Blog | Vibrant Table Catering & Events

Why Karaoke, Grapefruit and Drag Queens Will Save Your Holiday Party

August 24, 2016 Filed Under: Catering, Holiday Parties

©Evrim Icoz Photography

How many holiday work parties have you been to that feel obligatory? Do they feel obligatory because they’re just, well… boring? Yeah. We hear ya. So, we’ve got some great ideas to shake things up for the run of show, the menu, and the entertainment.

Switch Up the Line Up.
If you’re planning the event, and you’ve planned a lot of these, try shuffling the deck with your time frame. If you traditionally have a very conservative three course meal, add in a cocktail reception where your colleagues can have a glass of wine, mingle and loosen up a bit. Or, perhaps make dessert interactive by having an action station where the guests have to get up and include themselves in preparing the dessert to order. You can further this idea by having palette cleansing activities in between courses, like a scavenger hunt between the salad and entrée course. Instead of having a cocktail hour before your party, you can opt for a low key after dinner parlor party with cognac and digestifs.

Engage Your Audience.
The easiest way to keep people happy and entertained is to keep them engaged. Keep them busy, keep them laughing and having fun. Ping Pong, Karaoke, an Ice Luge with signature drink, or even a good old fashioned “Soul Train Dance Off” are fantastic ways to make the static holiday party a bit more electric. If you’re going all out with live entertainment, make sure to do your research. Nothing makes a party more awkward than a comedian who doesn’t know their audience, a singer who can’t banter with the crowd, or a drag queen who makes mean spirited jokes. You want this to be an amazing time for all!

Surprise the Tastebuds.
Classic green salad. Choice of chicken or salmon. Wow. Mouthwatering. Surprise your guests with an innovative menu. If you are a traditionalist and really want to abide by the three course, then start off with an invigorating salad that is more than just Romaine. Radicchio, arugula, fennel, endive, butter lettuce, frisee or kale are all great bases, and don’t be afraid to add zing with herbs like mint or basil, even citrus notes like grapefruit. As for your main entrees, chicken and salmon are always a safe bet, but you can take it up a notch and impress the table with a simple seasonal vegetable option, an appropriately suited beef or pork entrée, or go rogue with lamb or buffalo. Desserts are the final hurdle, and mini desserts are always playful and offer variety. Pick three different types, a fruity, a chocolatey and a creamy, keeping textures in mind, and you’ll nail the lasting impression.

If you want to steer away from the three course approach, incorporate passed hors d’oeuvres or action stations during your cocktail reception, create a mesmerizing buffet for your main meal period, or keep the party lively and tables engaged with family style service.

The dos and don’ts of drink tickets

August 3, 2016 Filed Under: Alcohol, Catering

Evrim Icoz Photography

Be it a corporate, social or nonprofit event, drink tickets can play a pivotal role. Drink tickets might have a handful of pros and cons, but at the end of the day they can provide an easy assist with creating a smooth and successful party.

What to think about—

Will you be offering hosted drink tickets to your guests?
If so, how many will drink tickets will each guest receive?
Who will get the drink tickets?
If you are not offering hosted drink tickets not, how much will guests be expected to pay per ticket? Will the price be different for alcohol, beer & wine?
Limit the amount of drink tickets your guests can purchase.
Keeping your caterer in the loop. We can help.

The perks –

Drink tickets help limit alcohol consumption.

This helps:

Guests, employees, friends, colleagues and family wake up the next day without the feeling of embarrassment, as do you.
Avoid driving under the influence. Although, any event where alcohol is served, you as the host, should provide adequate alternative transportation services, like cabs, public transit, or car services (Uber, Lyft).
If you provide guests with hosted drink tickets it will control your costs, instead of hosting a full bar where guests can line up and order crazy pricy and complicated drinks with no limit.

What to avoid –

Tasting the rainbow. Stick to one or two drink ticket colors. One for alcohol. One for beer & wine. Don’t make it too complicated. You are hosting the event and already have a lot on your plate. Two ticket colors is simple for you, your guests, and the serving and bartending staff to understand.
Offering certain guests more drink tickets than others. The last thing you want to do is upset somebody at a celebratory event because you provided favoritism. That being said, you may have a very good reason for giving your CEO or owner an extra ticket, since ya know, he is paying for the whole event.
Cash bars. If you are offering drink tickets for your guests to purchase, you are also avoiding any cash handling with the bartenders and serving staff. This is great news, because they can focus on making drinks, and you and your team can handle the cash.

SPRING AWAKENING AT EXCHANGE BALLROOM

June 22, 2016 Filed Under: Venues

We recently shared our exclusive venue, the Exchange Ballroom, with an amazing handful of local Portland wedding vendors to create a spring styled photo shoot. Here’s some of the beautiful photos, courtesy of Ashley Cook Photography. We are swooning over these images, and hope you enjoy them, too! For a tour of the Exchange Ballroom and Cascade Rooftop, click here!

