Catering Tips and Tricks
Suggested Party Rentals
When thinking about what rentals to order there are many things to consider,
“What kind of party am I having?”, “where will that party be?”, “What foods will be served?” Once we have those answers, the process of choosing a party rental company and creating a rental list becomes easy.
There will always be different needs depending on your event. Developing relationships with representatives from rental companies is always a good idea, especially if you will be frequently planning similar events. It is also very beneficial to attend other people’s events and take note of how they set up and what equipment they use. Experience is important.
Try to picture all aspects of the event in your minds’ eye. Place yourself in front of the buffet and determine your needs. “How will the buffet be arranged?” “What direction will the guests be coming from?” “What would look best in your chosen location?” being able to determine these solutions in advance is the skill that separates good caterers from great caterers.
The following list is a sample list for a buffet for 100 people with full bar, and passed and placed appetizers. For this sample list we will separate everything out into categories.
Most items are “padded” with extra to cover breakage, staining and dropped pieces. We are assuming that the bar is provided at the location so it has not been added to the list.
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Seating for 10 Guests per table |
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Tables 72" Round |
10 |
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Table Linen Round 132" Diameter |
12 |
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Napkin, Cloth, Linen, White |
150 |
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Chairs, Wood, Folding with Pads (White) |
110 |
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Table Service |
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China; Dinner Plate 10" |
120 |
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Salad/Dessert Plate 7" |
240 |
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Bread and Butter Plate |
120 |
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Coffee Cup |
120 |
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Saucer |
120 |
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Dinner Fork |
120 |
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Salad Fork |
120 |
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Dessert Fork |
120 |
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Butter Knife |
120 |
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Dinner Knife |
120 |
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Cocktail Fork (If needed) |
120 |
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Tea Spoon |
120 |
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Water Pitchers |
24 |
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Salt and Pepper Sets (2 per table 2 extra) |
22 |
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Creamer and Sugar Sets (2 per table) |
22 |
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Bread Baskets (Silver) (2 per table) |
22 |
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Butter Dish or Ramekin (2 per table) |
22 |
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Glassware (Table setting only) |
|
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Water Goblet 12 oz. |
120 |
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Wine, White 10 oz. |
120 |
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Wine, Red, "Bola Grande" |
120 |
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Appetizer "Buffet" |
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We will be setting one two sided round station with 60" wings on each side and raised turntables in the center section surrounding a decorative center floral arrangement |
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Table 60" Round |
1 |
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Table, 8" by 30” banquet |
4 |
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Table Linen Round 132" |
1 |
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Table Linen Long 14”x36” |
5 |
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Table Skirts 14' with Clips |
20 |
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Platters and Serving Pieces |
2 per item per station. |
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4 Tier Lazy Susan |
4 |
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Serving Platter 18" (recommended size) |
(see above) |
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Sea Shell "bowl" 19" (recommended size) |
(see above) |
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Serving Tong |
2 per necessary item |
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Fruit Tong |
2 per necessary item |
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Serving Fork |
2 per necessary item |
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Serving Spoon |
2 per necessary item |
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Passed Appetizers |
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Be creative and use different cool platters when possible. |
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Serving Platter 18" (use different types) |
24 |
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Cocktail Napkins, Black (Purchase) |
1000 |
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Ramekins (Dipping Sauce) |
12 |
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Tenting and Flooring |
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These can all be designed custom for your event. |
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Canopy 40' x 40' |
16 |
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Side Walls |
16 (number depends on canopy setup |
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Dance Floor, Wood, 20' x 20' |
1 |
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Stage for Band 20' x 15' with Platform Skirt and Platform Step |
1 |