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Weddings

Attributes highlighted by couples

Table setting and decorations
Cake
Seasoned professional
Food quality and taste

About this vendor

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No owner details yet.

24 years in business

We speak English and Spanish

Catered by Design brings your wedding to life with sumptuous food and refreshing beverages presented in spectacular fashion. Our creative and friendly team of event specialists will be with you every step of the way, so you can enjoy your special day with total confidence and peace of mind.

While we can answer general inquiries, using a digital storefront does not allow our sales team to receive the most accurate information to help with crafting your proposal for your big day. Please visit our contact form for you to get a response from a sales team member. Our contact form can be found here:
https://cateredbydesign.com/contact


For more information around your big day and the process of working with a catering company, please feel free to visit our weddings page to help get you started and answer some questions that you may have. That link can be found here:
https://cateredbydesign.com/weddings

About

Catered by Design is a wedding catering company based in Morton Grove, Illinois. Our mission is to bring your events to life with sumptuous food and refreshing beverages presented in spectacular fashion. This also includes being a good steward of the environment. Our goal is to continually improve our sustainability practices by working closely with our vendors and partners to minimize the impact on the environment.

Sam Gray, the President of Catered by Design, started in his grandmother's kitchen as just a young kid. He worked his way up into Executive Chef positions at multiple restaurants and opening a few of his own. Sam has a lifetime of experience under his belt. Deciding to settle down over 17 years ago and began his journey with Catered by Design. He has built a loyal team to create and serve thousands of food & event-seeking clients in Chicago and the greater area.

Catered by Design provides catering services all around the Chicagoland area. For the past 20 years, our friendly & dedicated staff has provided delicious food along with flawless presentation ensuring happy customers. We offer any serving style you are envisioning in a variety of cuisines all customized precisely to your taste. Catered by Design is exclusive or preferred by a handful of venues.

Cuisine

Enjoy a chef-paired menu or create a custom menu specific to your event. From a picnic or brunch to a plated, buffet or stations meal, the options are endless. Our menus include a wide variety of vegetarian, vegan, seafood, poultry & hors d'oeuvres options. Plated meals are served in three courses, and arrangements for children's menus can be made. Some sample plated meals include:

  • Roasted, Frenched White Truffle Chicken Breast
  • Center Cut Fillet Mignon
  • Whitefish with Chimichurri
  • Saffron Risotto Cakes

Here at Catered by Design, we look forward to bringing your big day to life.

Availability

No availability details yet

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FAQ

What is the average catering price per person for plated service?

$125

What is the average catering price per person for buffet service?

$125

What is the average catering price per person for stations?

$125

Which of the following are included in the cost of your full service wedding catering?

Delivery
Set Up
Clean Up
Cake Cutting
Dessert
Cocktail Reception
Server(s)
Tastings
China
Linens
Flatware
Glassware

What is the starting price per person for bar service?

$30

Which of the following are included in the starting price for bar service?

House Beer
House Wine
House Liquor

What event services do you provide?

Delivery
Set Up
Clean Up

What catering services do you provide?

Breakfast / Brunch
Buffet
Cake Cutting
Cocktail Reception
Custom Menu
Hors d'oeuvres
Plated
Server(s)
Stations
Tastings

What types of cuisine do you cater?

American
Asian
Indian
Italian
Mexican
Seafood

What dietary needs can you accommodate?

Gluten Free
Lactose Free
Halal
Kosher
Nut Free
Vegan
Vegetarian

What bar services do you provide?

Bartender(s)
Open Bar
Champagne Toast
Signature Drink

Which of the following items can you provide?

Chairs
Tables

Which of the following items can you provide?

Barware
China
Flatware
Glassware
Linens

Still have questions?

Reach out about anything you didn't see answered here—no question is too small!

Wedding couple

Reviews of Catered by Design

This AI-generated summary gives you a snapshot of the overall ratings and feedback from the reviews this vendor has received.

Review summary

Powered by AI

Catered by Design received numerous glowing reviews for their exceptional service and delicious food for weddings. Reviewers highlighted the team's attentiveness, communication, and accommodating nature, particularly regarding dietary needs. The menu variety, personalized service, and flawless execution on the wedding day stood out to many, with guests raving about the quality of the dishes and the professionalism of the staff. CBD's responsiveness, organization, and ability to create dream weddings were highly praised, making them a top choice for those seeking high-quality catering services at a fair price.

