It's Partytime Catering & BBQ

Importance of Team of Wedding professionals

2011-03-16T08:22:00.000-07:00

Since we are a full service Catering company I try to help all of my Clients with the planning of their Weddings, even if it doesn't have anything to do with catering. Since we are the first ones on site and usually the last ones to leave we see a lot of things that can stress out the Brides, Grooms and Families. Myself and Staff do all that we can the day of to put out any fires that come up, but I do like to make it so no potential fires come up at all. This can be done with careful planning. As I have stated before, I have a Wedding Team of Professionals that I have put together after having some stressfull situations come up just prior to and during the Weddings. I have had bad cakes or cakes that delivered late and then just carelessly placed on the cake table with no care as to how the Wedding cake is decorated or how the cake table looks. I have had Flowers not show up and when I called the florist she had mistakenly had it scheduled for the following weekend! I sent my Staff to Costco to buy all the Red Roses they had and came back and myself, my staff and the Bridal Party put the flowers together for the Wedding. Although everything turned out beautifully and the guests didn't have any idea of all of the behind the scene nightmares. The Wedding was a beautiful event and the food was wonderful. Although we did pull off the flower cituation and the cake showing up late, I do feel bad that the Bride did not get what she had envisioned and carefully planned for 1 1/2 years.
After this Wedding is when I decided to put my Team together. I didn't put it together all at once I slowly watched other Wedding Professionals to see who were consitantly on time, had a wonderful product and service EVERYTIME, didn't stress anyone out, and were very good on communicating with both me and the Clients, and were Team players. We are all seperate businesses that truly love what were are doing.
Through this process I have put together a Wonderful Team of Wedding Professionals.

We are all about doing an Amazing job and keeping it Stress Free

My Moto is "One Call We Do It All!"

Bridgeport Bridal Show

2011-03-16T08:17:00.001-07:00

Wonderful time had by all! We were set up in the Orvis Store. We had a beautiful food and beverage display for all of the guests that came into the Orvis store. Alot of our Brides and potential Brides took this opportunity to come and taste our food and our wonderful "Signature Punch". They raved about our display and asked alot of questions which we are always happy to answer. We are still finding that their are couples that are planning on getting married this year who are still in the begining of their planning. We offer an all inclusive Wedding package to make it so much easier for the Brides and Grooms from start to finish. If you attended the event Thank you and will see you at your Wedding!
Viki

Macys Sip n Scan Events

2011-03-16T07:57:00.000-07:00

We are the Caterers chosen to provide wonderful food and beverages at the Macys Bridal Registry Events from Eugene to Vancouver. As we are a full service caterer and event coordinating business I love to help my Brides and Grooms with the organizing with the whole Wedding process. We are now offering Day of Coordinating Services to make your Wedding Day stress free.
My "Team of Wedding Professionals" that I work with were also on site to talk to the Brides and Grooms about any other needs that they had.
Flowers By Mary Beth Bartel www.flowersbymarybethbartel.com
Memories Of Muzic - DJ/Emcee www.memoriesofmuzic.com
Antoniettes Pastisserie - Cake Designer - Bambi - 503-939-7625
In Bloom Photography - www.inbloomphotography.com
Classy Traditions - Dawn - www. classytraditions.com - String music for your Wedding and Events
Twilite Limousine Service - www.twilitelimousine.com

So the Macys Registry Events are just one more step to getting their Weddings organized. This last week we were at:
Macys - Washington Square - 3/9/11
Macys - Clackamas - 3/10/11
Macys - Salem - 3/11/11
Macys - Eugene - 3/12/11

We will be at:
In May
Washington Square 5/20/11 6:30-9:00
Lloyd Center 5/18/11 6:30-9:00
Vancouver 5/19/11 6:30-9:00

You do need to RSVP for the events but they are very fun for all and Macys does give away some great gifts.

Restaurant Has Sold January 15, 2010

2011-03-16T07:51:00.000-07:00

We have sold our restaurant as we are so busy with Catering that we had to decide which we wanted to keep as there were not enough hours in the day for me to do both. Catering has always been my passion so the Catering business won out. It was sold to a wonderful couple Rachel and Miles. They have changed the name to Milos Fat Kitchen. We wish them the best of luck! We will miss our customers from the restaurant but are looking forward to putting our focus back into the Catering and Event organizing business.

New Restaurant in Sherwood

2009-01-02T08:01:00.000-08:00

We are happy to anounce our new Restaurant in Old Town Sherwood. Due to constant requests from our customers we have opened a Cafe/Bistro called

"Sherwood Station Bistro", our address is 16147 SW Railroad Street, Sherwood, Or 97140 Phone #503-625-9737.

