The Bake Shoppe Nominated for CATIE Award

The team at The Bake Shoppe has had an entry nominated for the Best Celebration Cake of the Year at CaterSource this year.

The prestigious CATIE Award will be handed out March 10, 2010 at the Paris in Las Vegas.

The cake was designed for the Nashville Ronald McDonald house with the theme The Patchwork of Life.

Here are best wishes and a HUGE round of applause for the team at The Bake Shoppe, Amy Witcher, Shelly Santana, Nicole Wolfe, and Dawn Stoika

Photos by Gray Photography

Comfort Foods: Have Fun with Your Menus

Your party menus do not have to be plain and boring. They need to reflect your taste and style.

Comfort foods are a recent trend. People went foods that look and taste good. Comfort foods are familiar, simple foods that are often related to memories of childhood. Today’s comfort foods feature up-to-date presentation and high quality, fresh ingredients.

My favorite comfort food is mashed potatoes. They can be served as a potato bar, complete with all the toppings. Try serving them in a martini glass. Mini-Twice Baked Potatoes are also popular as well.

Other comfort foods include: Ham Rolls, Baby BLT’s, Pork Loin with Corn Pudding, Pineapple Chutney and Green Beans, and of course, the All-American Favorite, Three-Cheese Macaroni and Cheese.

Sourcing Rentals for Your Nashville Event

Chances are good that you will need to rent something for your big event. The professionals at TWESA have anything you could possibly want or they can get it quickly. Nothing is too small or too outrageous. They have supplied decor and equipment rentals for every available space in Nashville, from private homes to airplane hangars and everything in between. It was TWESA members that supplied the Red Carpet for the CMT Awards.

Planning any event, whether it is your sons Bar-Mitsvzh or a corporate retreat for 400 is a major undertaking. Sometimes you just can’t believe all the things that go into making it a success. We understand.

Need a snow-making machine or a snow cone machine? Need present a power point in a tent? Hate the chairs at your location? Rent new ones or cover them with leopard print chair covers. Whether it is extra glassware for a party at home or a tent for 300, complete with dance floor and air conditioning, or necessities such as port-a-potties, there is a TWESA member who can get the rental equipment.

Selecting an Equipment Rental Company

The best way to select rental equipment is to seek the advice of your event planner or caterer. They have experience with each vendor and will coordinate delivery and returns for you. If you want to find a supplier on your own, look at our list of members and then contact them with any questions. These professionals are a great source for ideas.

Equipment Rental ‘Need to Know’

• Inflate your guest estimate a little
• Get a quote for an entire event rather than a line item bid
• Be aware of any additional fees that may include
  • Damage waiver fee
  • Late night/weekend pick up fee
  • Delivery fee
  • Exact time delivery fee
  • Set up fee
• Know your venue’s delivery and pick up policy

Where To Stay In Nashville

With today’s global society your event is likely to have a large number of out of town guests. As a good host you will want to make sure that you have done the homework and found lovely places for your guests’ stay. Often the easiest thing to do is to book a block of hotel rooms in at least two different hotels. Advanced blocking will not only insure that your favorite hotels will have accommodations for your guests but may also get them a reduced rate. You will want to select hotels at different price points so your guests have both a luxury and budget friendly choice.

If you know that a large part of your guest list will need overnight accommodations it is a good idea to check with the local Convention and Visitors Bureau before setting the date. They can give you all the information on any major conventions, sports or social events that may affect the availability of the goods and services you need for your event. For instance, in Nashville, Vanderbilt University and David Lipscomb University graduations as well as Steeplechase all fall on Mother’s Day weekend. All the hotels, restaurants and caterers in the Nashville, Brentwood and Cool Springs are sold out. Large conventions and sporting events can have a similar effect so take this into account in your planning.

We have put together a list of the questions you need to ask and the information you need to know to get your accommodation needs taken care of with ease.

• Book your block of rooms at least six months out
• Always get a contract from the hotel
• What is the cancellation policy and is it negotiable?
• Is there an attrition clause and what is the percentage for which you may be responsible?
• Is the rate quoted for single or double occupancy?
• How many days prior to your event is the cut-off date?
• Will the hotel honor the rate after the cut-off date?
• If your guests want to come a day early or stay a day later will this rate be available to them?
• What is the policy on gift bags? Is there a charge to deliver them to the room?
• Get a detailed list of what is included in the rate quote, such as parking, local phone calls, breakfast or airport shuttle service
• Get a list of available amenities, such as swimming pool, workout facility or Internet
• If you are using any of the banquet space in the hotel is there a discount related to the number of rooms you book?
• Do they have a website for your guests to get information and make reservations? An #800?
• What group name should the guests use when making reservations?

Nashville Event Catering

Catering can make or break your wedding or other event. The cost of your catering is important as it can consume one third of your budget. Yet there are other considerations: food selection/quality, catering presentation/event decor, catering staff. The best caterers combine aesthetics, taste and outstanding service at an affordable price.

Catering Food Selection

When planning the event decide what type of catering you desire. Factors to consider include: formality, time of day and budget. Your catering could be a simple cake and punch reception or a multi-course dinner. Buffet catering is less formal and allows guests to mingle, while seated dinners give your event an upscale feel. The choice is yours, but the need for a qualified catering professional remains the same.

Catering Presentation

A good caterer will provide setup at your venue. Every location is different and provides different items. Your caterer can fill gaps with rental equipment and can tell you the items you need (and don’t). Some caterers handle this aspect completely, meaning they, not you, are responsible for returning items after the event. The decor for your event and the setup for your catering should be complimentary.

Catering Staff

Often overlooked is the impact the catering staff has on your event. Does your caterer use staff who understand service, or ‘cheap labor’? The level of service depends on your formality, but at all times you want courteous, well-groomed servers for your event. The professionals of TWESA offer options at every level of service and menu. Additionally, our members are fully licensed professionals who take pride in their catering.

Nashville Wedding Catering

Many of our members specialize in wedding catering, check out their sites. When planning your wedding do not skimp on the catering. After the ceremony, your guests will remember the food. Make sure your catering matches the theme and style of your wedding. Find a caterer who will work with you not just someone who can prepare food. Presentation and taste are both important.

Catering ‘Need to Know’

• Know your budget and the type of event as well as the date, time, location and approximate guest count
• Make sure your caterer is licensed and insured
• Compare the level of service the caterer offers
• Ask about options for children
• Few caterers offer tastings. Ask for references instead
• Make sure you get everything in writing, including time of arrival, start time and length of service
• It is customary to provide meals for the vendors that will be on-site for the length of your wedding, i.e. the photographer, musicians, and coordinator. Be sure to discuss your options on this with your caterer. Some will offer special vendor meals at a reduced cost

Planning Your Event In Nashville

If you are planning your group or corporate event is Nashville or Middle Tennessee you have found the one place to source all of your vendors. TWESA is proud to have over 200 of the areas best event professional on its rooster. What ever you need to make your event a success, you can find it here. All you rental, decor, food, location and transportation needs are a simple mouse click away. Don’t forget the entertainment; they don’t call us the Music City for nothing!