When beginning our wedding planning, we knew that catering was our #1 priority. After some research, it was clear that Catering By Design (CBD) was the #1 caterer in the Philly area, and was who we wanted to go with. We had fun reviewing the unique venues CBD services, we visited the Michener Art Museum and decided it was a great fit for us as a queer and transgender couple.
Kelly Cloonan was the Event Specialist assigned to our event, and from our first email interaction to the end of our wedding last Saturday was an absolute joy to work with. Kelly was kind, detail-oriented, responsive, transparent, respectful of our LGBTQ+ life and Jewish customs, and caring of our event on a level that surpasses a typical vendor/client relationship. While we did not have a wedding planner and the design was our own, Kelly in MANY ways stepped in and gave us the attention and time that we feel a planner would've given us. Kelly would respond to our (many) emails within 24 hours and even gave us her cell phone number for quick questions and day-of needs. She helped us build a catering menu that suited our needs and met our budget. We wanted to do four signature cocktails named after our four dogs and she helped make sure that the bar staff was fully prepared, having some pre-made leading into cocktail hour. Guests told us that this and keeping the two bars open all night helped ensure there were nearly zero lines all night which is a HUGE deal at 100+ person events. Kelly ensured us that the staff were informed of our guests dietary needs. She allowed us to hang gender neutral bathroom signs to make sure we and our guests felt comfortable. She seamlessly ensured all of our rentals, decor and vendors were set-up. In the middle of our event we were running low on gin, vodka and white wine and Peter the President of CBD ran out to get us more so our guests never knew a thing.
We could go on and on -- but please know that Catering By Design has an incredible team including Kelly Cloonan, which made it easy for our wedding day to not only go to plan, but to exceed our expectations and impress our guests with the food and service. Catering By Design played an integral role in the best day of our life, and undoubtedly will give your special occasion the care and attention you deserve to make it incredibly memorable.
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Alyssa Sent on 12/01/2025
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Highly recommend!
“Our experience with the venue was truly wonderful. The team was easy to work with from the very beginning and consistently helpful with all the details leading up to the day. The space itself was beautiful and created such a great atmosphere for our wedding. The food was excellent and our guests had great things to say about it. We’re very grateful for how smoothly everything came together and would highly recommend the venue.
Catering By Design's reply:
Hi Alyssa,
We are thrilled to hear that you, your family, & friends had the best night. It was such a pleasure to be a part of such a special day for you and we're so happy everything turned out more than perfect. Congratulations once more and Happy Holidays!
All the Best,
Catering By Design Team
Jon T. Sent on 12/20/2024
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Everything was perfect!
We cannot recommend Catering by Design highly enough! They absolutely saved the day for us on our wedding day in September, stepping in on short notice when our original caterer couldn’t deliver. Despite the time constraints, they went above and beyond to meet our needs, even accommodating special menu requests that weren’t part of their standard offerings.
Our communication with Ginger was exceptional throughout the entire process, giving us peace of mind during a stressful situation. On the day of the wedding, Ginger’s team executed everything flawlessly. The food was delicious, beautifully presented, and raved about by all of our guests.
If anyone asks for a catering rec in the future, they will easily be our first choice! Five stars all the way!
Catering By Design's reply:
Hi Jon,
Happy New Year and thank you so much for your kind words; It truly means the world to us and we were so lucky to be part of you & Janae's special day creating memories to last a lifetime for you and your guests!
Cheers,
Catering By Design Team
Are you interested?
Michael Sent on 12/17/2024
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Outstanding Service With a Smile: A Catering Experience to Remember
Our venue has a partnership with Catering by Design and we had an incredible experience with them. Their professionalism and attention to detail were truly immaculate. Right from the start, they were attentive, they made sure every guest at our wedding was taken care of. The team was not only efficient but also friendly, making our event a delightful and delicious experience for everyone. We highly recommend Catering by Design. The quality of service provided matches the exceptional quality of their menu. Thank you Catering by Design.
Catering By Design's reply:
Hi Michael,
Thank you so much for your kind words; It truly means the world to us and we were so lucky to be part of your special day creating memories to last a lifetime for you and your guests!
Cheers,
Catering By Design Team
Vicki Sent on 12/02/2024
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Simply the Best!
Catering By Design at ONE North Broad exceeded all expectations! Helene and her team were incredibly organized and supportive, bringing my vision to life with such attention to detail. Most importantly, our guests couldn’t stop raving about the food—it was the best they’ve ever had at a wedding! The grazing tables, passed hors d'oeuvres, and bite-sized desserts added an extra "wow" factor to an already incredible menu. A huge thanks to the entire CBD team for making our day so seamless, special, and absolutely delicious!
Katherine Sent on 08/01/2024
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Excellent and Worth Every Penny
Fred and the team at CBD were truly incredible. I was not a very strong planning bride working a challenging job and they were everything we needed and more. They invested time, attention, and thought more than I expected in advance and on the day of! We loved working with them and Garnish - truly made my flower dreams come true. I would recommend CBD to anyone and everyone - weddings and beyond, and I am so grateful we used them for both the rehearsal and day of our wedding.
Catering By Design's reply:
Hi Katherine,
Thank you so much for your kind words! It was an honor to be apart of your big day. Congratulations to the Ladds once again!
Best,
Catering By Design Team
Daniel Sent on 07/17/2024
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CBD at The College of Physicians
Michael was phenomenal to work with. The catering staff were incredibly attentive to everyone and everything - not one detail was missed. And the food was even better the night of our event than at our tasting!
Hannah Sent on 05/22/2024
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Amazing Wedding Venue/ Caterer
I got married in May 2024 at The Michener Art Musuem where CBD is the exclusive caterer. We had a wonderful experience working with Kelly, their event specialist, and were thrilled with how the event and the food turned out. Every step of the way, Kelly was communicative, understanding, helpful and kind. It was clear that her main focus was bringing our dream wedding to life and she did exactly that. We got SO MANY compliments on the food— the selection, presentation, and taste far exceeded everyone’s expectations! I am so happy that we decided to get married at the Michener and that we had the opportunity to work with Kelly and CBD— I would highly recommend this venue and caterer.
Gina Sent on 02/07/2024
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Catering By Design made our wedding unforgettable
Wow, just wow. Catering by Design and Michael Mitloff truly made our wedding dreams come true! From the very beginning, we knew we were in good hands. When Michael first showed us the venue at the College of Physicians and explained how CBD works, we had complete confidence that our wedding day would be everything we'd envisioned - and it was. Throughout the entire planning process, Michael and his team went above and beyond to make our lives easier. From helping us to select the perfect menu to coordinating every last detail, they were there every step of the way. On the day of the wedding, we were absolutely blown away by how seamlessly everything came together. Michael and his team set up the venue and made it even more beautiful than we could have imagined. The service was impeccable - friendly and professional. And let's talk about the food - where do I even begin? It was nothing short of incredible. Our guests are still raving about how delicious everything was, and I have to agree - I've never had wedding food taste this good!! At the end of the night, Michael and his team took care of the tear down, which was unexpected and made our lives so much easier. Every single thing went off without a hitch, and our wedding day was perfect in every way. I cannot stress this enough-it was truly seamless and absolutely beautiful. Thank you, Michael Mitloff and the entire Catering By Design team, for exceeding our expectations and making our wedding day absolutely unforgettable!!!
Molly Sent on 12/11/2023
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Wonderful!
Everything from beginning to end was easy working with Kelly Cloonan at the Michener Museum. Her professionalism, knowledge, and kindness made the process of planning our big day fun, happy, and stress-free. Kelly and the staff of catering by design went above and beyond for our wedding and we could not have been more blown away by the end result. The food was amazing, both in taste and presentation, and everything was seamless. If you're considering working with catering by design, I would not hesitate - they are a fantastic partner for any event. Even better if you get lucky enough to work with Kelly :)
Lindsey Sent on 11/05/2023
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Best I could have asked for
Food was unbelievable, the staff was incredible, and everything went so smooth! I HIGHLY recommend Catering By Design and the entire staff there.
Catalina Sent on 08/04/2023
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Excellent catering
The menu options are incredible! I still think about our tasting and wedding menu.
Meghan Sent on 07/08/2023
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Best. Wedding. Ever.
