Generation Z, which includes anyone born later than the mid-1990’s, like to get exactly what they want. Gen Zers are also heavily into social media – they really don’t remember life without the internet.

If you’re planning an event for Gen Zers, consider one of these theme ideas:

• Cooking live: Design the catered event around Chef Action Stations, giving guests the perfect backdrop for photos and videos.

• Fast food party: Create a heathy, gourmet catering menu that mimics fast food and is served up in a similar style.

Catering Themes for Millennials

Millennials, or people born between the late-1970’s and the mid-1990’s, are ambitious and tech-savvy. They love being praised for their accomplishments, yet they place a high value on balancing work with fun.

If your event is for Millennials, one of these themes is sure to be a hit:

• Play ball: Choose an event catering menu with upscale ballpark offerings, and plug up some interactive sports games to foster competition.

• Pajama party breakfast: Go with a catering options based on the much-loved morning meal, and ask everyone to wear their sleep gear.

Catering Themes for Gen Xers

The individuals born during the Generation X years, or between the mid-1960’s to the late-1970’s, embrace diversity and culture. Gen Xers like options, and they prefer making their own decisions whenever possible.

For an exceptional event for Gen Xers, try one of these themes:

• Around-the-world party: Customize the event catering to showcase cuisines from a range of regions around the globe, and decorate to match.

• A grand buffet: Go with a buffet-style catering menu, and pack in as many choices and customizations as possible.

Catering Themes for Baby Boomers

Baby boomers, born earlier than the mid-1960’s, are competitive and driven, yet they also genuinely want to make a difference in the world. This generation also values the community as well as family and life history.

To plan a party for Baby Boomers, choose one of these themes:

• Go retro: Plan the event catering to pay tribute to comfort foods, with retro-inspired options.

• Give back: Create a heartwarming catering menu, with delicious food that accompanies a raffle benefitting a local charity.

Need more theme ideas? After more than a decade serving northern Utah clients, the professionals at Brown Brothers Catering understand how to plan a fun-filled, memorable event and can offers suggestions for a theme that makes your party the talk of the Salt Lake City area.

With Brown Brothers Catering, you’ll have no trouble pleasing all of your guests, regardless of their generation. For delicious, high-quality food and service that fits your northern Utah event catering theme, contact us online or call our Provo office today.

Want your next company party to be an unforgettably fun occasion? Working with an expert in corporate event catering is the best way to make that happen.

It may only be October, but it’s not too early to start planning your annual employee party. Creating an enjoyable company gathering takes time, after all, and the holidays are nearly here!

If you put off your party planning – or if you’re looking for an easier way to plan next year’s holiday party – letting a corporate event catering company take on the task can be a wise plan. Here’s why.

Create a Unique Holiday Party Menu

The food at some company holiday parties is completely forgettable. However, that definitely isn’t the case for events that have professional event catering.

With professional caterers, the menu options are endless. From plated dinners and dinner buffets to hors d’oeuvre receptions and dessert bars – and everything in-between – the food at your holiday gathering can be fully customized to suit your employee tastes and your company budget. And if you’re unsure what to serve, event catering professionals can offer inspired suggestions sure to please your party guests.

Take the Holiday Party Away from the Office

Employees often have a hard time relaxing at corporate events held at the office. How can anyone really celebrate when work is literally right around the corner?

An interesting venue is the foundation for a memorable holiday party – and an experienced event catering company can connect you with many local venues at various price levels. Host your company gathering somewhere other than the office, and everyone is sure to have more fun.

Full-Service Company Holiday Party Planning

Regardless of where you plan to host your annual party – and no matter how many employees will attend – working with a full-service corporate event catering company takes the hassle our of making plans.

Some professional corporate caterers, including Brown Brothers Catering, provide exceptional food along with a host of other party planning services. Experienced event coordinators can find the ideal venue, facilitate equipment rentals, book entertainment, choose decorations and much more, handling every detail to ensure the gathering goes off without a hitch.

Whether your company is a small startup or a vast corporation with thousands of employees, creating a memorable event requires a great deal of time and effort. For an easier time planning a company holiday party in northern Utah, turn to Brown Brothers Catering.

As a locally owned and operated business, Brown Brothers Catering has been the preferred professional caterer in the greater Salt Lake City area for over a decade. Our team routinely works with corporate clients, and we’re known for providing amazing food and stellar service at an affordable price. For more information on our corporate event catering and company holiday party planning services, contact our Provo office today.