We serve Breakfast, Lunch (Wed-Sun). We are anticipating a very busy year again this year and are looking forward to having rehearsal dinners and other events at our restaurant.
We have been asked to be the only Caterer at the Davids Bridal Show at Davids Bridal Store across from Washington Mall, on 1/2/09, hope to see you there.

Rose City Bridal Show - October 25 & 26

2008-10-14T17:24:00.000-07:00

As we prepare for another successful Wedding season we will be at the Rose City Bridal Show on Oct. 25 and 26th. We will have samples of our products. Our Famous Citrus Punch, our Sweet an Sour Meatballs, and a Chocolate Fountain from Dippity Doodads. We will be able to answer all of your questions that you have. I will also be working with the other professionals that I highly recommend and they will also be displaying their work at our booth. These include: Flowers By Mary Beth Bartel who is a Wonderful Floral Designer, Oak Tree Wedding and Events who is a Great Event Coordinator for when a Bride would like to leave everything up to someone else. White Rose Bakery will be handing out samples of her cakes and she can design any cake that you have in mind. Or she can design a custom cake just for you. In Bloom Photography will also be in the booth and will also be displaying his work (as seen above). Robert Newell House Museum will also have their information for that Wonderful Outdoor Wedding Venue(as in the picture above). It is a wonderful venue and very easy to work with Directors on site. We will also have a representative from Hair and Make Up By Tina and Heart Centered Ceremonies with Minister Janice Forbes will be available to talk to you about your vows. Memories of Muzic who is a mobile DJ and Emcee will also be in the booth for any questions that you might have. We work as a Great Team! We all Truly Care about your Wedding and how your day is going to turn out. Our moto is "Relax! It's Party Time! One Call We Do It All!"

Hope to see you at Booth # 408. Stop in and Say Hi!

Catering Your Wedding

2008-09-17T21:50:00.006-07:00

Your wedding day is a special day. For years to come you will look back fondly at this one day. Many times when you ask people about a specific wedding the comments center around the meal - the quality, presentation, and friendliness of the serving personnel.

Choosing your wedding caterer can make a great deal of difference to your wedding day. Choosing a proper wedding caterer can take one worry off your mind.

As in most cases word of mouth is often the best guide. Ask your friends and acquaintances- at which weddings which they attended was the food exceptional? Ask why or why not?

The first step in is to figure out your catering budget before you begin to meet with your caterers. Have in mind the number of potential guests. Be careful – family demands can increase the number greatly. Have your wedding guest numbers negotiated with family members before meeting with the caterer. This way you can divide your total dollar budget by the amount of guests – to get a dollar figure per guest or meal.

The second step is to check with the venue where you will be holding the reception. As part of a booking deal some of these establishments may insist that you either use their facilities, most often in the case of a hotel, or they may even have their licensed or preferred caterers. It’s always best to ask before signing the booking papers.

Next call those caterers by phone or email. Note how long the response took for a reply. This is itself can be very telling about the level of service that you may expect from the caterer. Explain your wishes, ask about the booking date, and ask for general options.

If you like the responses and the meals fall within both your taste and your chosen budget ask to meet with the caterer's event manager in person. Ask to see the presentation of previous events and how your event presentation will be handled. What will the servers wear and what duties will they be expected to perform or not perform? Also at this time it is best to ask about payment policies. Is that deposit refundable within a reasonable time period of cancellation? Are there are any other additional fees?

It is best to involve the caterers in your meal choices. Remember it’s their business – they will know their strengths and weaknesses much more than you do, in additional to practical logistics of food, food preparation and serving. It’s your one wedding day. Take full advantage of their expertise in wedding catering.

The Simple Yet Elegant Vegetable Tray

2008-09-17T21:50:00.005-07:00

In a bind about what to serve at your next party? A vegetable tray or vegetable crudites is a medley of fresh vegetables served either on a platter or your favorite display and often accompanied by ranch or blue cheese dressing. This simple hors d'oeurve can accent any appetizer combination or be served before the main meal. It is something that can be served all year long and is just as elegant and appropriate for a Holiday Party as it is for a summer affair.

The vegetables themselves often consist of easy finger foods such as carrots, brocolli, cauliflower, bell peppers, mushrooms, green beans, snap peas, tomatoes or any number of other raw vegetables. Color, diversity of size and arrangement are what make a vegetable tray stand out. Some ideas that can help your tray stand out are the display type (mirrors, tiered chargers, and designed platters are some good ways to help your display), vegetable color choices (greens, reds, and yellows accent very well in particular), and vegetable decoration (carved bell peppers, sculpted radishes and other designs can really add a fantastic flair to your tray).

How to plan a Birthday Party

2008-09-17T21:50:00.004-07:00

You or that special someone is going to be reaching a milestone birthday. It might be 16, 50, 70, or 100. Here are some tips to make things easier:

1) Choose a theme that suits the B-Day. 1950's themed parties are always a hit with fuzzy dice and diner style themes.