BEST. WEDDING. EVER. An "excellent" rating is not enough to say how happy we were with everything at our wedding. We worked with CBD, specifically Kelly, for our wedding at the Michener Art Museum in Doylestown. We can't stop raving about the night. First off, Kelly is INCREDIBLE. We genuinely would have been lost without her. She is patient, organized, and always willing to help. She was more of a wedding planner than a venue coordinator. I don't know how she does it! I would use CBD for another event just to get the opportunity to work with Kelly again. My husband and I cannot say enough positive things about her - thank you for everything, Kelly! You are amazing! Second, everything CBD provided was fantastic. From the food to the staff - all of it was just wonderful. We had numerous guests tell us how impressed they were with our hors d'oeuvres and entrees. The pork belly appetizer was awesome and people were still talking about our dumpling station the next day. We loved our entrees too! I wish there was a way I could order them again because they were delicious. The waitstaff and bartenders provided by CBD were also fantastic. Everyone was polite and willing to accommodate us - they really helped to make the night run as smoothly as possible. They were all professional and lovely. We hope they had a good time with us! Finally, our venue was simply gorgeous. We loved it from the second we saw it on our tour with Kelly. It was different from all the other weddings we've been to and many of our friends and family were very impressed. Our guests couldn't stop telling us how great the venue was throughout the night. We agree! It is a hidden gem that we got lucky more people did not know about. Plus, it is affordable! My husband and I still can't get over just how reasonable everything at CBD was especially for the quality of food and service we received. I would recommend CBD to any one hosting an event - even if it's an off-premise job! With a large event like this, often something goes wrong at the last minute that send things into a tailspin. My husband and I remarked at the end of the night that not a single thing went wrong with our wedding day. I feel a huge part of that is thanks to Kelly and the rest of the CBD staff. Thank you all so much for your hard work and help so that we could have the best day ever! You guys are the best!
Charles Sent on 06/20/2023
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Fantastic Service!
Catering By Design helped us at the last minute (less than a month until the wedding) when it became clear that we were going to have to find a new caterer. They did a fantastic job, with great food and even better service! I highly recommend them!!
Krista Sent on 11/05/2022
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Fantastic service for an at home wedding
Terri and her crew did a wonderful job on a day when so much went wrong for them. We would absolutely choose them all over again.
Megan Sent on 11/02/2022
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Absolutely incredible
We of course used catering by design for catering as they’re the exclusive company for the venue. The catering by design team are incredible! Everyone who works there really loves what they are doing and it really shows. The service is amazing, they made every single one of our guests feel like it was their party. I can not say enough about the chef! My partner and I never had a chance to make it to a tasting since we live 4 hours away. We were a little scared going into the wedding because of that but we had heard nothing but high praises about the chef. Both my partner and myself are vegan, so we were pretty excited to collaborate on a menu with the chef.
We chose a lot of items from the pre offered menu because a lot of the food were our favorite foods anyways.
We added a few items for them to make at our request and they freaking killed it!
Same with the sangria they made for our wedding. Everything is made from scratch and you can really taste the amount of passion coming out of that kitchen. Our guests were raving about the food and telling us how they were scared going to an all vegan wedding and weren’t sure what to expect but they were more than surprised with the amount of flavor and creativeness they tasted that night.
My brother who says he is a meat-a-tarian just to make me mad snarfed so many horderves during the cocktail hour… he said he’s never had good vegan food and he was obsessed!
Catering by design also has a florist division ( garnish) which we used for the night. I personally have a hard time with the idea of cutting a bunch of flowers to be possibly tossed the next day and I expressed my concerns about that with her, showed her my mood board and my vision of what I was looking for and Carolyn freaking knocked it put of the park. There were enough flowers to make it look beautiful and like a wedding but subbed things like candles and vines to help make me feel a little better about it all.
Over all this was the best wedding I have been to in a very long time. And I’m not saying that because it was mine but I am saying that because of the staff, the building and the city it was in. They take pride in what they do here and it is worth every dollar.
Catering By Design's reply:
Megan! Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience with us! Our team loved preparing an entirely vegan menu and are thrilled your guests, including the meat lovers, enjoyed everything. And you said it, Carolyn knocks it out of the park too!
Heather Sent on 09/19/2022
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Above and beyond
Our experience with Catering by Design was great. From the staff to the food, we couldn’t have asked for a better night. They made what could have been a stressful time, easier. I would absolutely recommend using their services!
Kelly Sent on 07/26/2022
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Simply the best!
I used to hate it when people said that their wedding day was the best day of their lives, but ours truly was, and much in part thanks to Terri and the entire Catering By Design team! We worked with CBD for nearly two years due to COVID reschedules, and the professionalism and expertise that we saw throughout the entire planning process was absolutely wonderful. There were very few stressors from start to finish, that culminated in the most perfect and stress-free day. I honestly didn’t have to worry about a single thing once the day came as the entire CBD team was prepared and ready to go. The entire staff was friendly and helpful and we received an abundance of compliments from our guests about how attentive everyone was to them. We had the pleasure of working with Michael throughout the day who made sure that we as the bride and groom had everything we needed. He was already ready with a drink order and to box up some cocktail hour food to make sure we got to taste everything throughout the day. I’m so thankful to the entire crew, and especially Michael, for making us feel so special.
The food itself was absolutely spectacular. We got so many compliments about the quality of the food both at cocktail hour and at dinner (especially recommend the short rib for dinner and the crab cakes, Nashville hot chicken and dim sum bar for cocktail hour). We opted for wedding pie as opposed to wedding cake, and each flavor was more delicious than the last! I would highly recommend Catering By Design for any catering needs, but especially trusting them with one of the most important days of your life. Thank you to the entire team
Sara Sent on 05/26/2022
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Excellent job
This stellar team made the events of our wedding day go seamlessly. We and our guests were thrilled with the quality of the food and service which made guests feel at ease. Communication before and during the event was terrific as well. Would recommend CBD to anyone who asked.
Addison Sent on 05/18/2022
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Cannot recommend enough
We could not have had a better experience with Catering by Design. As a wedding photographer myself I interact with countless vendors and CBD is among the best of the best. We were lucky enough to work with Kelly and she was extremely attentive and always quick to answer questions kindly and thoroughly. Our guests were blown away by the selection for cocktail hour and they raved about the awesome staff, service and food during dinner. We highly recommend them!
Reyna Sent on 11/22/2021
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Incredible food, service, and atmosphere!
The Catering by Design team was amazing! We loved the food at the tasting, but you never know how it will turn out day of - we had nothing to worry about. All of the food was delicious, and our guests are still texting us about some of the appetizers! Everyone on the staff team was so great, people had great energy and everyone was super friendly and professional. Highly recommend!!
Tracey Sent on 08/26/2021
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Awesome service and food
Liz with Catering by Design was an amazing help to us during the entire process of wedding planning. Even though she's not an official "planner" per se she was so great at helping me find vendors, even last minute! She was quick to respond to emails which was great as a covid bride who had to postpone my wedding once. Catering by Design has awesome food that everyone raved about. I will say I was nervous because the tasting was only "ok" but the salmon and the short rib were AMAZING! Also everyone was talking about the hor d'oeuvres as well. I was very relieved that the food was such a hit because next to music, it was the most important thing to us. Thanks Liz and CBD Events!
Elina Sent on 07/31/2021
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Excellent food & service!!!
Terri & the CBD team were wonderful! We got married at ONE North Broad and CBD is the exclusive caterer. I was at first worried, b/c what if we didn't like the food selection? But that was no concern once we went to the tasting. I'll start with most weddings I've attended, I don't remember the food or I walk away hungry. NOT HERE!! CBD paid attention to every detail! During the cocktail hour the hordervs we had were beautifully presented! Everything from the philly cheesesteak eggrolls to the steak tartare canape to the salmon on a cucumber round; it was all so elegant. The dinner entrees themselves were INCREDIBLE! You must go with the shortribs...they melt in your mouth. The gruyere mashed potatoes with chicken were out of the world as was the seabass. The portions are exceptional and no one walked away hungry :) Also - their service...it was excellent. The waiters didn't rush our guests to clear plates and were so courteous/professional. I would highly recommend CBD as your caterer....you will not be disappointed!!
Rachel Sent on 02/05/2021
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Amazing team
CBD helped me put on the Covid wedding of my dreams - all of our plans changed within 13 days before our wedding day and Terri and team helped create a magical experience. They were there for us throughout the entire process while we were navigating these everchanging times. We didn't want to postpone and they were so flexible in making our wedding day a reality - intimate or not!
We cannot recommend Catering By Design enough. Food was amazing, team was amazing - overall incredible people to work with!