Photography @ashleycookphoto

Planning & Design @whitneywertsevents

Floral @alibdesigns

Graphic design & styling @seeleveldesignco

Dessert @rawdaciouspdx

Rentals @thepartyplace

Hair & makeup @pdxmakeupandhair

Linen @latavolalinen

Tassels @ashwoodavenueshop

MAKE THE MOMENT: How to Nail Your Holiday Party Theme

June 1, 2016 Filed Under: Catering, Festive Fare, Setting the Stage

The holidays are just around the corner.

Not really. But, for anyone who organizes their company holiday party, you are likely in full swing “PLANNER MODE”. If not, get on the horn and get that venue booked, hold a committee meeting, establish your budget, prepare the invite list, and let your imagination go wild when creating your theme.
Need ideas? That’s what we’re here for. Our sales team dreams up the craziest concepts and utilizes the industry’s top talent to execute that larger than life vision. Interesting and dynamic food stations? We can do that. Massive floral and décor installations? You betcha. Entertainment that will leave your guests in awe? We’re dialed in and we’ve got you covered.

The Classic.
A regal affair that incorporates a specific time period is always an inspiring direction. Think the 40’s and flapper dresses and zoot suits. Maybe go disco-decadent in the 70’s. Remember when the Gatsby trend was Titanic? (also, can I get a high five for the double Leo DiCaprio pun play on words?) Yeah, the Gatsby incorporated luxe gold hues, art deco inspired patterning and fonts that enhanced your invitations and menus, and a glorious amount of champagne fountains. Your guests love a reason to dress up for a theme party, and upping the quotient to a fancy feast that includes a bowtie or a pearl necklace is sure to be a hit. Pull the Rolls around, we’re headed to East Egg.

The Winter Wonderland.
It is a holiday party, afterall. And the easiest way to convey the season is to dive right into the snow. Create an ice bar, utilizing PDX Ice to create an ice luge or a gigantic ice sculpture with your company’s logo. Or, go bigger: install an igloo. Yes. We’ve created igloos before, and furthered the Cold theme with our servers donning puffy coats and faux fur jackets to add to the theme. Lighting is also fundamental to dramatically nailing the winter wonderland aesthetic. Uplights, bogos, and specialized a/v magic add depth, while strands of lights and sheer fabric panels, combined with large foliage or floral accents add elegance and help fill out your space. Want a WOW moment? Incorporate a snow machine and a unique entryway into your party, so as guests arrive, they walk into the moment with their senses fully alive.

Cabin Fever.
Plaid. Wood. Whisky. Go full on Portlandia for your event. It is modern, playful and a very casual approach to make your holiday party feel like you’re a lumberjack frolicking in the forest. Again, guests love a theme where they can dress the part, so suggest them to wear their favorite plaid or flannel, and points if they sport their Danner boots and Poler beanie. Triple points to those who pull off Carhartt. This theme is made for Oregonians: bring in pine trees for simple and sharp décor. Toss some Pendleton throws on leather tufted couches. Add drama above your main bar and install a faux animal head for ‘Grandpa’s Cabin Realness’. Incorporate playful approaches on food and drink that fit the bill, such as a dessert S’mores station or a simple and effective Old Fashioned.

THE bridezilla

May 10, 2016 Filed Under: Weddings

They are out there. We all know one. But have you handled one before? The Bridezilla…

Comparable to how Lindsay Lohan’s momager had to wrangler her during those angsty years, you too could have a best friend who gets married and becomes an absolute handful; an entertaining and endearing nightmare who you still love, mind you. So, will she be predisposed to being a bridezilla? Who knows. But there certainly are a few tips that can help you maintain your sanity without having to call up Dina for advice.

Brides are Always Right – As tough as it might be to be a supportive friend, sister or fiancé, you have to remember you will most likely only experience this personality once. Or let’s hope. Second time around it might be appropriate to just say no.
Be Understanding – Remember this is the bride’s special day. And to you it might not seem as overwhelmingly stressful, but to her, she lives and breathes this day. Don’t let the bride’s rants and demands ruffle your feathers. The wedding planning process does not last forever and there is a good chance she might not even remember the concerns once tomorrow arrives. Take a few deeps breathes, smile and remember you will survive!
Be Flexible – With 800 decisions to make, it’s more likely than not the bride will change her mind and throw you a curve ball more than once. There is no way to expect the consistently change moods or ideas, all you can do is mentally prepare for the phone calls, tears and tantrums.
Be Available – Brides (your bride?) may just need someone to listen. Be supportive, and take her mind off the wedding for an afternoon or just let her vent.
Pick Your Battles – There will come a time you will have to put your foot down. Negotiate and find a way for all parties involved to be happy with the resolution.