As part of our Vendor Spotlight Series, we are featuring this article from one of our beloved Vendor Partners, Biscuits & Berries. The team at Biscuits & Berries executes beautiful work and their attention to detail really shines in all of our event spaces here at The Cable Center. We love working them and their expertise surrounding catering options and event design is unmatched! Keep reading to learn about all the different catering styles and options our partnership can pull off to make your event perfectly yours!
Types of Service Styles
Holy options! There’s a lot to think about when planning mealtime for your guests. What used to be a simple decision- formal plated dinner or casual buffet, has turned into a maze of options in the modern catering world. Don’t fret, Biscuits & Berries is here to help you navigate all possibilities! If this post doesn’t help you decide on a service style for your event, don’t hesitate to reach out one of their knowledgeable and friendly Event Designers- they’ve seen it all!
A few things to consider when deciding on the best service style for an event include timing of your event, duration of your event, alcohol service, and your unique attendees. These details will help you determine whether a full meal is necessary, or if some lighter, casual options would work best. Once you’ve assessed your event, consider the “feeling” you’d like to provide. Is your vision upscale and elegant or a bit more laid-back and casual? Do you want to promote mingling and guest interaction? Or would you prefer that guests experience full service at their tables?
Plated Service and Family Style Catering
Plated and family style dinners are often preferred because they allow your guests to stay seated while their food is brought out to them. These options exude tradition and elegance but can sometimes feel a bit restrictive as your guests are limited to the food that’s brought to them. An occasional criticism for family-style service is that tables can get a bit crowded (glassware, centerpieces, platters, oh my!), and it can be slightly uncomfortable to pass food around while trying not to knock anything over! We recommend minimizing the footprint of your centerpieces and place settings when serving a family style dinner and limit your round tables to a maximum of 8 guests. While we work hard to expedite any type of service, plated and family style dinners tend to run quickly as our team is able to swiftly and efficiently serve tables.
Buffet Catering
Buffets and stations tend to be very guest friendly as they allow people to choose what and how much food they’d like. The downside? They have to get up and get it. Perhaps not quite as elegant, we find that guests enjoy making their own plates, and we create beautiful displays that rival the common conceptions of catering buffets.
Catering Stations
Stations are the most customizable option for your guests as it allows them to create or dictate how their dish is made. They also offer more of an experience than any other service style. If creative food is the highlight of your event, this is the option we commonly recommend! The only downside when considering stations for your event is that they can take a bit longer for all of your guests to get through. Many items are cooked to order and each station contains a multitude of options (decisions take time!)
Heavy Appetizers and Grazing Stations
Lastly, heavy appetizers or grazing stations are perfect for shorter, more casual affairs. Just keep in mind the length of your event and the open-bar aspect. While this is commonly a more cost-effective option, it’s not conducive to long events where guests will be drinking throughout. In those situations, it is highly recommended a more substantial meal.
A blend of service styles is also common. pair a plated salad course with your buffet dinner or add a couple of interactive stations during cocktail hour with a plated dinner following.
There are many options and customization when it comes to creating this experience for your guests! The Biscuits & Berries team is available to help you come up with the best approach for your event. Check out their website and get in touch here.
Special thanks to Luke Woodward of Biscuits & Berries for authoring this article and providing great insight into the world of catering options for events. Biscuits & Berries Catering Co is located in Golden, CO and specializes in serving food that is of the highest quality and providing service that greatly exceeds guests’ expectations at every turn.
Being a part of the events industry has only increased our obsession with flowers! We are surrounded by gorgeous bouquets, centerpieces, and floral installations year-round. But there is something to be said about summertime in Colorado and the plethora of beautiful blooms during this season. This week we are featuring an article from local floral design company, Yarrow & Spruce, who serve the bounty of Colorado’s generous flower growing season to clientele of the west side of Denver and the mountain community. From full-service special event florals to private floral classes, Yarrow & Spruce brings the expertise, knowledge, quality, and joy to floral design!
Colorado has it all
Stunning mountain views. Dense forests of spruce and aspens. White sand dunes. Red rock canyons. Urban skylines. Blue-bird days of endless sunshine. Picturesque forests flocked in snow. With our diverse scenery and seasonable climate, it is no surprise that so many couples decide to plan their wedding in Colorado literally any day of the year. That being said, peak wedding season in the Centennial State is May through October when the temperatures are warmest and when flowers are at their peak.
Keep reading to learn more about some of Yarrow & Spruce’s favorite locally sourced summer blooms!
Peonies
An absolute crowd pleaser, these beauties do not disappoint with their endless petals, large size, and sweet fragrance. Peonies are available mid May through early July, in white, coral, shades of blush, fuschia, and burgundy. Two of our favorite varieties are Coral Charm and Claire de Lune.
Ranunculus
One of our favorite flowers at Yarrow & Spruce, ranunculus are a long lasting cut flower with velvety petals, making them a stunning addition to wedding florals! Given their hardy nature, they are a great bloom for boutonnieres and corsages, too. They are available locally mid May through early July, and come in an array of colors. Our favorite is watermelon pink!
Scabiosa
A bountiful perennial, scabiosa adds unique shape and texture to floral designs. Scabiosa is available mid July through first frost, and comes in lavender, periwinkle, light pink, and deep burgundy (almost black). Another cool thing about scabiosa is that when they go to seed, their seed pods add a boho vibe to any arrangement!
Zinnias
While traditional zinnia colors are more bold and primary, softer and more variegated varieties are being produced, and they are stunning! Pale yellow, salmon pink, apricot orange, peach, and bubble gum pink are some of our favorite colors. Zinnias are available late July through first frost.
Dahlias
Dahlias are another one of our favorites at Yarrow & Spruce (it’s impossible to pick just one)! They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and a whole spectrum of colors, making them an absolute dream to work with in floral designs. They are available mid July through the first frost.
Lisianthus
Lisianthus is an underrated flower, in part because the imported blooms aren’t great. However, locally sourced lisianthus has a delicate, trumpet shaped bloom with ruffled petals, making them a soft, feminine addition to wedding florals. They are available mid July through September in white, blush, pale peach, and an amazing roseanne “brown”.
Cosmos
With their light and airy petals, cosmos are a happy and playful addition to floral designs. In addition to the standard cosmos, double click cosmos have dense, fluffy petals. Cosmos are available early July through first frost. Flower nerd fact, chocolate cosmos actually smell like chocolate!
Anemones
Often mistaken for poppies, anemones are adored for their dark center stamens. With their round shape and intense center, they are an eye-catching focal flower in floral designs. Anemones are available mid May through late June, and come in white, blush, pale purple, fuchsia, and a deep purpley-blue.
This list could go on and on, but these blooms are some of our favorite Colorado-grown flowers!
If you aren’t located in Colorado, reach out to a local florist in your area to see what your region is growing. I bet you will be surprised by the local variety available! And if you are in Colorado, reach out to Yarrow & Spruce Floral Company to begin planning your seasonal wedding florals today!
Yarrow & Spruce is owned by Colorado native, Sheilan Hardi Mueller. Her passion for flowers began as a child when she would spend afternoons helping her dad in his garden, and making flower crowns out of dandelions. In 2018 she began working with flowers professionally, and in 2021 she opened Yarrow & Spruce Floral Company to serve the West side of Denver + mountain community. Yarrow & Spruce is proud to work with several local flower farms to not only guarantee clients receive the best flowers, but to also contribute to the community in a meaningful and sustainable way. The Yarrow & Spruce team takes great care to pick out all blooms for every design to ensure the most beautiful and unique designs for your event. We look forward to designing something beautiful for you!
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