Connie Sent on 10/15/2020
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Amazing food and cake!
We were thrilled with CBD and Ms. Terri Fair who managed all of our dining for the big day. From the get-go we were really impressed with the vast menu and appetizer options, and the tasting was held in the beautiful setting of The Baldwin School, where the owner of CBD, Peter, had a really professional event. Even though Covid decreased the size of the event, we still had a lot of appetizers at the wedding (they were all butlered by very polite and professional staff wearing masks), and we were really impressed with how dainty all the appetizers looked. We got the samosas (which packed some heat!), duck, steak, and nashville hot chicken, all delicious! Also the main courses were delicious, the steak was cooked to perfection (medium). We also truly loved our wedding cake. It looked exactly how we wanted it to look (upcharge for pound cake, korean buttercream flowers) and was absolutely delicious! We would definitely recommend CBD to help with your catering needs or weddings or other events. In the era of Covid we almost had to host the dinner in our parents' back yard, but Terri was very flexible with that and came out to check the area, and I'm sure would have made a beautiful outdoor dinner happen too. Thank you everyone at CBD!
Kelly Sent on 10/12/2020
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Perfection
I worked with Nancy at Bolingbroke Mansion, one of their venues out in Wayne. I could not be happier with the experience. I have never had such a great sense of service before. Now that I have done a wedding, I know that I should not stress myself out anymore if I have a vendor like CBD in charge.
Nancy makes you feel like you've been life long friends in a couple of seconds. She went above and beyond to make our day special. She knew we had a tight budget, but showed us many different ways we could do the menu that would make it fit. She kept us on track and up to date on the things we needed to do. She ran out on our wedding day and got us Triple Sec with her own money because we had forgotten. The food was amazing, every server was attentive and wonderful. The bartender we hired through them, Gary, was an amazing affable guy that made the night one to (or not)remember.
I also used their in house decorator, Carolyn Rizzo. Oh my gosh. What an artist. I wish I had more pictures of all the beautiful things she did. Again, they made things work within our budget and I so appreciate that.
In general, I was overwhelmed by the service they provided. They decorated a few of the fireplaces at no extra cost. They were punctual, professional, and incredibly detail-oriented. I highly encourage you to invest in CBD for your caterer. They really blew me away.
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Shelley Sent on 04/23/2020
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Wonderful, Caring Team
Lindsay from CBD was very uplifting and inviting from our first meeting. She demonstrated a great amount of flexibility when it came to touring the Michener and coordinating the tasting with our many family members. The tasting was an amazing experience and did not compare to tastings that many of our friends had with their catering companies. Unfortunately, we had to cancel our wedding due to COVID-19 so we were unable to see our event come to fruition however out of all of our vendors the CBD team was the most accommodating and understanding. They tried to provide us with many solutions but when we realized we were not going to be able to reschedule they worked with us to come to a mutual agreement. I couldn't recommend CBD and especially Lindsay at the Michener more for your big day!
Deanna Sent on 04/23/2020
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Best of the Best!
Our wedding was truly a masterpiece. I know everyone says and thinks that of their wedding day, but it truly was--and so much of that has to do with the One North Broad Team and Catering By Design. My husband and I met in Philadelphia (where I am also from) so we wanted our wedding in Philly even though we live in New York City. For this reason, we knew that we needed a solid/responsive team to work with because so many of our interactions would be virtual. ONB and CBD were it!
Catering By Design is ONB's exclusive caterer. Initially, we were hesitant about venues that had exclusive caterers because we are FOODIES and we wanted the venue and catering decisions to be separate. However, CBD did not come to play! Knowing how passionate we were about choosing ONB as our venue, but unsure of CBD as our caterer, Terri Fair arranged for us to have a tasting BEFORE we made the official commitment. To me that gesture alone demonstrated that they were not just invested in receiving our money/business, but committed to proving they could be the perfect fit for our perfect day. What also sold us on CBD was their many many catering options. A lot of catering companies have their set menu tiers with set prices, and you just pick from a list. CBD, however, works within your budget and food preferences to make your dreams reality! While we still opted for a traditional seated dinner, we had the option to do family-style, buffet, etc... And the range of food options from their hors d'oeuvres to their entrees were overwhelming in the best way imaginable! A foodie heaven!
The staff that worked our wedding was out of this world. From the way they dressed to the way they interacted with our guests-- folks are still talking about how impressed they were with the team. My husband and I had a dedicated staff member who made sure we had everything we needed BEFORE we even needed, and that small detail truly made a world of difference. The set-up and break-down of our reception was seamless and efficient, and before we were ready to head out of the door we had all of our extra food packaged and ready to go with us-- which was much appreciated the morning after!
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Ashleigh Sent on 04/09/2020
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CBD is the exclusive caterer for One North Broad
We got married at One North Broad and Catering by Design is the exclusive caterer. That being said, CBD was exceptional. Terri is awesome and very helpful from start to finish. Sue works for the venue, and handles the venue expenses as well as alcohol. Terri is in charge of food, glassware, barware, table settings, linens, tables, chairs, etc. They both work as a team to help the entire process be stress-free. The food is amazing. There are a million options for the bar set-ups, and the staff is exceptional. All of our guests raved about the food and beverage options. We had the best day ever, and our guests did too. You won't be disappointed with Catering By Design!
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Kimberly Sent on 01/13/2020
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Most amazing food and service!
We worked with Terri Fair and CBD for our wedding at ONE North Broad this past December. I cannot say enough great things about the amazing food and service we had at our wedding. We received so many compliments from our guests. From how well the entrees were cooked, to the variety of hor d’ouerves we had at cocktail hour, and how nice and professional the wait staff was.
Terri was such a pleasure to work with throughout the entire planning process. She answered all of our questions and was extremely accommodating with any requests we had. The day of the wedding I was completely stress free because from the planning process I knew Terri had every detail under control. Things ran incredibly smooth because of her.
We are so very grateful to Terri and her staff for making our wedding day a dream! Hire CBD if you are looking for amazing food and service at your wedding.
Kathryn Sent on 11/14/2019
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The Wedding of the YEar
Catering by Design did our wedding at The College of Physicians of Philadelphia in September 2019. Everything was perfect; from the table linens to the interior layout to the delicious food etc.
We were initially drawn to Catering by Design as they have worked with The College of Physicians of Philadelphia on many events, so they were used to the space. They had great ideas regarding how to "lay things out" and how to best utilize the museum/venue.
What really sealed the deal were their menu offerings. The food was interesting and eclectic. We didn't want the "traditional sit-down dinner," so we opted for the stations service. We went with the: carving station (for the "traditional" eaters), the bao buns station (a crowd favorite), and the poke bowl station (one of my personal favorite foods). The desserts at the dessert bar even matched the quality of the dinner options. Additionally, the cake with the delicious buttercream icing put to rest the myth that wedding cakes are "no good."
We worked closely with Kristen Medici at CBD. She was efficient and knowledgeable. She was also always really upbeat, which made a difference, especially when things/planning became stressful. She also offered insight on how to set things up and food items for the menu, which was greatly appreciated. Kristen was even flexible when we were late to drop off some "final" decorations before the big night!
In fact, all of the staff at CBD was amazing. My hubby and I were still doing photos during most of the cocktail reception, so CBD's staff made sure to bring us a selection of the hors d'oeuvres, so we were able to try everything. They also kept refilling our drinks; we were never left unattended; the service was great!
I would highly recommend Catering by Design for a large event, and I would love to use them again if I have another big event. I would even recommend going to The College of Physicians of Philadelphia for an event, as CBD often does a lot of the catering for these events.
Esther Sent on 11/08/2019
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The best! Look no further
We loved working with Catering by Design. Terri is the best! She answered all of our questions throughout the process and helped guide our ideas. She tracked every detail and we were always very comfortable knowing she had everything under control. The staff were phenomenal, so professional, attentive and genuinely nice. Our florist who is also a family member, said this is the absolute best catering group she has ever worked with. Everyone was incredibly helpful and accommodating. The food was phenomenal and it was presented so beautifully. So many of our guests told us they were so delighted and impressed with the food! We are so grateful to Terri and her team for making our wedding day absolutely perfect!! We absolutely recommend Catering by Design!
Alison Sent on 10/13/2019
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Incredible food, even better service!
CBD is incredible in every part of the planning process. Terri could not have been more helpful or responsive. Terri helped us design a perfect meal, even bringing in an ice cream bar and soft pretzels as a late night snack for our guests. The food was absolutely incredible, and our guests are still talking about the tater tot bar. Thank you for the most magical day!