2) Decide roughly how many guests you'd like to invite. Then try to make an educated guess about who is actually going to show up. You know who is most likely to come and who will not.

3) Knowing these two items you can determine a budget (which will help you make many of your other choices).

4) Pick a location that meets the needs of your party and the number of guests that you are having. During the summer a backyard Barbecue themed party can make a lot of sense. Formal affairs typically are best done at a community center or other dedicated venue (especially if your house is not suited for your guest count).

5) Begin thinking about what foods would make the most sense given your theme, location and guest preferences. Casual events might mean Hawaiian, Barbecue or light appetizers. More formal affairs might include exotic (or not so exotic) dinners or a heavy appetizer menu. Also don't forget dessert (especially cake)!

6) Whether you serve liquor or not can be a big decision when planning your party. Again keep in mind the taste of the Birthday person and guests when deciding. Will guests serve themselves, will you utilize a bartender, how much liquor should you provide your guests? These are all important considerations.

7) Activities can often be a great addition to your birthday party. Dancing, games and music are the popular activities and usually make a great addition to any birthday.

Event Location- Museum of the Oregon Territory

2008-09-17T21:50:00.003-07:00

The Museum of the Oregon Territory's Tumwater room is a delightful venue for your next special occasion. The event facility overlooks the Willamette River and can accommodate up to 299 guests.
The Museum is owned by the Clackamas County Historical Society and all proceeds from rental of the facility go towards maintaining the museum.

Special items to note are that there is Free Parking, Coat Check, AV/Lighting, Sound Equipment, Gift Ship, In-House Catering or Outside Catering and alcohol is permitted. There are special packages for brides which include many options.

It's Party Time Catering is a preferred caterer for this event location. We invite you discover for yourself this delightful venue and hope that you enjoy it as much as we do!

Party Favors!

2008-09-17T21:50:00.002-07:00

Party favors are an important element of weddings, birthdays, baby-showers and many other parties. Favors are often overlooked until the last minute because there are many other elements that one tends to think of when planning a party. But favors make the party your own and provide special keepsakes for you guests that they can treasure.

There are a lot of expensive ways to do party favors (just search online), however, most hosts have centered their budget around the venue, food, flowers and other elements of their party. So one great way to ensure that your party favors don't get ignored and are still affordable is to make your own.

Kristie McDaniel-Price has some great tips on how to make your Party Favors. She emphasizes planning your favors around a theme that is suitable to you. She asks you think about what is unique about the people hosting the event (or the event itself), what message would you like to convey to your guests, does the favor follow the theme of your event, and finally do you want your guests to keep the favor or just eat it.

So thinking along these lines, if you are doing a wedding and going to Hawaii for your honeymoon you could choose Hawaiian themed favors. Once you have a theme it's easy to start brainstorming ways to show that off. For example for a Hawaiian theme you could use silk banana leaves and tropical flower candles from your local craft stores such as Michael's or JoAnn's. If you were doing a baby shower you could use recycled baby bottles (with different colored tops), clean them out and print the date, name of the parents to be and so forth. There are a number of easy and cheap customized party favors that you can do with a color printer (or go to your local copy shop).

Focusing on these ideas should help you design and make your own affordable party favors.

The Importance of Colors

2008-09-17T21:50:00.001-07:00

Before you make any important decisions about your event it's important to think about color. This is especially true for a wedding since your dress, flowers, centerpieces and party favors all rely on your colors. Even birthdays or other themed events such as a Luau party require some careful consideration of color choice.

So how to choose?

Think about colors that suit you or the occasion
Is anyone going to have to wear the colors (and how do they look on that person(s))?
Think about contrasting two or more colors as this adds more depth
Are you trying to match a specific color (this can be difficult and costly especially if it is a non solid color)
Use smaller linens for more exotic colors (this will help keep your price down)
How do you envision using your colors (shape can be very important)?
Are you or your guests going to be eating food that is of your colors

Following these pointers should help direct you toward find suitable color choices at your next event.

Champagne Chicken- Big on taste not on alchahol

2008-09-17T21:50:00.000-07:00

One of the most popular winter entrees we serve is our Champagne Chicken. However, despite the misconception you won't be getting tipsy eating this delicious dish because the champagne is reduced until nearly all of the alcohol content is removed - leaving only the flavor.

Our Champagne Chicken is prepared in a four step process: 1) Breading plump breasts of chicken, 2) Frying the chicken, 3) Reducing the champagne and cream sauce, 4) Baking the chicken and reduction together. A hearty and tasteful dish at any time of the year, your guests will enjoy the cream and champagne gravy that goes so well with chicken or their favorite sides such as mashed potatoes or mixed sauteed vegetables.