Catering

Once you have chosen your perfect Los Angeles venue and settled on your fabulous fare, it's time to choose the bar selections. With a sit-down dinner, I suggest a bottle of red, white and sparkling wine preset on each table (it's best to have one bottle per four guests on hand). If you are having a cocktail party, make sure the bar is the center of attention with one of these festive ideas:

• Martini Bar with olives, apples, and pomegranates
• Champagne Bar with fig and strawberries
• Scotch & Cognac Bar with cigars and eggnog
• Coffee Bar with chocolate and mint candy canes

If you are hiring a bar service, here are my top LA event vendor picks:
Bartender Girl
Paradise Bar and Beverage Service
Bartending Solutions

However, bar catering in Los Angeles can be expensive, so one way to save: Buy your own alcohol and mixers and hire your own bartender. Just remember to stock five glasses per guest; one bottle of alcohol per three guests; one bottle of mixer per two guests; and 1.5 pounds of ice per guest. A few cost-effective ice delivery services in LA are Union Ice, Cal Ice and Keg King.

If your holiday soiree is at a Los Angeles conference center or private residence, check back tomorrow for staff suggestions.

Cvent Planner Insider Tip: Transform your bar into a winter wonderland with an ice sculpture, ice bar, or even snow! Call one of the companies above for details.

Find more great Los Angeles event suppliers on the Cvent Supplier Network.

If you're hosting an event at a hotel, you have the upper hand in negotiations since hotels want to groups to stay inside as much as possible. Thus, if you bring a large crowd to their restaurants, feel free to inquire about special dining prices.

Arguably the most important elements of a holiday party is the feast. You will need to consider what food presentation will match the tone of your event - will it be a formal, sit-down dinner, elegant buffet, or tray-passed appetizers?

If you are choosing an LA restaurant or a banquet hall in a Los Angeles hotel, you're in luck - the caterer is already chosen for you! However, if you are throwing your festive fete at a private residence, museum or other unique LA venue, you will need a fabulous Los Angeles caterer. Of course, excellent catering in Los Angeles includes excellent staff, but most importantly the chef will guide you through your menu details according to your budget and the theme of your gathering.

Here are some amazing holiday caterers in Los Angeles:

Contemporary Catering
Gourmet Celebrations
Food Fetish

Cvent Planner Insider Tip: Don't feel like a scrooge if you can't afford catering of petit filet mignon. Choose a pasta - it's festive yet hardy and will satisfy your guests and your budget.

Serving up some liquid holiday cheer? Check back tomorrow for some festive cocktails and bar suggestions.

Find more options for catering in Los Angeles on the Cvent Supplier Network.

Suppliers and vendors all around the city of Chicago have been releasing promotions for event planners as an incentive to book their services for this year's holiday gatherings. Take a look at some of the best meeting promotions in the Chicago area for the holiday season:

Fulton Lounge

Fulton lounge is located in the West Loop. This relaxed but intimate Chicago party venue is a perfect place to host a holiday event. With space for up to 300 guests, the lounge serves as an ideal Chicago banquet hall and offers several packaged options to make the event planning process proceed with ease. This year, Fulton Lounge has a new menu crafted by OTOM Restaurant. If you book your event by November 30, you will receive 20 percent off the beverage minimum for parties of 25 or more guests!

theWit

theWit Hotel is located in the Downtown Loop. This relatively new Chicago boutique hotel has many event spaces available for private events. From their three amazing restaurants to their high definition theater, theWit is sure to please any guest. If you book a holiday party in one of this Chicago hotel's unique spaces, you will receive a $150 gift certificate to one of its three in-house Chicago restaurants.

Ditka's Steaks, Seafood & Chops

Located in the Gold Coast neighborhood of Chicago, this traditional steakhouse is one of Chicago's prime restaurants. Named after Mike Ditka, former coach of the NFL Chicago Bears, this Chicago banquet facility is filled with Chicago sports memorabilia to give it a local touch. When booking with Ditka's, you will receive 10 percent off your food or beverage package of your choice, an autographed Mike Ditka football, as well as entry into their holiday raffle, which includes a chance to win prizes ranging a winery trip for two to a dinner for six prepared by the restaurant's executive chef in your home!