Britt Sent on 09/13/2019
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Awesome Catering!
Catering by Design was awesome to work with. Terri made the process of selecting food for our wedding enjoyable and easy. The food was delicious - guests were commenting on how great everything tasted! Cake was awesome, too. Highly recommend!
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Amanda Sent on 07/05/2019
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Great food and service!
We fell in love with our venue, the College of Physicians, at first sight. Catering by Design was the exclusive caterer, but we were working on a tight budget, and honestly, we initially thought that they were going to be out of reach for us. But Kristen Medici was very understanding and worked with us, putting together a budget-friendly proposal, and we’re so glad she did!
Kristen went above and beyond to make our event a success. We were planning from out-of-town, so most of our communication was via email and phone. Along the way, Kristen was consistently responsive to questions and changes. She also took on a lot of month-of and day-of event planning, including writing up our timeline, contacting vendors to coordinate load-in and setup, and coordinating our ceremony. This meant that we were able to really enjoy our day without worrying about the flow of the event at the venue, and we could not be more grateful for all of that help. Kristen and her staff even snuck us away right after the ceremony for some hors d’oeuvres, wine, and a moment of privacy. We really felt taken care of. On top of Kristen’s exemplary planning and support, the service was impeccable, and the food was outstanding. We received so many compliments from our friends and relatives. Several of our guests said they had never had such good food at a wedding before. Overall, we wholeheartedly recommend Kristen and CBD!
Jeffrey Sent on 06/27/2019
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Amazing wedding experience!
I am not exaggerating when I say that my wife and I couldn’t have thrown the wedding celebration at The College of Physicians of Philadelphia that we did without Kristen Medici and her amazing staff. We’ve had many, many guests come up to us and say nothing but the nicest things about their interactions with the staff across the board, and we feel the same way. From our first interaction with Kristen, we knew that we wanted her in charge of our wedding day, and she did not disappoint. It was a perfect day, and a lot of that is due to Catering By Design's tremendous efforts. We look forward to working with them again, and couldn't recommend them more!
P Jones Sent on 05/27/2019
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Highest recommendations without any reservations!
Kristen Medici and the staff at CBD did a fabulous job from start to finish. They were responsive, accommodating, flexible about our wishes, and most importantly, made the process personal. Warm and easy to work with, they made an effort to get to know us and our families so the final outcome would be just what we wanted. The venue (especially the garden!) was gorgeous, the food delicious, and the logistics seamless. We highly recommend them without any reservations!
Alexa Sent on 01/15/2019
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Most Amazing Experience
I cannot even begin to tell you how wonderful Catering By Design is, Liz Savits specifically!! From the moment I met Liz, I knew she was the perfect person to coordinate everything for my wedding. She was laid back and made me feel comfortable every step of the way. Catering by Design provided the most amazing food and service on our wedding day at the College of Physicians. From the butlered appetizers, to the stations, to the entrees, to dessert - everything went seamlessly! I truly hope I get to attend a wedding in the future so I can experience it all over again! Cannot thank them enough!
Julie Sent on 01/06/2019
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Yummy Food!
We had our wedding at ONE North Broad and catered by Catering by Design. They food was delicious and plentiful! Terri made the process so easy and was great to work with. Both are a great choice for your wedding! You and your guests will love them!
Kri Sent on 10/24/2018
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Delightful, Professional, Experienced - I Love CBD
Working with CBD was delightful, from the walk-through appointments to tastings to the wedding day -- all were enjoyable experiences because of this team. The food was thoughtfully executed, the decor was perfect, the lighting/sound on-point and the event coordinators (Kristen & Liz) are the best in the business. I am thrilled with the outcome of my wedding and they created wonderful memories.
Samy Sent on 06/07/2018
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Catering by Design was the absolute best! We used them for our wedding at The College of Physicians in Philadelphia. CbD is the exclusive manager of the event spaces at this venue – so they managed our ceremony, the cocktail hour, and our reception.
I need to start with Liz. She was our main point of contact at CbD / The College. She was extremely professional, knowledgeable, organized, and had immense patience with me and my 10,000 questions. She was outstanding!! From the very beginning, I left like we were in very good hands.
In terms of food / drinks, we wanted to have a fusion of Indian and American cuisine. My husband and I cared very much about the quality of the food and drinks – it was our number one priority item. Liz and her team worked with us on every detail to create a customized menu for the cocktail hour and reception to meet what we were envisioning. In addition, Liz and her team took care to deliver on a custom cake decoration idea I had in mind and a matched the taste of a signature drink my husband created. No detail was over looked. Our guests raved to us about the meatballs station and the passed hor d’oeuvres during the cocktail hour, and the entrées at the reception. They were exceptional!
The staff and chefs at Catering by Design went above and beyond and I highly recommend them without reservation.
-sam & chris
Meredith Sent on 05/28/2018
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We held our wedding on March 17, 2018 at the College of Physicians where Catering by Design is the exclusive caterer. We worked with Kristen Medici for the majority of our planning process and it was a WONDERFUL experience both in preparing for the big day and the day of our wedding. Kristen met with us repeatedly leading up to our wedding to ensure all details were taken care of. The food was amazing- we had so many compliments about the cocktail hour snacks, the cake, and the entrees (especially the steak). Kristen made sure to take into account all of our preferences and all of the details of our big day were executed perfectly. The whole team was incredibly professional and made our day incredibly special. I would recommend Catering by Design and the College of Physicians venue to anyone. Our day could have not been more perfect.
Ryanne Sent on 05/02/2018
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Nancy is the absolute best! We admittedly had no clue what we were doing when we set off to search for wedding venues. We settled on One North Broad who uses Catering by Design as the exclusive caterer. We got lucky there! Planning the wedding from afar (we live in Chicago) couldn't have been simpler. Nancy clearly communicated timelines and options, provided great guidance and advice when we needed it and has amazing ideas. I was so appreciative of her enthusiasm for our event and genuine good wishes - you'd never know she does hundreds of these things! We felt like we were treated special the whole way. Our guests are still raving about how good the food was and how beautiful the rooms were set up. As the bride, I was so appreciative that staff even came around during the cocktail hour to bring us a special tray of apps to make sure we ate. Catering by Design was wonderful at all the big things and the little things that went into making our wedding a truly unforgettable event. If you're looking for worry-free planning, you're in good hands with CBD!
Alexis Sent on 04/05/2018
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Our wedding day was a dream come true and Nancy at CBD had a huge part in making that happen. From her handling my over planning and OCD ways, she was always extremely helpful and hospitable. From the planning of everything to the food, everything was perfect and Nancy made it amazing. People still can't stop talking about how great the food was! I would use CBD and Nancy again in a heartbeat!
Elizabeth Sent on 02/08/2018
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The staff from start to finish, were helpful, accommodating, and professional. Let's not forget the delicious food, loved by all, and the perfectly executed floral "canopy "
I would highly recommend the entire team❤
Megan Sent on 02/06/2018
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We had a great experience with Terri Fair and Catering By Design at our wedding at the Michener Museum this past October. They were able to work within our budget while still making the event fabulous and memorable! The evening went smoothly, the floral was beautiful and we received many compliments on the food!
Nancy Sent on 02/03/2018
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We were married at One North Broad, where CBD is the exclusive caterer, which we were so happy about! Their food is phenomenal - we had several guests tell us it was the best food they've had at a wedding. I love that they are willing to put together pretty much whatever menu you want. Terri was super responsive, and was great on the day-of making sure that everything was taken care of. Also - they do the wedding cakes in-house and it was the best cake I've ever eaten. Thank you, CBD!
Abbey Sent on 12/29/2017
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AMAZING! Kristen was a dream to work with, and she made the process of planning so easy. We never had to worry about any details, and always felt confident that everything we wanted and that we talked about was being handled and would be done so flawlessly. The team took time to get to know us, and our tastes, which made the process so smooth and enjoyable. They level of service and attention to detail really brought them to another level and put myself and my parents at east during the whole planning process. My guests RAVED about the food after our event, which was one of the main priorities for us. I am attending a CBD wedding in the fall and cannot wait to experience one as a guest. If I ever need a cater/event planning again, Kristen and CBD will be my go-to.
