Boho B’not  Mitzvah

Boho B’not Mitzvah

This boho-chic B’not Mitzvah for twin sisters Aliza and Evelyn boasted trendy terracotta tones, rattan lanterns, and festive balloon installations. We love watching our space transform to fit the unique style and personality of our clients. The Great Hall popped with texture and creativity thanks to the incredibly talented vendors! Keep scrolling to check out these amazing photos from A + E’s special night.

Our team and vendor partners make a variety of events possible at The Cable Center. From social to corporate events, and holiday parties to weddings, we have you covered. Reach out to our events team, we’d love to chat!

Vendors

Floral Design: Plum Sage Flowers

Balloons: Party Poppers

Catering : Work & Class and In ’n Out Burger Truck

Beverage Service: Peak Beverage

5 Tips for Planning an Excellent Catered Event

5 Tips for Planning an Excellent Catered Event

Whether you are planning a social celebration or a corporate gathering, there are many factors to consider to ensure the success of your event. One of the most important (and memorable) aspects of an event are the catering logistics, which includes food preparation, service, and — of course — style. Serving and enjoying great food is crucial to your guests’ experience, and figuring out where to start can quickly become overwhelming.

From determining an ideal venue layout to selecting the perfect menu, here are 5 helpful planning tips to ensure an excellent catered event.

1. Hire a Dependable Caterer and Event Staff

This first one may seem obvious, but we can’t stress enough how important it is to hire a vetted, reputable catering service with experienced event staff that knows the ins and outs of your venue. At The Cable Center, we work with many Preferred Vendor Partners that are top-notch professionals in the industry. They execute exceptional catering and beverage services for a wide array of clientele and event types. Be sure to ask your venue and/or planner to offer their list of preferred vendors — their experience and relationship with your venue, as well as their familiarity with the space, will make all the difference.

2. Consider Venue Layout when Choosing a Catering Style

There are many catering and service styles to choose from, including buffet style, grazing stations/heavy appetizers, plated service, family style, and even chef catered stations. When deciding which style fits your event’s needs, think about the venue’s space and what it lends itself to. For example, The Cable Center offers a large ballroom area that works expertly with a seated service because there is room for many tables and a large number of people. Guests can comfortably stay seated and have their meal brought directly to them. Or, there is also room for buffet stations, which offer guests the opportunity to serve themselves and file through various stations in an efficient manner. Additionally, think about how different areas at your venue can accommodate a cocktail reception and/or appetizer stations. Allowing guests to mingle and snack before flowing into another space for dinner service can be both elegant and fun!

3. Plan a Service Style that Fits Your Timeline

“Timing is everything.” This is especially true when determining the menu and meal service for a catered event. It’s important to choose the type of meal and menu options that best suit the allotted time your guests have for the meal or event. Catered buffet meals usually are completed in about 1 hour and allow guests to pick and choose the food items that they will enjoy.  When planning a sit-down or plated meal during your event, allow at least 1 ½ to 2 hours for full meal service. Cocktail receptions require a minimum of 1 hour before dinner to allow guests to socialize and enjoy light fare and beverages. Corporate working breakfasts or lunches require food menu items that can hold up for longer periods of time without ruining the integrity of the food.

4. Ensure Your Catering Service can Accommodate Guest Count

After coordinating the appropriate room layout and planning out your catering timeline and service style, it is crucial that your vision accommodates your guest count. For smaller events, consider options where guests are given a plated service because it requires less staff to make their rounds. For larger events, buffet stations are a great option because several stations can be set up at once and guests can move through the buffet efficiently. Check out our blog post, Choosing the Best Service Style , for more ideas and inspiration. The sky’s the limit!

5. Be Creative, Think Seasonal, and Let Presentation Speak for Itself!

This is your opportunity to choose cuisine and foods that connect to your personal taste and style! Don’t be afraid to get creative, ask the chef for suggestions, and think outside the box. Take into consideration the food items that are available during the season at hand and plan menus and dishes using fresh, local ingredients. Finally, presentation is everything. When food is beautifully presented, your guests will be dying to try it! Crisp and clean linens, dazzling cutlery, glittering glassware, and show-stopping décor all come together to make your catered event delectable.

Biscuits & Berries: Choosing the Right Service Style

Biscuits & Berries: Choosing the Right Service Style

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.

Follow them on Instagram: @biscuitsandberries

Yarrow & Spruce: Summer Blooms in Colorado

Yarrow & Spruce: Summer Blooms in Colorado

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!

Follow them on Instagram: @YarrowandSpruce

Magical Mitzvahs at The Cable Center

Magical Mitzvahs at The Cable Center

We recently hosted a Mitzvah-inspired styled shoot in our Daniels Great Hall and the fresh, youthful vibe was such a fun throwback to experience in our space! Here’s a look at some inspiration from our photoshoot as well as a Mitzvah we hosted last year.

Butterfly Beauty

Butterflies are back! Once a fashion trend of the 2000s (remember butterfly clips?), butterflies are a cute way to add youthful whimsy to your event. The centerpieces flutter with delight and the sparkling glassware adds a bit of elegance to this flirty scape.

Cool and Classy

Pops of red coupled with disco ball and crystal glam really pump up the party vibe with these cool and classy tablescapes, Not to mention, the chic seating area offers an inviting space to relax and soak up all the excitement of the night.

Neon Glow

This Mitzvah we hosted last year really packed a punch with the eye-catching neon glow theme. We loved our client’s use of fun, vibrant colors and custom lighting design to achieve their desired look.

Special thanks to all of the vendors involved in the styled shoot:
Caitlin Hamilton Photography
Elite Entertainment 
By Design Collective
Event Rents
JA Special Events
Melissa Clarke Design