Mother’s day Family picnic

A catered event

JUNE 11, 2015katie Tollan

Signature Events and Catering

IntroductionAs the year leads into spring, Suncadia Resort in Cle Elum, Washington begins to hit their peak

season and business volume increases. On the property there are also many different neighborhoods

housing homeowners and their families. On Mother’s Day weekend Suncadia will host a Mother’s Day

lunch. The picnic will be open to the Cle Elum and Roslyn community, as well as guests and homeowners

of Suncadia. This is an annual event that families look forward to each year. This year the expected

attendance is up to 200 people. Suncadia will be hiring Signature Events and Catering to plan this

elegant picnic. The lunch will take place on the back side of the Lodge on the Strawberry Field outdoor

lawn that looks out over the Cle Elum River and mountainous forests. Families can enjoy a hike down to

the river and lawn games before lunch is served. The community at Suncadia is based off an upscale

clientele; however this is a family event and needs to be kid-friendly. Suncadia wishes to celebrate the

moms on this holiday, as well as create a fun family outing for guests staying at the resort.

VenueThis Mother’s Day Family lunch will be held at Suncadia Resort in Cle Elum. Suncadia is a four-

season resort, home to 6,400 acres of natural beauty. This location is perfect for the event because it is

a central location for the attending guests. The breathtaking views create the perfect backdrop for an

afternoon with the family. Suncadia upholds an outstanding professional image, catering to kids,

weddings, corporations, and mid-high class travelers. The resort has received many rewards and honors.

Below is a list of mentions from numerous event planning publications and travel agencies.

“Best Resort in WA”- Northwest Meetings & Events 2014 #1 NW Travel Destination + Kid Friendly + Weddings + Golf- Best of 425 Magazine 2014 #1 Resort in Washington- Northwest Meetings & Events Magazine 2013 & 2014 Certificate of Excellence- TripAdvisor 2014

Suncadia Resort. Retrieved from www.suncadiaresort.com

Below, you can see in Figure 1 that the grounds are hilly. The tables will have to be scattered on

different levels around the lawn to the right of the pathway to accommodate 200 people. Before or after

eating, guests will be provided with lawn games and the opportunity to hike down to the river below as

part of the event.

Figure 1: View of Strawberry Field from back of the Lodge

The weather in Washington is unpredictable. Typically, May weather is sunny, windy, and partly

cloudy. If the weather did not cooperate, this event could be easily moved into one of the available

ballrooms inside the Lodge. In the floor plan below, all of the ballroom/meeting room space is

highlighted in tan (Figure 2). The specific ballroom would be decided on site depending on available

space.

Figure 2: Floor Plan

If you refer to the floor plan again, you will see where the Great Room is located. Guests will

check in at the front desk then be directed to exit the doors just off of the Great Room, which will lead

them to the Strawberry lawn. Caterers and vendors will have access to the back loading dock area.

There is a parking lot next to the lodge and valet available. Food should be made before arriving on site;

however, the caterer will have access to the kitchen for further prep work. The kitchen will also provide

access to ice and water. The banquets team at Suncadia will provide and set up the linens, tables, and

chairs. (See BEO/Contract for details needed. Located on Excel spreadsheet)

Signature Events and Catering Buffet Menu

TURKEY BACON CLUB SANDWICH

Smoked turkey, applewood Bacon, sundried tomatoes, swiss cheese & arugula on ciabatta bread

CAPRESSE WRAP (VEGETARIAN OPTION)

mozzarella, fresh tomato, basil pesto on whole grain wrap

LEMON ARUGULA PENNE PASTA SALAD

almonds, olives, & arugula, tossed together with a lemon vinaigrette

KETTLE CHIPS

homemade and hand tossed salted kettle chips

ASSORTED FRESH VEGETABLES FROM LOCAL FARMS

with ranch dipping sauce

DessertASSORTED CUPCAKES

Chocolate, vanilla, raspberry cream, caramel crunch

Guests attending the event are to notify Suncadia staff of any allergies, so that they may contact

the caterer and make arrangements. A vegetarian option is included in the menu to serve those needs.

If there are any food leftovers, they will be tossed out due to the exposure to the sun and to

avoid any food borne illnesses. If there are unopened beers or bottles of wine, the caterer will return

them and credit the client.

Sanitation and Food StorageIt is very important as a catering company and resort to uphold a safe and clean reputation.

Both business’ do their best to avoid food safety and sanitation issues. All of the food, serving

equipment, and utensils will be carried in tightly sealed containers or securely wrapped packages to

protect them from contamination. The turkey is wrapped airtight to keep the meat from turning brown

and stored at 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the sandwiches are prepared they are wrapped in parchment

paper then loaded into chaffers for transportation. The pasta is prepared off-site then transported into

shallow containers and placed in a blast chiller to keep it cool during transfer.

This menu is ideal for an outdoor setting because most of the foods on the menu do not need to

be served hot or on ice. The sandwiches should be served fresh and warm. The wraps, pasta salad, and

vegetables will be served cool but don’t need to be on ice because the food should only be out for

approximately an hour. It is important that the food, especially the pasta salad, is not set out too early.