Caitlin Sent on 10/22/2017
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We were recently married at Bolingbroke Mansion and worked primarily with Nancy and Lindsay of CBD. We had a beyond excellent experience overall and are still daydreaming about our wedding day. We spent just about a year working with CBD on the planning, and every interaction we had with Nancy and Lindsay was punctual, professional, and truly enjoyable. They made communication very easy from the start, and were always flexible with us as our wedding day vision formed and changed. Our theme was a little unique and, in my mind, a little challenging to execute with decorations and florals, but they embraced it along with us and had great ideas that pulled it all together aesthetically. They also made themselves available to fit our somewhat unique work schedules, so every phone call or meeting in person was made very easy for us. The food was another awesome aspect of working with CBD on our wedding. From the menu selection process, to the tasting, to the food on the actual day, everything was delicious and the menu options available from CBD's chefs were all interesting and varied. We were thrilled with the menu we landed on (fried chicken, mashed potatoes, braised brisket, cherry pie instead of wedding cake with fresh whipped cream, etc) and many guests made a point to let us know how great all the food was. All of the servers on the actual day were also excellent and very attentive. Mary, the server who took care of me and my husband throughout the night, was especially attentive and made sure we always had food and drink whenever we wanted/needed. As fine dining restaurant workers ourselves, we really appreciated the excellent service CBD provided us and our guests (and we expected nothing less!). If we had to plan our wedding all over again, we would definitely choose Catering by Design. Our wedding day was absolutely perfect thanks to them, and we would highly recommend their team to anyone in the Philly area planning a wedding. We can't thank you enough, CBD!!
Jenny Sent on 08/23/2017
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I'm nearly three weeks out from my wedding at the College of Physicians through Catering By Design, and I still can't believe how amazing it was. The staff that helped us prepare for the big day were amazing, as were the staff on hand the day-of. Liz was our go-to contact person at the College after Diana got us set up. Liz was amazing--I am a nervous and meticulous planner that obsesses over minute details. Liz was there to answer every question and concern I had promptly, while also giving her advice and suggestions along the way. This was especially important for my wife and I as we planned the entire wedding while living in a completely different part of the country. In the end, this meant that during the wedding itself, my wife and I were care-free as everything went perfectly as planned. Catering By Design at the College is a well oiled machine--everything was taken care of and we enjoyed the day immensely.
The venue at the College was everything we had hoped for. Luckily the weather was perfect so we had our ceremony outdoors. Yet we would not have been worried if it was too hot or if it was raining, as one of the reasons why we chose the College in the first place was because their indoor ceremony space is just as beautiful as their outdoor garden. The ballroom for the reception was grand and made for the perfect setting for our party.
As for the food? Amazing. The cocktail hour food was delicious (CBD delivered our food to the bridal suite while our guests enjoyed downstairs). For dinner, we went with three stations: Mashed potato bar, tuscan grille, and a Taco Bar. We were not surprised by how great the food was, as we had gone to a tasting 8 months before the actual wedding date. The cake was super yummy too.
Overall, having our wedding at the College with CBD was a great experience, and we are so happy we trusted the staff at the College and at Catering by Design with producing one of the most important event of our lives.
Allie Sent on 07/20/2017
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Catering by design was fantastic to work with. Diana, our event coordinator, was organized, experienced and flexible. We had total confidence in her and her team. She was very responsive to emails and met with us multiple times to go over details. My husband and I added a few additions to the menu and bar to personalize our wedding all of which was done with ease and upfront pricing. The food was so delicious. Not your typical wedding dinner. There is craft and care that goes into everything from the passed hors d’ouevres to the main dish. People are still talking about it! Catering by design is a well-oiled machine. They run multiple events a year, but you won’t get a generic ballroom event. Every detail can be tailored to your desire and the space at The College of Physicians is so fantastic is speaks for itself.
Jean Sent on 06/19/2017
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Catering By Design provided the all the details for our daughter's wedding at the Mutter Museum, from helping us to organize the event, providing flowers, to serving delicious appetizers and scrumptious dinner and cake. Guest toured the Mutter Museum during cocktail hour. Service was impeccable, attending to the bride and serving all the dinners promptly. It was more than we could have anticipated, it went so seamlessly. Thank you, Diana and all the staff, to make the occasion truly memborable.
Rebecca Sent on 06/09/2017
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Wonderful experience! Highly recommend! Our wedding was at the Mutter Museum / College of Physicians, where Catering by Design is the exclusive caterer. We worked with Diana throughout the planning process and she was there on the big day to ensure everything went smoothly. Diana was wonderful to with - always pleasant, professional, and organized. Diana handled all our food, including tastings, open bar, place- settings for the tables, day of coordination with all vendors, event schedule (ceremony, cocktail hour, reception), ran our ceremony rehearsal, and many many other things. It's important to note that we don't live in Philly and planned most of the wedding remotely (via email and over the phone) and it worked out great! During the wedding, my bridal attendant Tracy was fabulous - I felt like royalty! I dubbed Tracy and Diana the "Ninjas" because any time I needed them during the event for anything at all, there they were, ready to help and anticipating my every need. Our guests raved about the DELICIOUS FOOD, WEDDING CAKE, craft old-timey cocktails, and FIRST CLASS SERVICE. 5 stars! Catering by Design knows how to throw a fabulous party!!
Alison Sent on 12/07/2016
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Dan Love made my wedding absolutely perfect-- I couldn't recommend him more! Leading up to the day, he answered all of my questions and was able to help us make our food/decor unique and exactly us. On the day of, he was unbelievably calm & had everything under control-- as a result, we had a totally flawless ceremony, cocktail hour & reception. He is the best of the best!
Andrew Sent on 11/22/2016
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Dan and Diana were amazing to work with and made our wedding amazing. The food was some of the best wedding food our guests ever had (their words, not ours). The CBD team made planning a breeze and stress free; and more importantly, they made us feel right at home in the College of Physicians and at their home office in Mount Airy. They worked with on two tastings since we wanted an additional option, and we couldn't have been happier with service, quality, attention to detail that the team provided. Sometimes in-house catering teams let quality and service slip a little since there's no competition for the business. This couldn't have been more the opposite with CBD, Dan and Diana.
Jacqui Sent on 10/22/2016
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CBD is the exclusive caterer of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, in addition to other venues in the Philly area.
Our wedding at CPP was a success, primarily due to the professionalism and hard work of Diana, Dan, and Peter. When we first met Diana and Dan, back in December, they walked us through the venue and gave us a comprehensive proposal based on the things we discussed during our initial meeting. Over the next ten months, they worked with us to finesse our meal selections, pick rental items, and develop what turned out to be an incredible event.
One brief caveat about CBD--while other caterers give you a strict per-plate/itemized cost, CBD does things a little differently. Their pricing is more all-inclusive, and includes a range of costs, which may be challenging to someone who has a strict budget and is trying to control costs. However, I believe it resulted in a high-quality experience for both the bride/groom and their guests. One simply has to trust that Dan and Peter have extensive experience in hosting events in Philadelphia, and to let these professionals develop the wedding of your dreams.
Our food tasted virtually as it did during the tastings. Our cake was incredible, and everyone raved about our desserts. What CBD does incredibly well are the cocktail hour appetizers--we observed guests following the waiters around, looking for a vegetable samosa or Cuban empanada! The soup and grilled cheese bar was a huge hit. During our wedding, Gary made sure that my champagne glass always stayed full! He also made sure that our parents were well taken care of. Diana worked closely with catering staff to make sure everything was as it should be, and she did not leave until that was done.
We are incredibly happy to have worked with Catering by Design for our wedding. We've had nothing but compliments about the food and experience everyone had.
User2653536 Sent on 06/19/2016
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We chose Catering By Design (College of Physicians location) for our wedding catering, and we could not have been happier with our choice. The food and staff were fantastic, the co-owner Dan made us feel comfortable and supported and our day of coordinator, Diana, was so helpful and accommodating along the way. We had the opportunity to design our package exactly as we wanted to and it turned out perfectly. Our guests were raving about the location, the food and the party. I would highly recommend this vendor to any bride and groom who are looking for their wedding! Thanks Catering By Design!
Clay Sent on 04/29/2016
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Dan Love – I think we are finally starting to recover from a delightful evening! Just wanted to drop you a note saying how much we appreciated your tremendous efforts to make our daughter's wedding a great success. Service, food, and your coordination were just right!!!!!
You all really came through for us. The evening went smoothly, we received many, many complements about both the flowers and ambiance and especially the meal and the appetizers. One very critical beer drinking friend of mine even said we “done good” on the selection of beers!