Spiaggia

Spiaggia is located at the end of the Magnificent Mile in downtown Chicago. This highly-rated Italian restaurant offers space overlooking Lake Michigan. The fact that it will be celebrating its 25th anniversary over this holiday season makes it an even more special option for your Chicago events. If you book an event in one of their private dining rooms, Spiaggia will over 25 percent off selected menus.

eBay is a go-to resource for just about everything under the sun: electronics, clothing, cars, jewelry, events? Yes, you can even find this year's holiday party on the auction site, as various UK firms have listed Christmas parties for sale.

Consider The Ultimate Christmas Party, to be held Friday, December 18, for up to 100 people. Starting at £4,000, it includes a three-course dinner, accommodation, and party games and dancing to DJ "Gayzer."

Or, book a Stunning Christmas Party on The Thames, starting at £3,500. The historic Havengore vessel will ferry up to 40 of your event guests along the river for an unforgettable nighttime cruise of dinner and unlimited wine and beer.

Impulse Events is featuring its venue on five separate dates for a starting bid of £5,875. Canapes provided by Mint Catering, unlimited beer, wine and soft drinks, professional security, an on-site event manager and beautiful decor are among the benefits of this all-in-one package.



So far, no bids have been placed on these pre-packaged holiday events. What do you think: would you buy a pre-made event on eBay?

 The Walters Art Museum is a hidden gem among private event venues in Baltimore. Imagine holding your small business meeting, banquet or cocktail reception among amazing works of art and paintings. Current exhibitions on display include Mummified and Art of the Ancient Americas.

In 2008, when The Expo Group was looking for a venue in Baltimore to host their Show Manager of The Years Award ceremony, they decided that the Walters fit their needs perfectly and had their dinner among the statues in the original Charles Street building. The Walters can accommodate up to 500 attendees for a reception.

In addition to banquets and meetings, the Walters is one of the most coveted wedding venues in Baltimore. Many a wedding reception has been held within the Walters’ Sculpture Courtyard.  Having handled so many weddings, the staff at the Walters can assist with the many details of organizing the reception and can recommend several caterers in Baltimore. The Peabody Court Hotel is located across the street from the museum and is one of the few boutique hotels in Baltimore.

View more information about the Walters Art Museum and other downtown Baltimore venues on the Cvent Supplier Network

Establishing the proper LA venue is key in planning the perfect gathering. Whether it's at an elegant LA restaurant, opulent Los Angeles banquet hall or intimate private residence, the locale will set the tone and influence every detail of your holiday party.

These are a few of my favorite things this holiday season:

• Elegant Los Angeles restaurant venues:
Il Cielo
Locanda Veneta
Il Giorgio

• Opulent Los Angeles banquet rooms:
Maggiano's
Beau Rivage
Sportsmen's Lodge

• Other festive Los Angeles party venues:
Petersen Automotive Museum
Pasadena Museum of History
Pali House Lobby

Cvent Planner Insider Tip: Remember to consider how formal you want your event to be as well as how much leg work you have time to contribute when choosing your perfect Los Angeles banquet facility. Keep in mind your budget will dictate your choice as well. Restaurants can be really convenient as they cut out catering, clean up and party rentals.

Booking a venue other than a restaurant? Check back tomorrow for catering details including menu options and bar suggestions.

Find more festive holiday venues on the Cvent Supplier Network.

If you talk to anyone in Las Vegas about sandwich shops, Capriotti’s will always come up in the conversation. Did you know that they also offer Las Vegas catering?

There are about 20 Capriotti's locations in the Las Vegas Valley, my location of choice being in Southern Highlands. The sandwich selection includes vegetarian "meat" sandwiches and a selection of hot and cold subs.  

My personal favorite is the "Bobbie."  It has been described as "the day after Thanksgiving special," and I give thanks every time I eat one! Complete with turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing and mayo, all on a tasty fresh baked roll.  Oh, it is so yummy.  

A lunch catered by Capriotti’s will not disappoint. I have used them for Las Vegas corporate meetings, sports events and personal gatherings.  Their family atmosphere and friendly customer service are a joy to work with for any Vegas event. The Southern Highlands location also has a selection of Nothing Bundt mini cakes, which are a perfect complement to the perfect sandwich.

