Theme Parties, Weddings, Outdoor Parties, and Special Events

1. Theme Parties, Weddings, Outdoor Parties, and Special Events Chapter Three

2. Catered events need excitement and drama in addition to delicious food • For this reason, themed events are very popular • A theme party transports the attendee to another dimension, another place and time, away from the mundane and ordinary world • Themed events create a magical space of fantasy and fun • Caterers have the opportunity to show their creativity and expertise by developing unique one-of-a-kind events for their clients.

3. Developing a Proposal • Before developing a proposal or planning a function, it is necessary to know the reason for the event and who will be attending the party • The demographics (age, income, ethnicity, etc) will influence what would be appropriate.

4. Every function or party should be treated as a special event • A caterer may create 200 parties a year, but it is probably not the case for the client. It may just be another party for the caterer, but for the client, it is truly a special occasion • According to Dr. Joe Goldblatt, educator and author of several special events books: • "A special event recognizes a unique moment in time with ceremony and ritual to satisfy specific needs“

5. Theme Parties are events that tie in: • Creativity • Food • Beverage • Entertainment • Decor • Activities

6. Event Elements include: • Fun • Flavor • Excitement • Action • Color • Sound • Entertainment • Showmanship • Surprise

7. A caterer should strive to involve all of the 5 senses: Sight, Sound, Taste, Touch and Smell. • Whenever possible, create something out of the ordinary for each event • The key is to INVOLVE and EXCITE • It also provides an opportunity to up$ell, by adding additional components to the event • Guests like interactive events.

8. Lights are magic! • Lights attract and dazzle the eye • Tiny Italian Tivoli lights, pin spots, strobes, black lights, beacons, rope lights, fiber optics, neon, laser lights, etc. • Lights are ‘eye-candy.’ • Gobo lights are portable spotlights that can create colors, or focused pattern projection on the ceiling, wall or floor, depending on the metal templates affixed to the lens • The images can be trees, cityscapes, or any image relating to the theme of the event • They are also available in versions that rotate slowly, back and forth, 180º, creating changing patterns that can pulsate in tempo with the music.

9. Soundscape • Decorating with sound • Sound can envelop and create a mood • Commercially prepared tapes are available with the sounds of fog horns, rain storms, ocean waves, cooing sea gulls, tropical birds, clopping horses, the clickety-clack of train tracks, and a variety of other background elements • Music playing in a room upon entry reinforces the theme, such as Dixieland Jazz for a New Orleans theme, the Theme from the Godfather for an Italian theme, or the Theme from Tara for a Gone with the Wind theme.

10. Moving Decor • People in costumes • This can be simply the servers and bartenders in costume and/or actors hired to roam around and entertain • They are part of the décor and add life to the theme.

11. Weddings

12. Outdoor Parties • Outdoor parties can be held on a patio, balcony, by a swimming pool, golf course, beach, etc • Or they can be off-premise at an off-site location.

13. Bar Mitzvah/Bat Mitzvah • A rite of passage celebration of a 13 year old boy of the Jewish faith becoming a man • The Bat Mitzvah is for females • The religious service is often celebrated with an elaborate event, sometimes rivaling the pomp and ceremony of a wedding. • The Bar/Bat Mitzvah usually commences with either the Friday evening, Saturday morning or Saturday afternoon service • It could also be on a Monday morning or Thursday morning - anytime the Torah is read • The celebration that follows is often a breakfast, luncheon or dinner with entertainment of a grand variety.

14. Bar Mitzvah/Bat Mitzvah • Many Bar/Bat Mitzvahs serve kosher or kosher-style food, depending on whether the family observes the rules of Kashruth, i.e., keeps kosher. • True kosher food must follow stringent rules and pass the approval of a "Mashgiach" who does not have to be a Rabbi, but must be recognized in the community as a person authorized to give certification for kashruth • Kosher-style food may use traditional Jewish recipes, but does not necessarily follow the kosher rules.