You all were so understanding/calming/professional – from Peter to Diana to Rae to Angie – and especially to you – thank you so much for your great delivery of what you promised!
Please feel free to use Judy and me for references if any of your prospects want to call and chat about how great you all were and how smoothly a wedding ceremony and reception can run.
Linda Sent on 11/14/2015
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Immediately after we contacted Catering By Design to discuss our wedding, Nancy emailed us. We met in person shortly after that, and were absolutely blown away by Nancy's professionalism and warmth. Catering By Design offered us not only a menu that we knew would appeal to our guests, but took care of every detail, even those we had not even thought of. On the day of the wedding, Nancy and her staff arrived and turned our home into a beautiful and festive venue. Nancy was absolutely right when she said that all we would have to do was 'open the door' to our guests. Every single one of our guests remarked to us on how kind and professional the staff was, how wonderful the food was, and how perfect the service was. They made a perfect day even more perfect. We would recommend Catering By Design without hesitation.
User2352795 Sent on 10/06/2015
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Dan and the whole group at CBD were amazing. They helped us create a custom menu with many vegetarian options for all of our guests. They were super responsive and professional and we couldn't have asked for a more perfect experience!
Sarah Sent on 04/20/2015
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I can't even begin to rave enough about he experience my husband and I had with Catering by Design. Dan Love and his team were absolutely stellar -- flexible, accommodating, informative. Completely took the stress out of our day. Our guests were talking all night (and for several days afterwards) about how beautiful the venue and decor was, how marvelous the food was, and how excellent the service was. If you want a fantastic Philadelphia wedding, make sure you use this caterer!
Kris Sent on 02/22/2015
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CBD is an unforgettable caterer. They spend significant time getting to know their couples and they craft a menu based on your likes. They don't do tastings until you book and plan a menu, but don't let that dissuade you; the food is INCREDIBLE. All of our guests told us that this not only the best wedding food they'd ever had, but also some of the best overall food they'd had.
On our wedding day, we felt like royalty. We had a staff member whose sole job it was to be sure that we had a drink in our hands and food at our table. It was an unexpected surprise - and made the day all the more special.
Ask to work with Nancy Schwoebel. Nancy is an absolute joy, knows her stuff, and has a great reputation; your other vendors will be happy when they hear her name.
Michael Sent on 01/02/2015
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Nancy of Catering by Design is incredible. My fiancé and I first had a phone interview with her when we were considering a variety of venues and we quickly realized that whichever venue we decided on, we wanted her to coordinate the catering. She was agreeable, friendly, helpful, insightful, and always a pleasure to speak with. Catering by Design requires a full deposit before providing a full tasting, but Nancy was gracious enough to provide us a “snack,” which provided a lot of confidence in regards to the quality of the menu. The full tasting also put any of our concerns to bed and made us very excited for the real event. Again and again, Nancy was ever so helpful as the wedding date approached and fielded each of our almost daily phone calls and emails with the answers that we needed and wanted. On the day of, Nancy handled the event like a true professional and even assisted with the coordination of the ceremony. Later, she followed us around with full glasses of champagne whenever she saw that we were lacking. And of course, it’s always so comforting to hear from our guests how blown away they were by the quality of the food. In addition, all of our friends and family with dietary restrictions were given personal attention and pleased with their modified options.
Caitlin Sent on 12/05/2014
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Unbelievable service and very very great to work with!
User1949682 Sent on 12/03/2014
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This wasn't a wedding, actually, it was a large 60th birthday party. The Bailiwicks staff were friendly and responsive and we knew we were in good hands from the get-go. They helped us plan the event so that it was just right--not too simple, but not over the top, either; and the food was delicious, imaginative, and elegantly presented and served. All the guests raved about it. The cooks and servers were warm, friendly, and polite people, and they dealt with the few small bumps that arose with ease and aplomb. Furthermore, the whole thing was not all that expensive. Highly recommended for any occasion!
Siobhan Sent on 09/18/2014
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I cannot thank Dan Love and the rest of the team at Catering by Design for their impeccable work on our wedding at the College of Physicians.
From our first meeting with Dan during a tour of the venue, he made me feel comfortable and most of all excited about planning our wedding. Shortly after our meeting, I was invited to go to a bridal show at the venue that Dan was catering and Dan treated myself, my mother and mother in law like we were VIPs that day. I was completely sold on Catering by Design from that moment on.
Dan helped make my husband and I an incredible menu for our wedding and answered all of our questions so quickly. We never had to worry about communication with Dan and best of all, he never made me feel like I was bothering him with my questions.
The food is by far the best catering experience I have ever had. There is no need to worry about the typical churned out wedding fare that can sometimes be expected at weddings, CBD knows how to cook for a crowd and your guests will be thirsting for more. The team nailed a family recipe for us which wowed our guests. So many of our guests reached out to us to comment about how impressed they were with the food and service provided.
Lastly, the team also was great with last minute requests. We have a family member who has had recent health issues and was put on a very restrictive diet. Days before the wedding, we were able to reach out to Dan about this request and he took the time to speak with our family member about her needs and put her at ease which is something I could not be more grateful for. Also, my parents contacted Dan with a request to surprise everyone with a cheese steak station at the end of the night which to my delight had all of the Philly fixings.
Seriously, I cannot recommend Catering by Design more. They are worth their weight in gold!
User1747808 Sent on 08/04/2014
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Peter and his whole team are amazing! I would use them for any event at all, not just weddings. And they dealt with my Celiac Disease particularly well. I whole-heartedly recommend them.
Lindsay Sent on 06/18/2014
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The food was SPECTACULAR, but the best part was Dan Love, who is the coordinator for the catering, but who also assisted with organizing the entire day. Because of his calm, warmth, organization and creativity I felt completely comfortable letting him run the day, and never felt the need for a planner. CBD was always responsive and helpful, and I was thrilled with the whole experience.
Olivia Sent on 06/05/2014
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I had a great time working with the CBD team to plan my wedding. Nancy worked with me to create an event that represented who we are as a couple, and never tried to up-sell us. She has a great energy, and pays attention to those details that make an event go smoothly. Nancy was at my side from planning the menu, setting up the venue and helping to facilitate the flow of the ceremony and reception. Her recommendations throughout the planning process were invaluable. Knowing she was there took all the stress out of my day.
Brit from Garnish, built us a beautiful floral arrangement for our ceremony, and offered wonderful advice as I went forward to do some of the florals myself.
The CBD chefs and serving staff are a skilled and friendly group of people. I received a smile and kind word from every staff person I interacted with, and so did my guests. It was a pleasure to have them all at the wedding as they added to the positive vibe of the day.
And the food, let's not forget to speak about the food! This is not your typical wedding menu. The options are wide, and the preparations are exquisite. Everyone ate their full and then some and had a great time doing so!
Thank you CBD for helping us throw an amazing wedding celebration!
Rick Sent on 05/25/2014
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Just simply the best, I don't know what else I can write here. Dan Love is not a caterer, he's a wedding deity. Every part of our wedding was incredible. The decorations were magical, the flow of the night was perfect. The food was five star, simply delectable. There were never any lines at the bar or hors d'oeuvres stations, and we felt like a king and queen all night.
CBD was incredibly responsive to my wife (wow!) and her constant emails, calls, and texts over the year of wedding planning, and they made the whole experience absolutely perfect.
I would recommend CBD to absolutely anyone who's lucky enough to snag them for their venue, as there's simply no better hands to place the most important day of your life in than Dan Love and his amazing team's.
Hari Sent on 04/08/2013
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Dan and Catering by Design catered and did many more things for our wedding at College of Physicians. Working with Dan was a breeze and he was our de-facto day of wedding planner. Dan handled all the small details so that we could enjoy the day without stress. We and our guests had a blast, the food was delicious and everything went off without a hitch. Before the wedding Dan was always available for calls and meetings on the weekend as we were struggling to define what we were looking for in the wedding. Talking with him, he was very reassuring and asked us questions that got us thinking about the things we needed to decide on. When he asked questions for which we didn't have the answers, he was very non-judgemental and patient, assuring us that we had plenty time to figure out it. Dan and CbD are the exclusive caterers for College of Physicians (a very lovely and memorable venue), which made the decision of finding a caterer very easy. In the end, I can't imagine having a better experience through it all. I would highly recommend Dan and CBD to friends and relatives.
Meghan Sent on 07/12/2012
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Catering By Design was the best vendor and best decision we made for our Wedding in June 2012.
