Category: Celebrations

This edition of our on-going series addresses choosing the right venue and highlights the most popular food trends for this once-in-a-lifetime gala.

The Essential First Step Is Forging A New Relationship
There are many steps you can take to make your event run more smoothly, like sticking to the timetable for turning in your headcount and knowing what decisions should be made well in advance—and making them. But to happily get from your starting point A to the event point B, one of the best things you can do is choose a venue with experienced professionals. “We are here to guide clients through the planning process and make it a pleasurable experience,” says Kellie Brielmaier, Director of Facility Sales at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. “Once someone has chosen the Center as their event venue, we detail all aspects of the event happening here, including creating a timeline, coordinating setup with all of your vendors and working with the caterer to make sure the event comes together seamlessly. We also provide an onsite facilitator for the duration of the event to ensure that everything goes according to plan.”
It might sound funny at first, but you want a warm and fuzzy feeling with your contacts at the venue you’ll use. “The outcome of any event can often be determined by the rapport that develops between the catering sales manager and the host of the event. If communication occurs easily and often, then the planning will progress naturally and the event unfolds without confusion or chaos,” says Thomas Petruzziello, General Manager of Greenacres Country Club in Lawrenceville, NJ. “Families should take notice of how quickly the sales manager responds to their initial email or voicemail inquiries. The response, both the timing and the tone, is a good indication of what can be expected throughout the entire process.”
If you’ll be bringing in your own kosher caterer, make sure to establish a relationship between the caterer and the venue if there isn’t one already. Says Steve Hellinger of Barclay Caterers, “We can go almost anywhere—country club, historical site, hotel, Citizens Bank Park—most venues are open to bringing in a kosher caterer.”

Decisions, Decisions: How The Venue Can Help
“The host will usually have an idea of the traditions and formalities they wish to be included in the celebration,” says Marielle Wolf, Banquet Director at Lambertville Station in Lambertville, NJ. “We like to cater to those needs and form a timeline of events to produce a comprehensive celebration, tailored to their needs. Decisions prior to the event will include color scheme, cake design and flavor, head count, floor plan, favors, timing for deliveries, special dietary requests (our chef has experience with any dietary needs and allergy related concerns, and these situations are easily handled with prior notice) and, of course, planning the main menu.  The main focus is to see that all guests and the host have an enjoyable time.”
The more you can communicate the better. “Every detail and request of the host is documented by the catering sales manager and then reviewed by our executive chef, general manager, bar manager and floor managers,” explains Thomas. “Any ambiguity discovered is resolved well in advance of the event date.”

Choose A Venue That Expects The Unexpected
Undoubtedly you’re going to have unforeseen situations that might spell catastrophe to you—your cousin Arnie arrives with a “plus two” instead of his rsvp’d plus one or your aunt Joan tells you she decided to stop eating meat last week—but all the experts we talked to take these things in stride. “Communicating any special need or concern to your venue as early as possible will help eliminate last minute emergencies. That said, we know that last minute changes are always going to happen and we’re here to help clients make those adjustments,” says Kellie. Adds Thomas, “Because we host an average of two bar/bat mitzvahs each month, it is rare that we are ever caught off guard or faced with a challenge that could be considered catastrophic.”
“Unexpected events can and will occur at any time,” says Marielle. “Our facility is prepared for late deliveries, unexpected weather conditions, transportation issues and last minute guests. As professionals, our ultimate goal is to see that the event flows in such a way that the host and guests never have to be concerned about the details.”

Find A Venue That Mirrors Your Vision
An important consideration in picking a venue is whether it will work with the time of day you want. Realize that certain times can actually help you with your budget. “Bar/bat mitzvahs on Saturday evenings assure the host that theirs will be the only event taking place at our club. Often, events scheduled during the day coincide with one or more of our clubs activities,” says Greenacres’s Thomas Petruzziello. However, he quickly adds, “Afternoon events are often priced lower than evening affairs and the consumption of alcohol is inevitably lessened.”
“Our main event spaces are only available after 6pm due to museum hours,” says the National Constitution Center’s Kellie Brielmaier. “We are, however, very used to working within the hours of the museum and whether the event is very simple or elaborate, we do what it takes to get our client’s event set up on time.”
The timing will also reflect the level of formality you want. “Saturday afternoon works well for this age group,” says Lambertville Station’s Marielle Wolf. “An afternoon will give a less formal feel.” Also, choose the time that will maximize your venue. For instance, the view of the river at Lambertville Station is particularly beautiful during the afternoon. The National Constitution Center is in the heart of historic Philadelphia and if you want a dramatic cityscape for your backdrop, the views of Independence Mall from the Grand Hall Overlook are breathtaking.
Most of your attention will be on creating a wonderful experience for your daughter or son, but consider certain needs of your guests. For those concerned about city parking, the National Constitution Center has 150 spaces for onsite parking, available at a discounted rate, as well as partnerships with nearby garages. Lambertville Station is an all-inclusive facility.  The Riverside Ballroom, located on the banks of the Delaware River, is housed in the Inn at Lambertville Station, a 45-room hotel. “A block of rooms with a river view can be included in your package for out of town guests,” says Marielle.