Are you in the midst of planning a holiday party and have yet to find the perfect venue? Or perhaps you've been tasked with the planning for the first time and have no idea where to begin? Don't worry!

Here are five lesser-known, yet totally great, Dallas event venues that will knock everyone's socks off! Most of these unique Dallas venues have a list of preferred vendors from which to choose Dallas catering, entertainment, etc. If not, they'll still gladly make recommendations to help get the ornament ball rolling.

The Apartment

This ultra-hip, modern space located on Dallas' famous Oak Lawn Avenue features suede banquettes, Venetian mirrors, and a 26-foot bar that can be glammed up or pared down for up to 250 people. Not-for-profit organizations are automatically given a 15 percent discount on pricing!

threethreethreefirstavenue

Located in the heart of downtown Dallas, this multi-story venue boasts historical beauty mixed with contemporary cool. The 4,500-square-foot space features gorgeous original hardwood floors, exposed rafters with 12-foot ceilings, full-service restrooms and a service elevator.

Space Studios

Smack in the middle of Dallas' trendy Deep Ellum neighborhood, Space offers a unique, open flow that works with any design set-up or theme. The Dallas venue requires a three-hour minimum, but has no restrictions on catering.

Off the Grid

Formerly the Power & Light Substation for Dallas, this remodeled three-story building offers a hip industrial vibe that's perfect for companies with younger employees. With nearly 6,500 square feet of Dallas meeting space and a large outdoor patio,  Off the Grid promises an electrifying time to be enjoyed by all.

Bolt Space

Commercial photo shoot space by day, hip event venue by night. Bolt offers 10,000 square feet—divisible into three different studios—of flexible space just minutes from downtown Dallas. Bolt is currently running a meeting promotion on equipment rental based on studio rental.

To find more Dallas banquet halls and spaces for your events, visit the Cvent Supplier Network.

On Thursday evening, Chicago Illuminating Company saw a great crowd for the debut of Jaguar's new 2010 XJ model. With the help of some professional Chicago event vendors, Jaguar put on a spectacular event!
 
Chicago Illuminating Company, located south of the Loop by McCormick Place, was an easy choice of venue for this event. Jaguar reps stated that they had done past events in country clubs and convention centers, but this time they wanted a venue to match the new product, one with a modern, clean space.

This two-story former power plant/warehouse is about 10,000 square feet. Unique features include modern architectural highlights, tile mosaic detailing, steal beams, polished wood floors and high ceilings. This contemporary loft-like setting screams "sophisticated with style." Jaguar professionals used the venue's large side door and ramp to load in display vehicles, which were placed in the center of the function space.

Food for Thought catered the event. The menu was broken out into various stations including a sushi bar, where a chef prepared California, spicy tuna and shiitake mushroom rolls. There was also a doughnut station where guests could top freshly baked donuts with a various arrangement of toppings. Other delights that were passed around included mugs of roasted tomato soup with Vermont cheddar sandwiches and mini caramel apples with crushed pistachios.

Flowers and rentals were done by Kehoe Designs, another well-known decor company in Chicago. Kehoe provided smooth lounge setups, tables topped with illuminated candles and flower arrangements of beautiful full roses.

With Jaguar's "design your own Jaguar" computer stations, the viewing of a brand-new design of vehicle, and tasty delights prepared by Chicago cooking professionals, guests to this Chicago event were guaranteed a good time!

To find out more about the Chicago caterers, venues and more, visit the Cvent Supplier Network.

For your next destination event in Atlanta, remember that, although you may not know the city, you can order supplies online and have them shipped to your location. The city can be difficult to navigate through, so starting your supplier search online is a great idea for event planners unfamiliar with the area and local event suppliers.

These resources can help keep your headaches away and promote smooth transitions from event to event. Remember your time is money, so why not use available resources to assist in the event planning process?

• Smartyhadaparty.com has a wonderful idea for planners who need disposable and reusable items for a deal. Want the quality of silverware at the price of plastic, the appeal of cotton chair covers at the cost of paper, or even the appeal of glassware without the washing time? Then check out this company's website. The quality is exceptional and allows you to save your event budget for more important areas such as food and drinks.