Nancy was much more then a caterer, she was an event planner. She was extremely responsive, willing to get on the phone at any time, and very flexible when we had changes to the menu, seating, special requets etc. I felt confident the entire time that she would handle everything right, make changes and abide by any special requests we had.
Nancy basically ran our event. She did everything. All of the signs, decorative tables, etc she helped arrange and set up. I cannot explain how wonderful it was to have her. As the bride, I actually got to relax as she handled most of the day of preparation.
I haven't even gotten to the food part. The food (appitizers, salads, entrees, etc) was phenominal. We even had another caterer at our wedding, who was a family friend. They said it was hands-down the best wedding food they've ever had. The fish was perfectly prepared, the appitizers were unique enough without being crazy and were all delicious. We even requested specifc changes to the cheese on the salad and all of these aspects were quickly accomidated.
We seriously looked at over 20 different caterers and while CBD was one of the more pricy options it was well, well worth it. Do yourself a favor and spend a few extra dollars to get their service and attention, they are amazing and you won't regret it. Nancy seriously made our wedding, she was incredible.
Laura Sent on 04/05/2012
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Amazing food, creativity and decor! This team was incredible. From Day 1, Peter and the team were a huge and integral part of our very non-traditional wedding plan. They worked with us to think through all of the details and and make a field turn into a lovely venue. On the day of our wedding the weather did not cooperate at all, but the team went above and beyond their call of duty to make everything run smoothly and the wedding everything we had hoped for. We could never have pulled it off without them and it was amazing. Not to mention, the food was delicious low key - many guests told us the best wedding food they've ever had!
Pattypslutsky Sent on 04/04/2012
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So delicious! They worked with us to create a customized menu and it was so well done!
Jamie Sent on 08/22/2011
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I have absolutely NO complaints about Catering By Design! Dan Love planned and worked our event and was absolutely amazing. The food, the service, the quality, the organization--he made our wedding day run very smoothly and without him it would not have been so enjoyable. My husband and I had our own waiter who got us drinks, water, food, anything we asked all night. Our guests RAVED about the food--and we had some pretty tough critics attend! Dan helped so much in the planning process and accomplishing what we wanted in our venue. He was willing to work with us on anything from the type of fish to the arrangement of the room. He truly made ALL the difference. I would recommend Catering By Design to anyone!
Dana Sent on 09/11/2018
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We worked with Terri and had an excellent experience. Terri is passionate about what she does, and gives it 100%. She is very responsive and made sure every detail was exactly how we wanted it. The food was delicious. I was very impressed with CBD's ability to accommodate my vegan diet and made sure I was taken care of on our wedding day. Thank you to all of the staff at CBD - we had a great experience!
Nichole Sent on 09/22/2017
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Nancy and her team were AMAZING! From the planning stages all the way through the day of the ceremony, they were helpful, professional, and delivered the highest quality of service. The CBD team went above and beyond to make sure that our wedding went perfectly, and we couldn't be happier with the way that everything turned out. We received many comments from our guests about how perfect all of the food was - especially the raw bar during cocktail service and the filets during dinner service. Would definitely recommend Nancy and the CBD team to any of our friends planning an event.
Emily Sent on 03/28/2015
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We worked with Catering by Design for our recent wedding at the College of Physicians. From day one, we had a great experience with our contacts there, especially Dan Love.
The food was exceptional from the planning to the execution. They worked with us to plan a meal that would meet our expectations as semi-foodies, but also be crowd pleasing and keep the budget in check. We knew we'd spend the bulk of our budget for catering and staff, but wanted to be sure we were making smart choices about what we and our guests ultimately would enjoy the most. At our tasting we fell in love with appetizers like goat cheese stuffed apricots and entrees like mint pea filled pasta with lamb ragu and crab cake sliders with house made potato chips. The food was equally well-prepared on the day of the wedding and my husband and I were super pleased with our hors d'oeuvre tray and champagne served to us privately after the ceremony since we had no chance to eat during cocktail hour! They also boxed up at least a dozen extra cupcakes at the end of the night which was perfect since we hadn't been able to have any. Perfect for late night snacking!
Not only did CBD take care of food and provide excellent catering services, Dan and his team were integral to the process of identifying the right, slightly casual/cocktail vibe we wanted for our reception, and helping to execute that feel. They created a floor plan that kept with our approach, mixing and matching table shapes and sizes and adding in hi-tops which created the perfect ambiance and which we never would have thought of. And in other areas Dan leant his expertise, calming my mind and my mothers about other things we were stressed about (seating charts, transportation, etc).
We had an excellent experience with Catering by Design and would highly recommend them for your event.
Malarie Sent on 11/18/2014
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Catering by Design is amazing. We had them as the exclusive caterer at the College of Physicians, and when you hear "exclusive caterer", you're just like... ugh, why oh why! I'm glad these guys were it!!! Dan Love is a dream to work with! He helped us through the whole process, and man, that food was delicious. We had all of our guests complimenting us. It's 2 months later and people are still talking about it! I've already recommended these guys to some of my friends with upcoming weddings. Definitely a great vendor to work with; they make wedding planning easy.
User1994037 Sent on 11/02/2014
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What my (extremely picky and demanding) mother wrote to the vendor immediately after my wedding. (Note that I couldn't agree more with her assessment -- which was a rarity during this process! He really was amazingly responsive, helpful and insightful. I didn't hire a wedding planner and relied on him entirely. That was not a decision I regret in any way.)
We want to express our gratitude and appreciation for our daughter’s perfect wedding. Every aspect of the evening was beautiful, flawless, and exceeded our every expectation. The food was exceptional; the dinner, the desserts, and the hors d'oeuvres were delicious, and I received countless emails from friends and family who praised the evening’s fare. In addition, your staff was extraordinary. They were polite, professional, and impressive in their careful attention to every detail. Most of all, Dan, we want to express our appreciation to you personally for navigating us through this important event in our lives. You were selfless in your time, prompt and helpful in response to every apprehensive email and phone call, and provided wonderful insights and suggestions to help us through this paramount experience in our daughter’s life, and in our lives. Thanks to you, Catering By Design, and all the staff, we will have wonderful and indelible memories of the wedding. It was perfect, not one glitch, not one misstep, not one disappointment. There are no words to express how wonderful it is to have been given the memory of a lifetime.
User1784182 Sent on 08/27/2014
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My entire experience with Catering by Design was phenomenal. Nancy was very responsive and highly professional throughout the entire planning process. She served as our day-of coordinator (we did not have a wedding planner), and I never once worried about anything going awry on the day of our wedding. In addition, the service at the actual event was fantastic, and most importantly, the food was delicious! Like, not delicious for a wedding, but delicious delicious! I only subtracted half a star for value because CBD is not cheap; however, I do feel like the service we received and experience we had was well worth what we paid. Thank you, Nancy and CBD, for pulling this whole thing together and making our wedding fantastic!
Monica Sent on 09/15/2024
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Fabulous experience with Kelly and CBD at the James Michener Museum
I can't say enough wonderful things about CBD and our Venue Coordinator, Kelly C., who coordinated my daughter's wedding at the James Michener Museum in Doylestown. Kelly was exceptionally responsive from the time we made plans to see the Michener in August 2023 until the wedding in September 2024 -- answering every email and always available by phone. The day went beautifully (they even overcame some weather challenges) and our guests had rave reviews about the service and the food. Highly, highly recommend CBD!
Catering By Design's reply:
Hi Monica,
We at Catering By Design are so grateful to hear you, your family, and friends had such a great experience at the Michener Museum. An we totally agree... Kelly is the best!
Congratulations to the newlyweds!
Warm Regards,
Catering By Design Team
Caitlin Sent on 08/09/2024
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Great food, great service!
Catering by design was fantastic! The food and service were incredible, and Kelly was so helpful during the planning process. They were very on top of guest allergies!!
Michelle Sent on 07/29/2024
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5 out of 5 rating
5.0
Working with Catering by Design for Our Wedding
We loved working with Catering by Design. They made the day easy, and the food was delicious - our guests are still talking about it. They really know what they are doing!
Gabrielle Sent on 01/16/2022
4.8 out of 5 rating
4.8
Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
5.0
Average response time
4 out of 5 rating
4.0
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
5.0
Value
5 out of 5 rating
5.0
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating
5.0
Beyond expectation!
