• A catering package may include the following elements:
  
  >food
  >beverages
  >servers and bartenders
  >consultation
  >set up and breakdown of your reception
  >rentals of tents, specialty linens, chairs, china, glassware, and centerpieces
  
  La-tea-da’s will work with you to develop a menu for your reception that will fit into your reception budget. We have an extensive list of appetizers, entrées, and desserts to choose from. It is possible to offer your guests a hearty menu, presented beautifully, on any budget. Most La-tea-da’s proposals are priced on a per person basis.

How do you create your proposals? Are there any hidden costs of which we should know?
La-tea-da’s will schedule a consultation with you to determine your vision for your wedding reception. Our experience with brides over the years has made it possible for us to assess your needs through focused questions about what you want on your special day. Your first proposal from us will be a “dream” proposal, including all the bells and whistles to create the vision that you communicated to us. You will be able to make choices and narrow down the elements of your package. We prefer to paint the grandest picture first and scale down rather than start small and tack on expenses over the months. Your proposal will include a per person price for food and nonalcoholic beverages, service, gratuity, consultation, and rentals. There will also be a separate line item for alcoholic beverages based on consumption. There are no hidden costs at La-tea-da’s, and we are happy to discuss your contract with you.


Should we have a sit-down dinner or heavy hors d’ oeuvres stations?

We have catered both types of events for many years, and we have found that most brides prefer the heavy hors d’oeuvres stations. With stations it is possible to offer your guests a more varied menu, and you are not limited to certain tastes or themes in your foods. Your guests are able to mingle more freely, and the atmosphere is less formal. As part of a heavy hors d’oeuvres menu, you can offer sushi and other many other unique foods.


If we choose to offer alcoholic beverages at our reception, how are those priced?

It depends on where you chose to have your reception. When hosted at a private facility such as a historic home or building, bed & breakfast, or private home we are able to provide you with bar services of beer/wine/champagne and charge based on consumption. You can select beer and wine from our wide range of choices. You will be charged based upon the number of bottles that were consumed at your reception.

When you host your reception at a public facility such as the Mint Museum of Art, Mint Museum of Craft & Design or the Levine Museum of the New South you contract with the facility for the alcohol and with La-tea-da’s for the bartenders, glassware, set-ups, etc.


Who will be working at my reception? What will they be wearing? When will they arrive, and how long will they stay?

Either Janet or Chrys Woodson, the proprietresses of La-tea-da’s, will be supervising the staff at your wedding reception. We usually have one server on site per thirty guests. Our servers wear black pants, black shoes, white tuxedo shirts, black bow ties, and black or white bistro aprons at most wedding receptions. Usually our staff will arrive several hours prior to the start of your reception, and we do not depart until all clean-up responsibilities have been fulfilled. On average, we arrive two hours in advance and depart two hours after the reception is over.


What is required to reserve our date? When do I need to provide a final head count?

When you are ready to confirm your services with La-tea-da’s, we ask that you pay a 25% deposit. Refunds are honored only sixty days prior to event date and requests must be made in writing. An additional 25% is due one week prior to event date along with your final count. Final payment is due in full the day before the event.


Do you specialize in a particular type of food?

We pride ourselves on our flexibility. Many of our menu items are influenced by Southern flavors, but we have been known to provide everything from sushi to soul food. We have seasoned chefs on our staff, and we also work with some contracted staff members who specialize in particular unique tastes. We can happily customize a menu most appropriate for your reception. Click here for a printer friendly version of our sample wedding reception menus.


Where is the food prepared?

The food for your wedding reception will be prepared at our café located on East 7th.


Is clean-up included?

The service line item of all our invoices includes clean-up. Whether your event is at a home or museum we leave the space as we found it. In fact, some site managers have commented that we left it cleaner than we found it!


Do you have sample menus? Can we arrange a tasting?

Whether you are interested in brunch, lunch, tea, heavy hors d’oeuvres, dinner, or dessert parties, we can provide you with a nice selection of sample menus from past events or a list of our latest culinary creations. We will offer tastings for clients who are trying to choose their favorite items within a certain menu area. Click here for a printer friendly version of our sample wedding reception menus.


What makes La-tea-da’s different from other caterers in Charlotte?

La-tea-da’s has years of experience in catering events of all sizes. Whether your event is an intimate gathering for a few or a huge gala for many, we will treat it as our most important. ….versatile, personalized…boutique…with attention to every detail (printed cake napkins, event itineraries, food basket for honeymoon night) La-tea-da’s has been able to cater events in volume and still maintain a small business relationship with its clients.

Can you tell me about La-tea-da’s credentials?

La-tea-da’s has been in business for over ten years in Charlotte. Our business is actively involved in several trade organizations in the city. We are members of the National Association of Catering Executives (NACE), and we are on the board of the International Special Event Society of Charlotte (ISES). In addition to our involvement in local organizations, we travel annually to the Catersource show to stay abreast of the most recent trends in food service and catering. La-tea-da’s has been featured in Today’s Charlotte Woman and South Charlotte Weekly. You can also read about us in the May/June 2003 issue of Carolina Bride discussing food trends. We also catered the wedding for cover bride Kelly Schumacher of Caroline Bride in the January/February 2003 issue.

La-tea-da’s is a preferred caterer at several major event venues in Charlotte, including the Mint Museum of Art, the Mint Museum of Craft and Design, the Levine Museum of the New South, St. Peter’s and the Charlotte Women’s Club. We are always happy to provide client and vendor references upon request!


Click here for a printer friendly version of our sample wedding reception menus.

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