Get Budget Help As You Plan
The best venues and caterers will help you watch costs that can easily escape your notice. “We recently purchased 500 mahogany wood chiavari chairs for the building, which we can offer to clients at a discounted rate compared to third party rental companies,” says Kellie. “We have also collaborated with our preferred lighting and A/V vendor, Advanced Staging, to put together lighting packages that can really enhance the look of the space. Other than linens and centerpieces, lighting is the only other décor element we regularly recommend and the spaces take to it beautifully.”
Décor, rather than food, can cause costs to escalate rapidly, says Barclay Caterers’ Steven Hellinger. Consider that a lavish centerpiece can run $300 or more. While adding food extras like a veal chop entrée, food stations and a martini bar might push the per person cost from $100 to $175, with décor the sky’s often the limit—the price tag of your dream vision can easily cost six figures in some cases. “I find that’s the biggest place people are cutting budget—buying herbs, fruits and vegetables and incorporating them in the ‘florals’ instead of big flower pieces,” says Steven.
Some people choose to cut the number of guests rather than the per person cost, he adds. That might mean 75 to 100 adults and the same number of kids, rather than the typical 150 adults and 40 kids of years ago. With all the activities today’s kids are involved in, their lists of essential friends—from Jewish day school or Hebrew school classmates to friends from camp and teammates from sports—is growing.
One option that can lower food costs is a hands-on approach. “Eating family style cuts down on the cost of labor,” says Steven. Barclay’s uses chic serving platters and pretty plates, and the food becomes centerpiece instead of expensive flowers.

All trends aside, the most favorite Jewish food is still franks in the blanket. “Hands down, and for even the chicest people, if I don’t have them, they’ll shoot me,” says Steven Hellinger of Barclay Caterers.

Trend Report: How Venues & Caterers Maximize The Fun
“One of the most interesting trends that we have noticed is a shift away from traditional three-course dinners,” says Thomas. “We offer a multitude of dining options, which include tapas-inspired menus, bistro stations, miniature dessert trios, split plates and tasting plates—people prefer tasting multiple petite plates over a lavish singular item. This probably explains why most people say that the cocktail hour is their favorite part of any party.”
“Everything in miniature is a trend as guests want to experience many more tastes within one meal. We find that doing small, tapas-sized plates of food makes for a more engaging party,” says Chef Lynn Buono of Essen Catering, the kosher division of Feast Your Eyes Catering. “Because we cook to order rather than having completely finished chafing dish foods, we are able to accommodate special requests more easily,” explains Lynn, who has been certified by the Celiac Foundation and is skilled at gluten-free. “Kids, too, are more sophisticated and we often do food stations that are ‘layered.’ As an example, we’ve designed a Momofuko-like Asian noodle bar that starts out with Ginger au Jus Noodles as the common ingredient, and then offer a variety of toppings: black cod, boneless salted mango chicken wings, BBQ seiten and more.  A ‘Make Your Own Taco Bar’ with a wide variety of choices, including Korean tacos, Baja fish tacos, braised short rib tacos, smoked eggplant and all kinds of salsa, both spicy and mild, is the same idea, and both adults and kids love it. This way the junior guests can eat the meal simply or add the more exotic toppings, according to their own tastes. Everyone gets to be part of all the food this way. It’s more inclusive—interactive food stations are very popular and we find that at family affairs this makes for an intergenerational, memorable experience. The hot menus right now are more whimsical and less serious…a gourmet hot dog cart with a great kosher hot dog and loads of fun toppings, our JapaDog with wasabi sauce or the Latin Chili with salsa.  The same goes for desserts with pie pops, miniature sorbetto shakes, caramel apple stations and decorate your own cupcakes complete with pastry bags and fun toppings.”
“Kids are still wowed by chocolate fountains,” says Steven Hellinger. “We take it to the next level—instead of a fountain we do chocolate fondue stations and present big glass cubes of different flavors of chocolates with dipping treats, licorice, pineapple—the same concept, but a better presentation…The trend is definitely heavier hors d’oeuvres and dessert and less of a main course in middle.” Keep in mind that this isn’t a cost savings because beautifully plated appetizers require more labor.
Another reason to keep in a seated meal is that, without it, people wonder “What do I do now?,” says Steven. It also extends the evening—and you want to enjoy a long, exciting affair. If you don’t want the feel of a served dinner, opt for less formal stations for meals. “Slider stations are not just about little hamburger sliders,” he points out. “Our ethnic foods run from Vietnamese to southern treats like BBQ pulled beef and ahi tuna sliders. Sushi has been a menu selection for a good 10 to 12 years. What’s different now is there are so many sushi restaurants that we bring in true sushi chefs to make sushi to order in front of guests. The tapas-style receptions are an outgrowth of nouveau restaurants, and we butler little plates of lamb risotto, for instance, that are easy to eat and creative.”
Steven says other hot trends are tasting menus—sitdowns that pair a five-course meal with wine. One such feast might include a three-color gazpacho, mini Asian noodle salad with ginger lime dressing, sliced steak on garlic bread and short ribs with garlic mashed potatoes…all before guests get to dessert.
While food often takes center stage on mom and dad’s planning list, entertainment is always important to the bar or bat mitzvah teen. “The latest party trends for this particular age group have been ‘Rock Band’ concerts and ‘Guitar Hero’ contests along with the ever popular karaoke DJ,” says Marielle Wolf “Young people have very specific ideas about how to entertain on their special day and we like to interview the guest of honor and get a feel for their personality and hobbies so that we can recommend the various talented professionals we work with.”
The takeaway? When everyone’s wishes are accounted for, this will truly be a celebration to remember.

This edition of our on-going series addresses choosing the right venue and highlights the most popular food trends for this once-in-a-lifetime gala. The Essential First Step Is Forging A New Relationship There are many steps you can take to make your event run more smoothly, like sticking to the timetable for turning in your headcount [...]