Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Why Hire a Event & Wedding Planner


While New Dream Catering is not a Event or Wedding Planning Company we stick to what we do and that is Fresh Food and Great Service. New Dream would love to recommend some wonderful Planners to you. I will be the first to say your Caterer, DJ, Pastry Chef and etc are not trained to be your Wedding & Event Planner. If they tell you they can plan your wedding or event  for you, RUN & FAST!!!!!

Leave it to the pros
Your wedding day should be the most fantastic day of your life, yet we always hear those bride horror stories  don’t let that be you. Make your first wedding phone call to a wedding planner because as the newly engaged, it is your responsibility to relax and enjoy. Before you know it, it will all be over.

I stumbled across this article the other day and quite frankly, as much as I love to write, I don’t think I could say it any better…

A wedding can be an incredibly scary undertaking, especially when you’re not sure where to start.
Weddings are among the most beautiful, yet most stressful events we have to look forward to in our lives. So why not invite a professional to lend a hand? There are a plethora of things in our daily lives that we need help with. A wedding should be no exception.
It can be scary to put your special moment into someone else’s hands, but with a little research, I think you will agree that going it alone is a far scarier prospect.

Time
Planning a wedding takes an incredible amount of time, especially if you want it done right.Average Wedding takes 240 hours to plan,  depending on the type of wedding you are looking to have, you may find it difficult to plan it all on your own. Having a wedding planner is like having a personal assistant who is there to do all of the calling, ordering, and looking after details that you may not have time to deal with As human beings, we often fall victim to procrastination. In what can be an extremely high-stress situation, there is little room for putting things off. Many women go into the wedding planning process without knowing the first thing about time lines, and that can lead to some preventable disasters down the road. Do not waste another minute worrying about what you don’t have time to do. Get back on track by hiring a wedding planner.

Knowledge
Here’s a novel idea: Wedding planners plan weddings! Have you or your friends and family ever planned a wedding before? I’m going to venture to say the answer is no, and even if the answer is yes, I’m sure it hasn’t been many. So why are you leaving one of the most important days of your life up to amateurs?
Well-known and respected wedding planners have been doing their job successfully for quite some time, so they know where to find the best flowers, the best photographers, and the most original centrepieces. It is their job to listen to your dreams and make them a reality, so why would you settle for anything less? There is very little that a good wedding planner can’t do. Let them be the professionals they were meant to be, and give yourself a chance to enjoy the engagement.

Support
Let’s face it; men are not always the best partners when it comes to a planning wedding. They would rather let you choose the color combinations, flower arrangements, cake flavors and seating arrangements. After all, this is your wedding, not theirs. Many brides rely on mothers,
sisters and best friends to help with the details, but I say you should turn to someone who can provide the ultimate guidance and be completely honest.
Wedding planners are as much there to lend support as they are to take control. Sometimes planning a wedding can seem like an impossible task, but a wedding planner has numerous lists giving him or her instant access to the best of everything, including books full of stunning displays to bring your ideas to life. Go ahead and add another friend to your wedding entourage – after all, it’s true what they say about safety in numbers.

Affordability
Weddings can be an expensive undertaking, and while hiring a wedding planner can seem like a superfluous cost, it could save you money in the long-run. Wedding planners have valuable connections with every central name in the business, which afford them discounts and special advantages that would not be open to just anyone.
They will also work within a budget, so as long as your eyes are not bigger than your wallet, they should be able to give you everything you desire, and perhaps a little more. Also, it is not uncommon for so-called “professionals” such as photographers or deejays to take advantage of unsuspecting brides and grooms. A wedding planner will ensure that you only receive the best.

Attention to Detail
Any event has the potential to look nice, but it is the attention to detail that really gives a special occasion some life. We all know there are certain things that must be covered when planning a wedding. These include finding a dress, choosing colors, picking flowers, selecting locations for the ceremony and reception, and so on. But beyond that, how do you make your wedding memorable?
This is what wedding planners were made for. A vast portion of their job is to take the wedding of your dreams and make it better. Let them.

Friday, September 10, 2010

High End Tastes for Tight Budgets

Pan Seared Duck Crostini w/ Caramelized Balsamic Onions & Poached Cherry and Plum Reduction.
 This passed appetizer will be a sure delight at our up coming Wedding at The Tea Plantation, Hosted by Lawson Roberts of White Tuxedo Productions


As a Chef my goal is to create menus based on clients likes and dislikes. As a Chef/Owner sometimes I have to be more focused on the clients budget of the event. After all I do like to keep my lights on and my team paid. I will say for my clients, my love for being a Chef always wins over being the Owner. What can I say, I am a food guy. My passion runs wild with food not operations. I feel that is just one of the key components with New Dream the clients and food always comes first at an event, after all we are a catering company.

There are ways to get high end flavors into your menu with out spending a small fortune.

Example Picture Above: This is a good way to incorporate Duck into a menu. Its sliced thin and the Chefs are able to make many of these by using a single duck breast. By adding a poached cherry and a reduction sauce helps create bold & fresh flavors. A much more cost efficient way than serving a whole duck breast as your main course. Try using these as a passed appetizer for your cocktail hour. Like wise with photo below.

Fresh Ginger & Honey infused Tuna Tartar served in a Mini Cup