The weather can be warm and it will spoil the food before the guests arrive if set out too early. Bacterial

growth begins when food temperatures are between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit, and a heightened

danger zone from 70 to 125 degrees. Pasta salad will be sorted out into multiple bowls for refilling

purposes. Two bowls of pasta will be set out on each buffet table and the rest will be in fridges in the

kitchen keeping cool until refills are needed. The cupcakes will be baked prior to the event. Frosting will

be made off-site and transported in a cooler. Then once at location, the caterer will ice the cupcakes.

They will then be stored in fridges in Suncadia’s kitchen until it is time for them to be brought out.

BeverageThere are two beverage stations at the event. There will be

a non-alcoholic station that has lemonade, iced tea, and water.

Alongside these beverages there will be lemon wedges, sugar

packets, stir sticks, and an ice bucket to keep drinks extra cool. The

cupcakes will also be at this station. Adults will have access to the

portable bar that will serve wine, beer, and a specialty cocktail:

blackberry pear and mint smash (Figure 3). The caterer has a

banquet license that allows him/her to serve alcohol at an event. At

the time of check-in, guests over the age of 21 will be able to receive

3 alcoholic beverage tickets. They can turn in these tickets to the host bar for beverages, free of charge.

Guests are limited to only 3 tickets to ensure no guests get out of hand at this family event. There will

also be a shuttle service provided to reduce drinking and driving.

Beverage Packing List 2 Condiment trays for storing

garnishes 300 Stir sticks/straws 2 Wine openers 2 Bottle openers Plastic pourers for liquor bottles 1 Ice chest (for chilled

beverages) 1 Ice chest (for ice for use in

drinks) 2 Plastic ice scoops Ice pick

5 Bus boxes (for trash, dirty glasses)

350 Cocktail napkins 350 Plastic cups Plenty of clean bar towels Cocktail shaker 9 bottles of Grey Goose Vodka 105 oz. of blackberries 6 bottles of lemonade 6 bottles of tea 7 bottles of red wine 18 bottles of white wine 12-12pk of Corona beer

Figure 3: Blackberry pear and mint smash cocktail

12-12pk of Bud light lime beer Wine glasses, beer glasses, and plastic cups will be provided by Suncadia.

EquipmentThe transportation, set up and service of the menu will require the following:

o 3 Large coolerso 3-2Gl Chaferso 20-half deep aluminum food panso 21 Table 72” Round Banquet-seats 10 with matching

white linenso Portable Bar tableo 3 Table Rectangle 8” X 30”o Set for food and beverage stationso 210 Chairso 210 Napkins-whiteo 3 large drink pitcherso 500 plastic cupso Ice bucketo 100 Sugar packetso 10 serving thongso 10 small plateso 210 plateso 4-Large serving bowlso 8-Large rectangle serving plattero 8-food stands (see pictures to the right)

(For a complete look at the layout of the tables, refer to the BEO)

Event Briefing and Staff ScheduleTime What Who10:00 am Load in equipment Catering Crew10:30-11:00am Depart for site, sound system &

centerpiece flowers arriveR&R Party RentalsFlorist

11:30am Unload11:30am Set up tables, linens, chairs,

flowersBanquet set up crew

11:45am Set up the portable bar Catering team, Bartenders12:00pm Lawn games set out on the

south lawn. Guests can be charged by credit card or to their room.

Suncadia Recreation team brings over lawn games. Front desk begins guests’ check-in and payment

12:20pm All on site staff arrive Captain, servers, bartenders12:45pm Bring out buffet food Catering crew, servers1:00pm Photographer arrives. Debrief,

set up and begin taking picturesPhotographer

1:00pm Guests seated for lunch. Introductory welcome

Katie Tollan

1:05pm Buffet line begins Servers, bartenders at stations2:00-2:30pm Begin clearing plates Clean up crew2:30pm Bring out Cupcakes Servers2:30pm Shuttle bus arrives Event Shuttle Service4:00pm Take down. Clear and tear down

tables. Return lawn to original condition

Clean up Crew

4:20pm Load up Catering Crew

Instructions to StaffServers and bartenders should wear Suncadia’s black uniform with apron. The catering crew should be in white chef coats and black pants. Throughout the event look and make sure to keep tables clean. Be friendly to the guests and serve their needs.

Instructions to Party SupervisorHomeowner’s, resort guests and the Cle Elum community has access to this event. Families will start checking in at Noon. The front desk team should be briefed on the event and ready to check families in and receive form of payment. It is easier to keep track of who has paid if they are all taken care of off the bat. Direct guests to the Strawberry lawns where they can play with lawn games or walk down to the river. The photographer will arrive around 1pm. As the guests are eating, help the photographer get settled with everything they need. Families will be able to get portraits down and there is an option to buy the prints from the photographer. The meal is served buffet style. Servers will be helping serve guests and refilling the stations. The portable bar will be set up to serve wine beer and the specialty cocktail (Blackberry, pear and mint smash). Each guest over the age of 21 will receive 3 beverage tickets

for the bar. The cupcakes will need to be brought out from the kitchen fridge at 2:30pm. Clean up begins as guests finish eating. Shuttle arrives to transfer early departures from the event at 2:30pm.