• Want to get your items and be on your way? Check out Shindigz.com. They offer theme boxes in which you pay one set price and your party comes to you. The theme boxes include backdrops, props and other decorations depending on what your event theme may be.

• The Cvent Supplier Network features tens of thousands of event venues and suppliers, including over 200 in the metropolitan area of Atlanta. Find local and national providers of Atlanta catering services, audio-visual technology, floral decorations and more.

Many meeting planners prefer to see the items before coordinating their next event, however time is not always on our sides. The Internet has become a  wonderful resource to have in your event planning toolbox, so why not make the most of it?

Enlighten your soul and heighten your senses at the Inn of the Seventh Ray. This magical Los Angeles restaurant and mountain retreat is as pure as the babbling brook running through it.

Creating harmony with nature and your body is the main inspiration behind the popular LA venue. Only locally grown organic fare—free of hormones, antibiotics, preservatives, bleached flour, and refined sugars—grace the tables of this Los Angeles wedding venue, which was voted one of the most romantic restaurants in LA. All natural, ultra fresh food prepared daily with minimal dairy is a rarity, even for California.

Transform your palate with the mystical power of the Seventh Ray. Its serene setting is available for Los Angeles weddings, brunches, lunches and more of 50 to 100 guests.

Cvent Planner Insider Tip: Become a violet ray of light: Book the Inn of the Seventh Ray and your clients will jump for joy over one of the only vegan caterers in Los Angeles.

View more information about Inn of the Seventh Ray on the Cvent Supplier Network

Nestled in the canyon of the Santa Monica Mountains near Malibu is the rustic yet decadent oasis of Saddle Peak Lodge, the gold medal winner of romantic wedding venues in Los Angeles.

A breathtaking countryside landscape frames this picturesque lodge, making it the perfect setting for a fairytale Los Angeles wedding reception. From a cascading waterfall and lush patio to the intimate library and den, this LA venue is a Los Angeles wedding planner's dream.

Deemed the only 6-star restaurant in LA, this hidden gem is a best kept secret of Hollywood's elite. However, the cat's out of the bag the moment you pull into the parking lot next to the Rolls Royce and Maybach. But don't be intimidated—the service is impeccable and the staff is as familiar as your local neighborhood haunt.

Everything's game on this eclectic menu, literally, as venison, bison, elk, beef, quail and lamb all find a place on the menu. Exercise your palate by including an out-of-this world wine flight guided by your personal sommelier.

Cvent Planner Insider Tip: LA can be a fickle town and Los Angeles event planning can be tricky. However, having a unique wedding in Los Angeles is do-able with a dreamy Los Angeles special event facility like Saddle Peak Lodge, coupled with the fact that it is considered one of the best caterers in Los Angeles.

View more information about Saddle Peak Lodge on the Cvent Supplier Network

Looking for a unique venue in Baltimore to hold an after-hours reception or wedding? The Maryland Historical Society, centrally located in the Mount Vernon section of Baltimore, is well worth checking out!

Easily accessible from hotels in downtown Baltimore, via the Light Rail System, the Maryland Historical Society has four different venues that can accommodate between 40 and 400 guests for a seated function or between 100 and 500 guests for a reception. Docent-led tours of the museum galleries are available for an additional charge and are highly recommended. Among the current exhibitions, guests can have the opportunity to see an original hand-written copy of the Star Spangled Banner on display, a giant version of Nipper (the RCA Victor dog), and one of the finest collections of silverware in the country.

The Meyerhoff Courtyard or the Monument Street Garden would also make a wonderful place to hold a wedding in Baltimore. The MHS has a list of exclusive caterers and approved vendors with which they work.

The MHS is within easy walking distance of several Baltimore hotels such as the Mount Vernon Hotel, Peabody Court and the Inn at 4 East Madison. The Maryland Historical Society is a great option for holding your next event in Baltimore. If you have an interest in history, this is a great venue!

View more information about Maryland Historical Society on the Cvent Supplier Network

Home to popular art and cultural events, a well respected branch of the University of Texas school system, and several large IT and Telecom firms, Richardson is a quaint, yet urban, North Dallas community. Located about 20 minutes north of downtown and perfectly situated in the center of it all is the Hyatt Regency North Dallas, a massive red brick structure with a distinctly pointed roof.