Terri and the CBD Team were incredible. They supported us through lots of changes -some very last minute due to the pandemic and were extremely accommodating. Both appetizers and entrees were fantastic and many guests complimented how top notch the service was. Highly recommend!
Michael Sent on 05/20/2021
4.8 out of 5 rating
4.8
Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
5.0
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
5.0
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
5.0
Value
4 out of 5 rating
4.0
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating
5.0
Best service pros, top to bottom
We hired CBD for a wedding in the Philly suburbs and every single detail was handled flawlessly. The staff, from Nancy Schwoebel down to those cleaning up, was professional, responsive, and oh so friendly to us and all of our guests. People are still raving about the food and service. Thank you, Nancy and CBD.
Chris Sent on 10/23/2018
4.8 out of 5 rating
4.8
Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
5.0
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
5.0
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
5.0
Value
4 out of 5 rating
4.0
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating
5.0
Great service and great food!
We hired Catering by Design (CBD) for our wedding in Philadelphia at the Fleisher Art Memorial. We chose CBD after attending a couples' open house where we were able to sample food, see choices for linens and tableware, and witness the professional staff in person. We worked with Lindsay Albert, who was very responsive throughout the lead-up to our event and helped us eliminate stress the whole way. On the day of our event, the CBD team created a beautiful atmosphere that exceeded our expectations: the room looked beautiful, the staff was attentive and professional, and the food was delicious. If you want professionals who take the worry out of your event, go with Catering by Design!
Marian Sent on 09/26/2017
4.8 out of 5 rating
4.8
Quality of service
4.5 out of 5 rating
4.5
Average response time
4.5 out of 5 rating
4.5
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
5.0
Value
5 out of 5 rating
5.0
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating
5.0
My husband and I just got married 9/9/17 at the College of Physicians. Catering By Design handles all the catering for this venue, and many other locations. We had a few minor bumps in the road with staff changes but Peter the owner, did his very best to make sure I was comfortable with the changes before moving forward. The food is absolutely amazing, honestly best I have ever had. I am still kicking myself for not sitting down and eating my dinner that night. Nancy and Kristen our coordinators made sure they understood our likes and dislikes and did their very best to ensure we were happy though out the process and night of. We received numerous phone calls and texts about how wonderful our wedding was, how great the food was, and what an amazing/interesting wedding venue we had. If we had to do it over I wouldn't have changed a thing. The best part about CBD is they really do let you design everything the way you want. We mix and matched food items, had so many plate, chain, and table cloth options. If I didn't like a beer choice they changed it. When you are pickling your wedding cake they give you all different types of icing, cake choices, toppings, etc and you can put anything you want in your cake. My husband picked ours, pound cake, caramel, strawberries, and buttercream icing; sounds terrible but every said it was the best wedding cake they ever had! My one and only complaint would be the server assigned to our table was not available as much as I would have wanted but both our parents said their service was top notch. Thank you to Peter, Nancy, Kristen, Catering By Design and College of Physicians for making our wedding day everything we had dreamed of!
Elishah Sent on 09/19/2017
4.8 out of 5 rating
4.8
Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
5.0
Average response time
4 out of 5 rating
4.0
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
5.0
Value
5 out of 5 rating
5.0
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating
5.0
Terri from Catering by Design was a perfect coordinator for our wedding! My husband and I had no idea what we were doing, but she made everything so smooth and easy. We live out of town, so we did most of our communications via email. The few times we were able to meet with her, it was productive and well worth it. She helped to work with our budget and was honest and realistic about anything that might add unnecessary cost.
Now, for the CBD's service during the actual wedding. Let me just say that I felt like a guest at my own wedding. I had passed off whatever I was bringing (alcohol, name cards, programs, etc) and they proceeded to set everything up beautifully! Garnish (the florists at CBD) were able to capture the look and feel from just one conversation and a pinterest board. If there was any drama, I did not hear of it. During cocktail hour, they made sure that my husband and I were being fed and we were given amazing service! Food and service was amazing all around! Can't be more grateful for the wonderful night they helped to create!
Mary Sent on 09/20/2016
4.8 out of 5 rating
4.8
Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
5.0
Average response time
4.5 out of 5 rating
4.5
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
5.0
Value
5 out of 5 rating
5.0
Flexibility
4.5 out of 5 rating
4.5
Diana, Dan and their entire team were incredible to work with. We had a non-traditional wedding and they helped make all of our visions come to life. They were laid back but helped us to reign in our ideas and helped us to keep our focus where we wanted it to be- us, our family and friends under one roof celebrating this happy occasion!
They also let us have our dog in our ceremony which was so precious and meaningful to us (especially my husband who has had him for 8 years!).
Can't say enough good about this group of individuals, they made our dream wedding come to life!
Hannah Sent on 05/27/2010
4.8 out of 5 rating
4.8
Quality of service
4.5 out of 5 rating
4.5
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
5.0
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
5.0
Value
4.5 out of 5 rating
4.5
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating
5.0
We loved Catering by Design. They were very receptive to any changes we wanted to make before the menu was set and so helpful during the tasting. Everyone loved the food at the wedding. They also assigned a waiter to my husband and I for the entire evening - he made sure we had everything that we needed. The only thing I didn't care for was the cake - there weren't a lot of options for decoration and it didn't taste that great. Other than that, they were great!
Clarissa Sent on 09/21/2012
4.5 out of 5 rating
4.5
Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
5.0
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
5.0
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
5.0
Value
3.5 out of 5 rating
3.5
Flexibility
4 out of 5 rating
4.0
We came to Catering by Design with hopes of providing our guests with a wonderful, electic menu with some Swedish inspiration (to reflect the brides heritage). Catering by Design did a wonderful job creating and delivering on an amazing and delicious menu. We even got comments from some of our Swedish guests that the Swedish inspired menu items were spot on, and in the case of the bride's favorite pastry, better than that in Sweden!
The day of the wedding all the stations looked beautiful and service was great. Our guests truly enjoyed the menu and its unique nature! We also thank Nancy and the staff for executing wonderfully at our event!
Nimrah Sent on 12/07/2023
4.4 out of 5 rating
4.4
Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
5.0
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
5.0
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
5.0
Value
4 out of 5 rating
4.0
Flexibility
3 out of 5 rating
3.0
CBD: Exceptional Service and Delectable Cuisine Amidst Limited Menu Options
CBD offered a commendable menu selection and diverse options, although it was notably somewhat limited in scope. While we successfully navigated the dietary restrictions of half my family, the absence of a kosher option remained a regrettable aspect. Nonetheless, the service provided was exceptional, and the cuisine proved to be delightful. I wholeheartedly recommend them, acknowledging their relatively higher pricing, which, in my opinion, is justified. Their commitment to delivering exceptional food coupled with remarkable service is evident; one receives nothing short of impeccable quality for the expenditure. The guests were genuinely impressed that wedding catering could be so delectable. Throughout the evening, multiple guests expressed that it was among the finest wedding meals they had ever experienced.
+9photos
Kathleen Sent on 10/13/2021
2.2 out of 5 rating
2.2
Quality of service
1 out of 5 rating
1.0
Average response time
3 out of 5 rating
3.0
Professionalism
1 out of 5 rating
1.0
Value
1 out of 5 rating
1.0
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating
5.0
Would not recommend
Cons
1. Some meals were served cold
2. After seeing her once during the cocktail hour and Event Specialist was no where to be found during the event. Several requests were made to speak with her but she never responded.
3. Event specialist displayed a rude, negative, pushy attitude throughout the planning process and event.
4. Appetizers were not being served throughout cocktail hour space. Many of our guest never saw many of the appetizers. We asked the staff multiple times to serve throughout the room. This never happened.
5. Appetizer station was not replenished. Had to ask the wait staff to replenish several times.
6. The bride and groom were not provided with appetizers. When the bride asked she was brought an empty plate and was told that someone else must have eaten them. The bride was then offered a lamb chop that had a bite taken out of it.
7. Overpriced. Asked to have olives on our antipasti station. Was told they would cost $363 for 123 person event. They can be purchased online for under $50
8. Paper and plastic plates and utensils were used for appetizers after being told by Event Specialist that paper and plastic would not be used during our event.
9. A staff member was supposed to be assigned to the bride and groom to serve them throughout the event. This did not happen.
10. Mashed potatoes were runny.
Pros
1. Beef Short Ribs and salmon were tasty
2. Blood Orange Sorbet was good
3. Ability to order cake and desserts from other bakeries
4. The limited number of appetizers that guests did get were enjoyed.