Review summary

Powered by AI
This AI-generated summary gives you a snapshot of the overall ratings and feedback from the reviews this vendor has received.

Catered by Design received numerous glowing reviews for their exceptional service and delicious food for weddings. Reviewers highlighted the team's attentiveness, communication, and accommodating nature, particularly regarding dietary needs. The menu variety, personalized service, and flawless execution on the wedding day stood out to many, with guests raving about the quality of the dishes and the professionalism of the staff. CBD's responsiveness, organization, and ability to create dream weddings were highly praised, making them a top choice for those seeking high-quality catering services at a fair price.

Lilly
Lilly Sent on 12/27/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Wedding Food that's ACTUALLY Delicious

We used Catered by Design for our recent December wedding and we recommend them highly! Choosing a wedding caterer felt overwhelming at first. We found that many vendors were not transparent with their pricing or offerings and it could be difficult to get in touch with them for personalized information. The team at Catered by Design helped me rethink this stereotype. From our very first outreach to the day of the wedding, Catered by Design were so attentive and communicative to our needs. I have severe food allergies and many of our guests had dietary restrictions. At every point I felt my allergies and the needs of our guests were not only accommodated, but masterfully attended to.

I find that wedding food can be notoriously average for how expensive it has become. Let me just say - this was NOT the case with Catered by Design. On the day of our wedding our guests raved about the quality of the dinner and went out of their way to let us know how whimsical they found the appetizers and how tasty dessert was. The servers also went out of their way to be kind and hospitable to our guests, another touch that guests raved about.

Choosing a caterer for a large event can be a big ask, but Catered by Design made our design easy, enjoyable, and dare we say fun too! If you are looking for high quality service at a fair price, they’re the caterer for you.
Julia
Julia Sent on 11/03/2024
5 out of 5 rating

So wonderful

Catered by Design was excellent. The food was absolutely delicious, and their staff were very professional and kind. Sam Gray and Erin Ley were very collaborative and creative in the implementation of our requests.
Rachel
Rachel Sent on 10/09/2024
5 out of 5 rating

You found your caterer!!

Erin and her team helped create the wedding of my dreams! From the moment we got in contact, I knew they were the perfect fit. The tasting was an absolute blast, with Erin even displaying my venue on the TV to help us envision the big day. Erin’s personality made everything so easy—she made me feel completely comfortable asking any and all questions, and her responses were always super quick, which I really appreciated.
As for the food—wow! Everyone raved about how delicious it was, and we’re still dreaming about the cauliflower with chickpeas and leeks—it was a standout dish for us! The variety Erin offered was incredible too, from the chairs and tablecloths to the dishes in all different colors, it felt like we had endless options to make everything perfectly match our vision. On the day of the wedding, Erin’s team was on top of every detail. Everything ran smoothly, and there wasn’t a single thing that went wrong. I can’t thank Erin enough for her professionalism and expertise. I highly recommend her and her team for anyone looking for an amazing caterer!
We're all about trust. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.

Awards

140
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2025 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2024 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2023 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2022 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2021 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2019 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2018 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2017 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2016 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2015 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2014 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2013 Winner
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Are you interested?

Real Weddings

Emily & Ramtin
98 photos · 06/02/2018

Team

Sam Gray
Sam Gray
President
Tami Henry-Zimmerman
Tami Henry-Zimmerman
Operations Manager
Matthew Gray
Matthew Gray
Catering Sales Specialist
Rachel Jozwik
Rachel Jozwik
Catering Sales Specialist
Carlos  Orozco
Carlos Orozco
Executive Chef
Erin Ley
Erin Ley
Catering Sales Specialist

Professional Network & Endorsements

Anita Dee Yacht Charters Anita Dee Yacht Charters Boat Weddings

Catered By Design is one of our longest standing preferred caterers and for good reason! They provide excellent service to our clients. Delicious, high quality food along with polished and professional staff. They are highly organized and easy to work with from the planning process up until the event date. On the day of the event, they work with us seamlessly to execute an event and experience that exceeds the client's expectations!

Aberdeen's Wedding Florists Aberdeen's Wedding Florists Wedding Florists

Sam and the whole company are amazing. There food and their service is as good as it gets.

The Grove Redfield Estate The Grove Redfield Estate Mansion Weddings

For many years Catered by Design has provided excellent full service catering for the events at the Grove Redfield Estate.

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