This large, luxury Dallas hotel has recently undergone a multimillion dollar renovation and now boasts 15,000 square feet of sophisticated Dallas meeting space. So whether you're looking for full-scale Dallas conference facilities or have large meetings requiring several breakouts, the Hyatt Regency North Dallas offers a multitude of options to suit your needs.

The hotel itself is gorgeous. Upon entering, guests are greeted by an elegant foyer lined with four-story windows and adorned with rich drapery. There are 342 remodeled guest rooms complete with high-speed wireless Internet, flat panel televisions with digital video-on-demand and cable services, huge work desks with comfortable chairs, and an iHome alarm clock perfect for iPods. As with any full-service luxury hotel, guests are met with all the amenities one would expect, such as in-room dining, laundry and dry cleaning services, turndown, and a multilingual staff.

Moving on to the meetings side, Dallas event planners won't be disappointed. There is an incredible 7,800-square-foot ballroom that can be broken into seven different sections, as well as a 2,700-square-foot junior ballroom that is divisible into four areas. In addition, there are six extra breakout rooms, 4,000 square feet of prefunction space, and two "lounge" areas to consider as well. The icing on the cake: The Hyatt Regency offers complimentary parking and shuttle service within a five-mile radius of the hotel.

With delicious catering options from their in-house, full-service restaurant, experienced sales and event managers, and on-site audio-visual techs ready to handle any request, there's no excuse not to consider the Hyatt Regency North Dallas as an excellent, and economical, option for hard-to-please clients while in Dallas.

View more information about Hyatt Regency North Dallas on the Cvent Supplier Network

Atlanta is known for its lush landscape, rolling hills and red clay, and the city is trying to preserve this environment one establishment at a time. Many Atlanta caterers, restaurants and even hotels are doing their part to extend Earth's time clock in little ways. You, too, can make a difference the next time you host an event in Atlanta.

The Crown Plaza Atlanta Perimeter at Ravinia was recently reported to be the first hotel in Georgia to be certified by Green Globe Recognizing Sustainable Practices. What are these sustainable practices? They include the hotel's extensive recycling and waste program, low flow shower heads promoting water conservation, and the donation of hotel linen and furniture to local charities following recent renovations. Feel free to host your next green meeting in this Atlanta hotel's 32,000 square feet of meeting space.

Doubletree Hotel Atlanta Buckhead welcomes guests with its Green & Sustainable Initiatives, designed to address the hotel waste issues. Currently the hotel allows visitors to recycle by placing both trash and recycle bins in every room. If you ever wondered what happened to the other half of that chicken sandwich you couldn't finish, rest assured that the kitchen's garden is layered with a compost mixture of food waste.
 
Events at the Doubletree can take advantage of the the Peachtree Ballroom, seating 300 guests, which is complete with energy efficient compact fluorescent lighting.

For more information about these and other green hotels in Atlanta, visit the Cvent Supplier Network.

Chicago is known as the city to accommodate most large meetings and events for associations and corporations. In fact, the meetings industry brings thousands of guests to Chicago for annual events and product launches every year. With McCormick Place listed as the nation's top facility for meetings and conventions, Chicago has built the resources to accommodate these groups with some of the best brands of hotels in the world.

These large hotels are now not only housing guests who attend these meetings, but also hosting them in their own top-notch Chicago meeting facilities. Check out some of the premier hotels in Chicago that have meeting space to welcome thousands of convention guests:

Hyatt Regency Chicago

In addition to being the on-site hotel brand stationed at Chicago's convention center, Hyatt Regency is no stranger to large meetings of its own. With 228,000 square feet of contemporary and flexible function space, Hyatt is equipped much like any other large convention center. The Hyatt is home to four ballrooms, 63 meeting rooms and 70,000 square feet of exhibition space.

This Chicago hotel's impeccable service is monitored by a Meeting Concierge. This friendly aide is by your side from start to finish, ensuring that everything runs flawlessly.

Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers

The Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers has over 120,000 square feet of meeting space. This property can host up to 4,600 people for an event or conference. With four above-ground levels of meeting space, 34 breakout meeting rooms, and a 40,000-square-foot ballroom—standing as the largest hotel ballroom in the Midwest—the Sheraton Chicago has all of the amenities to host large groups.

