We offer three styles of catering for wedding receptions:
Stations, Buffets, or Plated

Stations

Stations or islands are individual mini buffets, each with it's own personality. Round or serpentine tables work best for this style of reception. Perfectly arranged cascades, overflowing appetizers, and elegant entrees create an eye catching masterpiece. We position the tables far enough apart so guests can walk around the entire table with plenty of room in-between.

Clients are more likely to request the stations presentation over a seated plated dinner. Reasons:

Our most popular stations:

Meat Carving - Rounds of beef, honey ham, and roasted turkey are professionally carved.

Elegant Entrees - Broiled Pacific salmon, grilled sirloin strip, apple almond chicken, just to name a few.

Seafood - Mounds of iced shrimp, colorfully displayed with lemon and lime wedges. Variety of sauces are offered garnished with fresh herbs.

Cascades - A bright and abundant display of fresh fruit, cheese, and vegetables cascading from various baskets and levels.

Pasta Bar - Such as angel hair, cavatappi, penne, bow-tie. Sauces are marinara, marinara with meat, Pesto, and white clam sauce.

Mashed Potato Bar - Hot, fluffy mashed potatoes served in cocktail glasses create a unique elegant presentation for a comforting favorite food. Various toppings add to the fun! For instance: herbed butter, sour cream, real bacon crumbles, chives, and pine nuts.

Appetizers - Favorites include: coconut shrimp, seafood souffle, sausage cassoulet, stuffed mushrooms with crab, baked brie, Parmesan artichoke, chicken salad cream puffs, salmon cakes.

Sweet Treats - Colorful fruit tarts, strawberries dipped in white and dark chocolate, flaky butterhorns, chocolate mousse in a champagne glass topped with whipped cream.

Finger Sandwiches - herbed biscuits with honey ham and mesquite turkey, served hot or cold. Mini croissants or cream puffs with almond chicken salad. Yeast rolls served with thinly sliced beef tenderloin.

Buffets

Buffets work best for a diverse guest list, from the elderly to teenagers and children. The couple can select a menu that will be tempting to each of these groups. Well chosen, good tasting entrees and salads are smart selections. We often hear comments from guests who have been to other wedding receptions, where they enjoyed the food but their children would not eat anything they did not recognize. Our experience proves that guests want food on a buffet they are familiar with and a taste they associate with homestyle.

We estimate one full size chafer pan of an entree or side dish will feed 25 guests. Keep the selections for a buffet elegant, yet simple. Avoid foods that will be hard for your guests to handle, or be runny on the plate. Temperatures must remain steady on the buffet. Hot foods served piping hot, cold foods chilled.

We feel the secret to a beautifully presented buffet is to keep the food full and overflowing for each guest. To achieve this, we frequently exchange chafer pans before the last serving so that guests don't arrive to an entree or side item that looks picked over. Desserts can be place at the end of the buffet, or for larger receptions, at a separate table or island.

After the last guests are served, we place the chafer lids at an angle across the stand. This notifies guests that seconds are welcome. We will leave the buffet open for an additional thirty minutes. During this time period, our employees will clear plates and utensils off of tables that are finished. Then, we will clear the buffet, wipe off crumbs, and send the bulk of our employees back to unload at our kitchen. Bartenders, and other support staff will remain until agreed upon time.

Our recommendation is that the bride and groom should be the only guests who do not go thru the buffet line. Instead, we will present the couple with a plate of food when it is appropriate. The couple should decide ahead of time if they will eat a full meal or a quick bite. Sometimes the newlyweds are nervous and want to avoid eating until later. We always inform a couple beforehand that a basket of goodies will be placed in their car at the end of the reception. This is a terrific way for the hungry couple to relax and enjoy a late night snack.

Plated Meals

This style of reception is full service from wait staff to place settings. Often, the guests are older and few children will attend. Sophisticated entrees such as roast duck, broiled salmon, cornish hen and brandied veal are appropriate. Offering an alternative entree is a wise decision. A check box can be included with the invitation with the two entree selections. This way, an exact count can be ascertained thirty days in advance.

The amount of food to be prepared is calculated by the number of guest plus 15%. This calculation will allow for unexpected guests who failed to respond or guests that will bring an unexpected date. At a plated meal, it is rare that a guest will ask for a second entree.

Assigned place cards at each table should be set above the plate. We schedule one wait person to no more than three tables. Separate bussers, wine servers, and coffee servers are assigned 3 to 1 as well. The bridal couple is the focus. Once they are seated at the head table, an invocation will commence the start of the meal. We serve the head table first, followed by the immediate relatives, progressing back towards the kitchen.

We will place a small salad with dressing, rolls, butter, tea, and water at each table fifteen to twenty minutes before the event starts. If a seat remains unoccupied, we clear the setting. Each table will be presented with the plated meal at once. If a guest is slow to finish the salad, the entire table needs to wait to be served.

As each table finishes the meal, we clear the tables in the order they were presented with the food, starting with the head table first. If dessert is to follow, we will wait to serve until all guests at the table have completed their meal. Wine is offered with the meal, coffee is offered with dessert.

Designing & Pricing A Menu

We will customize a menu based on your preferences and budget. We can do this over the phone or in person--whatever is most convenient to you! Prices are based on the number of selections you choose and the number of guests. A good starting estimate is $2.00 to $ 5.00 (shrimp and beef tenderloin) per person per appetizer selection. Estimate a minimum of $15.00 per person for a buffet and $25.00 per person for plated. Labor is an additional charge.

Contract

Once the reception style and menu has been finalized, we will sign a contract. Listed in detail are the responsibilities of each party. The final cost should be a close estimation with the exact number figured at the conclusion of the reception. We will collect a deposit totaling 30% of the estimated cost.

We give every couple a copy of the contract and a copy of our wedding tips that we feel are helpful. We also ask each couple to take an extra copy of the wedding tips for each set of parents. This incorporates the parents into the planning process from the start and gives them an opportunity to attune to the general flow of the wedding reception. You don't want any surprised expressions the day of the wedding!
Please click here to read our frequently asked questions.

Beverages are paid for by guests attending the function.  A service charge for bartenders and 6% Kentucky sales tax will be added to the price of each drink. 

Fax # 455-8436

bluegrasscater@aol.com