Choosing what to serve for the cocktail hour...Passed or Display Hors D'oeuvres

One of the questions I get as a caterer is always which is better- passed Hors D'oeuvres or a Display? Above is one of our more popular display- it's a fruit and Cheese Display with crackers and some fun additions like olives (the grooms favorite). Customization is fun!

I always ask my couples that as they plan the menu to think of the items they like! We're different because we WANT YOU to customize! Every element of your wedding should reflect the bride and groom! After all your friends and family are there for the couple- not for someone else- so you want them to feel that they are in something familiar- something personal that IS the couple! The cocktail hour should reflect that ideology! Don't be afraid to show who you are on your wedding day- down to the food!

So how to choose between a display and passed Hors D'oeuvres? One is don't choose either or- do both! You can do both and stay in budget! We are an organic caterer- meaning our cuisine is all about "FRESH"! So being wonderful California we have a wonderful variety of fruits and vegetables almost all year long- so have a lovely display- and instead of having four or five passed Hors D'oeuvres- just do two! Now your guest will have the display to go to - and we have not just fruit and vegetable- but we have a seafood display, and antipasto display, even a hummus and pita bread display! So again- think of what your favorite munchies are- and we can do it! Think of a theme too! And don't double up on ingredients! Meaning if you are having chicken as your main entree do not have chicken as an Hors D'oeuvre! We have three pages of appetizers to choose from- APART from the displays- so you have LOTS of choices!

Now of course if you are a winter event you may want to stay with WARM passed Hors D'oeuvres! Here are some examples!

Tortilla Soup Shots

Tomato Soup Shots with Mini Grilled Cheese

Mac N'Cheese in Asian Spoons

Beef Teriyaki Skewers

Mini Beef Wellingtons

Grilled Spicy Shrimp with Yogurt Dipping Sauce

Tuna Canape's

And this is just a few out of three pages of Hors D'oeuvres choices!

Now cost always comes up- so here is my answer: think as if you are going grocery shopping to Whole Foods! Meaning what you choose will influence your price. So think the cost of the individual ingredients- this will dictate price. NORMALLY most of my brides and grooms do NOT pick Kobe Beef Sliders- they pick the normal ground beef sliders- meaning the choices are somewhere in the medium priced range. So picking four medium priced Hors D'oeuvres - served for a one hour cocktail period means you will spend anywhere from $6.50 a person to $8.00 a person for all four!

So hopefully this all helps! Feel free to go to our website at Truly Yours Catering and check out our menu! And call us at (818) 753-9100 and talk to one of our wedding specialist- or ask to speak to the Chef for any food concerns. If you have allergies- we CAN work around them!

We look forward to hearing from you!

Happy Planning!!!!

Alcohol Suggested List

Hello everyone and welcome to our Truly Yours Catering Blog!

It's been a while since we posted and I decided it was time to start again! So I decided to begin by answering the one question that every client asks me - "How Much Alcohol Do I Need To Buy?"

***Please keep in mind that this is only a "Suggestion" list. You know your family and friends better than I do- so keep in mind your own knowledge of your guests.

*** Remember we cannot do blended drinks- but mixed is no problem!

*** One other thing you need to know with Truly Yours Catering - is that we do not allow shots at a wedding or event- unless you sign off on it. We do have a sheet you can sign off on and we will be happy to serve it. We do not suggest it- simply because, in general, people get intoxicated QUICKLY with shots- and they never stop at just one or two. It can be embarrassing with drunk friends around grandma and grandpa and parents so we never suggest it. Bottom line we’ve seen stuff!

O.k.- here’s the list!

Full Bar for 125

Beer

7 CASES BEER

Liquor

1 BOTTLE MYERS RUM

1 BOTTLE SEAGRAMS 7

1 BOTTLES JACK DANIELS (1 LITER)

4 BOTTLES VODKA (1.75 LITERS)

1 BOTTLE VO (1LITER)

1 BOTTLES BOMBAY (1.75 LITERS)

1 BOTTLES BACARDI (1 LITER)

1 BOTTLES CHIVAS SCOTCH (1LITER)

Wines

2 CASES WHITE

2 CASES RED

18 BOTTLES CHAMPAGNE

Full Bar for 150 Guests

Non-Alcoholic

1 CASE PELLEGRINO (1 LITER)

3 CASES WATER (1 LITER)

3 CASES COKE

2 CASES DIET COKE

1 CASE 7 UP

1 CASE TONIC WATER (1 LITER)

4 LITERS OF SWEET AND SOUR

1 BOTTLE OF SWEETEN IME JUICE

Beer

10 CASES BEER

Liquor

1 BOTTLE VERMOUTH DRY (250 ML)

1 BOTTLE VERMOUTH SWEET (250 ML)

1 BOTTLE TRIPLE SEC (750 ML)

1 BOTTLE MYERS RUM

1 BOTTLE SEAGRAMS 7

2 BOTTLES JACK DANIELS (1 LITER)

5 BOTTLES VODKA (1.75 LITERS)

2 BOTTLES BOMBAY (1.75 LITERS)

1 BOTTLES BACARDI (1 LITER)

2 BOTTLES CHIVAS SCOTCH (1LITER)

Wines

3 CASES WHITE WHITE

3 CASES RED WINE

24 BOTTLES CHAMPAGNE

Beer & Wine + Soft Drinks & Water for 100 Guests:

Beer & Wine & ALL soft drinks and waters - (mixers you will have to guess on) - For a Bar for 100 Guests:

Non-Alcoholic

1 CASE PELLEGRINO IN GLASS (1 LITER)

2 CASES EVIAN (1 LITER)

2 CASES COKE

2 CASES DIET COKE

1 CASES 7 UP

1 CASES GINGER ALE (1 LITER)

Beer

9 CASES BEER

Wines

4 CASES CHARDONNAY OR MIXED WHITES

4 CASES MERLOT OR MIXED REDS

1 CASE CHAMPAGNE

Beer & Wine + Soft Drinks & Water for 150 Guests:

Beer & Wine & ALL soft drinks and waters - (mixers you will have to guess on) - For a Bar for 150 Guests:

Non-Alcoholic

1 CASE PELLEGRINO IN GLASS (1 LITER)

3 CASES EVIAN (1 LITER)

3 CASES COKE

3 CASES DIET COKE

2 CASES 7 UP

2 CASES GINGER ALE (1 LITER)

Beer

17 CASES BEER

Wines

5 CASES CHARDONNAY OR MIXED WHITES

5 CASES MERLOT OR MIXED REDS

22 BOTTLES CHAMPAGNE

I do hope this helps all of you! Take care and please again- never hesitate to call with any questions! Happy Planning Everyone!

And please if you have any questions just call the Truly Yours Catering office at (818) 753-9100!

Have a great event!