Situated  the heart of downtown Chicago, the Sheraton is near the city's most popular attractions, making it easy for guests to venture out and explore the city. From their 35,000 square feet of exhibition space to their convention registration area, the Sheraton Chicago is sure to cater to your every need!

To find out more about Chicago convention hotels, please visit the Cvent Supplier Network.

Guests at a wedding rarely remember the flower girl's excellent petal throwing skills or the best man's drunken toast about the first time he met the bride. Often times it's the wedding cake that is the headliner, focal point and, for some, wedding the favor of choice. A wedding can do without many things, but not without the cake.

Around the world, the wedding cake comes in a variety of shapes, sizes and styles. In Britain, where they lay claim to the wedding cake, these celebratory desserts are ornate pieces of art. In France, guests enjoy croquembouche, an ice cream cone-shaped tower of profiteroles covered in caramel or toffee.

In the Caribbean, black rum cake is a two-for-one special: the cake's fruit are soaked in rum for weeks on end, giving it a dark brown color that guarantees your guests will go home happy. In Atlanta however, the red velvet cake is king, often with walnuts sprinkled between layers to give it a crunchy, sweet taste.

Rafeedie's Catering is one of the premier caterers in Atlanta. Providing catering services to weddings and other special occasions for almost 25 years, Rafeedie's international culinary team can create menus to a wide array of tastes. As for wedding cakes, Rafeedie's is at the top of the list. With flavors ranging from amaretto to raspberry filled to orange almond, you'll be sure that your wedding is memorable for all the right reasons.

To find more Atlanta caterers, visit the Cvent Supplier Network.

Sheraton has been in the midst of a multibillion dollar global revitalization effort, renovating almost half of its North American profile. One of the newest on the scene is the Sheraton Dallas.

Following a $90 million transformation, the downtown Dallas hotel boasts 1,840 redesigned guest rooms and over 230,000 square feet of flexible meeting rooms and banquet spaces—some of the largest in the state of Texas. Whether in the 40,800-square-foot Lone Star Ballroom or 750-square-foot Executive Boardroom, Dallas events at the hotel enjoy expert in-house catering, audio-visual, floral and convention service departments.

Outside the boardroom, the Sheraton Dallas' new dining options, The Kitchen Table restaurant and Draft Media Sports Lounge, provide a place to kick back with a drink or dinner. The new lobby, complete with complimentary work stations and flat-screen televisions, is also a chic spot to rest after a day of work.

Located in the Arts and Financial District, the Sheraton Dallas hotel is extremely convenient for out-of-town meeting guests. The hotel itself is a stop on Dallas' light rail system and connected to the shopping complex Plaza of the Americas. Booking these Dallas accommodations also places attendees just minutes from the Dallas Convention Center, American Airlines Center and historic 6th Floor Museum.

View more information about Sheraton Dallas on the Cvent Supplier Network

In today's economy, it's helpful to get an idea of what an event is going to cost you before you start the long and arduous task of making it happen. To help, the event coordinators at Reveal (my staffing and events company in Orlando) have a pricing rubric to put together before we even start an event.

This rubric works anywhere and for any event, from corporate functions to social parties, to get a general idea of budget on the low, middle, and high ends. Keep in mind that Orlando has so much to offer to make any event happen, but setting your event budget is one of the first things to be done during the planning process.

Write out the six basic elements of your event in individual squares. Then list three preferred Orlando event suppliers, or the elements that you want, from least expensive to most expensive.

For example, here are two of the category listings one of our event coordinators put together in the early planning stages for a recent Wake-board DVD release party in downtown Orlando.

Downtown Orlando Venue
1. Latitudes on Church St.
2. Rooftop Waverley Condo
3. Lake Eola Amphitheatre

Food
1. Bubbalous  Bar B Q
2. Wildside Bar B Q 
3. Puff-N-Stuff Catering   

Laying out these options makes the choices much easier when it comes to sticking to your event budget. You can select the most important areas in which you want to really invest, then opt for the less expensive options for the remaining categories. Plus, laying out the pricing allows you to see where what competition is out there, making it easier to negotiate a great deal when you send these suppliers your Request for Proposal!