Event SafetyIt is important to identify any potential risk factors for the caterer, staff, guests and facility. The

location of the event is on a hill in a very windy climate. To reduce the risk of falling or loosing balance

staff should establish solid footing and be aware of their surroundings to prevent falling. Staff should

also warn guests to not wonder down the side of the hills to the river. There is a designated path down

to the river that they should follow.

To prevent any injuries or mishaps, precautions have been taken to reduce the risk of alcohol

related incidents. This is a family oriented event. Staff should keep watch for guests who are intoxicated.

Guests of age are limited to 3 alcoholic beverages at this event due to the amount of time and

consideration of minors present. It is required to show ID before receiving drink tickets. Shuttle service

will be often at the end of the event to shuttle guests home.

Event Accessory ServicesFlorals

Flowershopping.com is a full service florist that has specialized in

nationwide deliveries. This florist will be providing a pot of flowers for each

table as the centerpiece. There will need to be 21 centerpieces of potted

Gerbera red flowers. At $29.66 each, the flowers will come to a total of

around $625 (See Accessories details on spreadsheet). This company will deliver the pots ready to go at

11:30 am, at which staff will then distribute flowers to the round tables. There is a delivery fee, so a 10%

mark up has been added to the budget.

Sound SystemR&R Party Rentals is an event rental company that offers a large variety of services such as

flooring, linens, tables, china, and audio rentals. They will be providing the sound system for the event.

There will be 3 large speakers and 3 wireless microphones. The total cost of the

rentals is $200, ($150 for the first speaker, $25 for each additional) They will

provide delivery and set up services for an additional fee, so the price will be

marked up 15% to cover expenses on the budget. Delivery will arrive at 11:00am

the morning of the event.

InvitationsZazzle.com is the website that will provide the invitations to the Mother’s Day lunch. The cards

give the event details and ask for RSVP no later than a week before the event.

The cards cost $2.00/per card. In total, 150 cards are needed. The invitations

will be shipped to the caterer on April 1st, 2015. On April 9th, 2015 invitations

will go out to the homeowners and attendees of last year’s lunch. Not all

guests at the resort will receive an invitation because they can be notified by

staff of the event upon their arrival to the resort. The total cost will be $300

for all the invites.

Photographer

Freeform Photographers is the company that will photograph this event. Throughout the

duration of this event, there will be a photographer on site to capture family photos with the beautiful

view as the back drop. Families will be able to purchase prints with the photographer. The photographer

is responsible for bringing all needed equipment. The photographer will cost $1000 for his/her time. This

price doesn’t include prints since the guests will be paying for their own family portraits.

Shuttle ServiceShuttles will be provided by Event Shuttle Service. The Luxury VIP Jet

Sprinter XL shuttle seats 24 passengers. The shuttles have leather captain chairs,

baggage storage, a flat screen TV, surround sound, DVD player, party lights, and

privacy shades. There will be two shuttles after the event is

over to take guests around property or back to their homes in Suncadia property. The

shuttle will arrive on property at 2:30 and will transport guests for 1.5 hours for $250.

Budget/PricingThe pricing method for this event was based off of a couple of strategies. It was noted that

Suncadia is a resort with a higher class clientele. Pricing isn’t a factor to a lot of the guests who stay at

Suncadia. This clientele of people often look beyond the price to enjoy a fancy afternoon with family.

Furthermore, the markups are based on the probability of the need negotiate or discount. The prices are

set to cover costs and make profit. In some instances it is better to price the party higher than needed,

and negotiate or lower the costs to satisfy the customer. In some instances markup factors of 1.5 and 2

were used. This was to cover fees, taxes, and labor costs. The cost analysis of the entire menu and event

can be seen on the Excel spreadsheet.

To price the menu: Safeway Inc. Retrieved from: www.shop.safeway.com

To price the specialty beverages: Bevmo beverage retailer Retrieved from: www.bevmo.com

Post-Party ReviewA debrief, post party review was held after the catered event. For the most part the event was

said to be very successful. Suncadia emailed Signature Events & Catering thanking them for the

outstanding food, presentation, and fun family afternoon they provided. The party supervisor said that

she had guests coming up to her saying it was the best Mother’s day picnic yet! Staff commented that

there was not enough time for set-up. Next time more time will be implemented between unloading at

the site, setting up the kitchen, time for prep, and then serving. If time is not allowed more staff should

be on site. At this time, invoices, thank you letters, and follow-up letters were sent out.

Final Review:

After all of the in-depth planning of this event, overall it was successful. Signature Events &

Catering provided a fun- family afternoon full of good food, entertainment, and company. The planning

of this event was guided by the course textbook, worksheets given out in class, and internet sources.

Next time I would extend the time. Guests had so much fun socializing and playing together as families

that they would have like more time before and after the meal. The budget for this event was set a bit

high, however, the Suncadia team set the price at $30 to charge each guest. This mark up on cost per

person will cover all of the costs. Within the budget I have planned to make approximately $6,000 in

profit. Now that I have developed this event, I feel more prepared to plan and execute future events.