Catering Consultants, Catering Company, Wedding Receptions

There are hundreds of corporate events caterers in the UK, and a huge variety of services offered by them. Some outside caterers may just supply fresh sandwiches, salads and cakes for lunches in the office or at offsite meetings. Other companies specialise in director's lunches, in offices or headquarters. And even more high end corporate hospitality caterers design and deliver every aspect of glamorous canapé receptions, lavish five course banquets, and cool corporate garden parties, all aimed at wowing clients and colleagues alike.

Of course these companies are currently in the throes of their busiest period ever - pitching for, tendering for and planning and organising their schedules for London 2012. As the biggest sporting event in the world comes to our fair city in under one year from now, these companies have to survive stiff competition, incredible creativity and cutting edge logistical expertise in order to make the grade.

The best corporate hospitality caterers and outside catering companies are of course those who can deliver everything from one end of the catering spectrum to the other - a delicious freshly toasted sandwich for a clients' driver and personal assistant? Stunning cocktail bars in designer marquees or stadium-side press centres? Easily done. The finest vintage champagnes, the most incredible caviars, the freshest oysters and the rarest cuts of Kobe beef? All possible if your corporate organisation can afford it!

But with events like the Olympics, the corporate events caterers and hospitality companies that really win the biggest jobs going are those who stand out from the pack - those whose ideas and creativity are likely to induce a 'wow factor' with the world's sporting fans. Whilst a superb plate of good old Cockney pie and mash will be a certain hit at some tables, the ideas behind service, presentation, and of course menu design will be a real decider too.

The very best corporate event catering companies - such as Rocket, Urban Caprice, Moving Menu and "rhubarb" - can make every corporate hospitality and outside catering event a real theatrical production, with the best glasses and china, served by the most professional uniformed and corporate logo-ed staff, and of course the best, freshest and most seasonal food, served in the most stunning ways. What about roving oyster shuckers, traversing your guests to bring them fresh oysters with shallot vinegar and muslin shrouded lemons? Or how about ice cream counters making mini knickerbockerglories to order? Or sashimi bars filled with towering platters of the finest fresh fish and seafood?

Of course on the other side of the bar or dining table, are the guests. And the companies who employ them. If you work in events for a big corporate company, and if your corporate events budget fits the bill, then using this kind of outside catering company during your Olympic period means you can be sure your business strikes exactly the right notes while the sport plays out in the pool or on the track in front of you. If you want perfectionism and professionalism, if you want to impress with attention to every little detail, if you want your corporate event catering to reflect and mirror your company's business image and reputation, then this is the way to go!

And the Olympics aren't just about that two week period either of course. If your event catering ensures maximum impact for your company during that time, then every single one of your guests leaves your Olympic event feeling that they have been looked after in the very best of ways. Not only will they have eaten the most fabulous food and sampled the finest wines, and seen the greatest sporting event in the world at close hand, but most importantly they will have been impressed. A truly memorable corporate event like this, with superb outside catering, can simply make or break the biggest international business deals for all the years to come.

Source: Rhubarb Food Design Ltd. - Christening Caterers

A wedding reception - quite possibly the most important party of your life, and certainly one you need to get absolutely right. With all your family, friends and loved ones there, you want to know that every single guest will have the best time possible, not just you and your better half!

Whilst there are a thousand ways to do wedding food at a wedding - from hog roast to Chinese dim sum to ten-course banquet - great food means happy guests, and an even more memorable day. So it's important to get your wedding food absolutely right.

Paying a wedding caterer is the answer for many couples. And there are a huge number of companies who specialise in wedding catering in the UK - companies who perhaps do office Christmas parties too, but who, overall, make wedding business their business.

Much of your decision making process about your wedding caterer should be dictated by the type of wedding reception you want. Are you looking for a chic urban affair with a minimalist venue and a modern menu? Or will it be a rustic day, with simple spring flowers on the tables, hay bales to sit on and bangers and mash for lunch? Perhaps you are thinking about a theme - if you wanted a seaside venue for example, you could serve local fish and seafood to compliment your beachside background!

Wedding caterers can vary hugely in price and in product. Low key, casual and less formal wedding receptions may benefit from smaller, more relaxed wedding catering companies. But if budget is no issue, then the world is your oyster and you can find catering companies who will provide the most sumptuous wedding banquet menus, featuring ice towers laden with the finest caviar and luges pouring the most superb vodka.

Of course, if you do decide to go with a wedding caterer, then choosing that caterer is absolutely crucial. Do your research - look at bridal magazines and websites, speak to other brides, or to the planning staff at your chosen venue. Ask your photographer, florist and other wedding suppliers whether they can recommend a great caterer. Look for testimonials that might give you a steer on whether a wedding catering company really knows what they are doing. And of course, take a good look at what you get when you attend a wedding as a guest! If you go to a wedding with amazing wedding food and service, make sure you take the number of the wedding caterer. And if you go to one with dreadful food and tired ideas, then make sure you make a good note of how you DON'T want to do things!

Of course there is always the option of using a wedding planner. Companies like Linda Cooper and Absolute Perfection do every single wedding-related job so that you don't have to - they will send the invites, organize the guest list, decorate the marquee, even plan your honeymoon if you want them too - meaning you can really relax on the big day, safe in the knowledge that a whole team with all the relevant skills and experience will be responsible for getting it right.

At the outset, it is very important to focus on the wedding menu - and you should really talk to your potential wedding caterers about this very early on. Get your event caterer to suggest ideas. Talk about what suits you as a couple, and get advice on what is right for the venue, the overall occasion and for your guests. If the produce is excellently sourced and excellently cooked, even steak and chips can be perfect for a wedding meal (in fact, this main course is a real celebrity favourite!). Ask your caterer about what is seasonal, and what they think of as their signature wedding dishes.

Don't forget your wedding cake - most wedding caterers will look after that too - ask to see photos of past cakes and you will soon get an idea for what you do or don't want. Traditional white tiered fruitcake? Or gorgeous fun and frivolous cupcakes with your initials on? How about something truly original? A towering construction of mini victoria sponges or chocolate profiteroles?

Some of the larger more experienced wedding caterers such as "rhubarb", Urban Caprice, Rocket or Alison Price excel at this kind of wedding creativity, so by using them, you will be on a surefire route to having a wedding that is truly different. And by being different, well it will be truly memorable too.

Source: "rhubarb" food design Ltd. - Wedding Receptions Surrey

There is no doubt that the UK's catering consultants are at the very top of their game. Competition within the catering field is fierce, and with such a great deal of event business up for grabs in London, Surrey & beyond, catering companies have to be creative and forward thinking at all times, in both their product and their service.

Of course there are hundreds of different kinds of caterer in the UK. Some, such as Absolute Taste or "rhubarb" are large, luxury organisations employing hundreds of staff and operating in lots of different business sectors (such as fixed venues and retail). Others are smaller, more budget and more family run catering companies - companies that are ideal for catering at a small family christening or birthday bash.

The very best catering companies in the UK though, are normally based in London. Whilst based there, where the hub of the events industry is located, they often operate further afield and can even cater for celebrity, business and corporate events abroad.

It is in this high end celebrity, business and corporate event market that a catering company really needs to up the ante. At a charity and celebrity gala for thousands of people the catering alone can cost hundreds of thousands of pounds, so the variety and scope within the catering industry is enormous.

The style of these event caterers, particularly at weddings, birthday parties or charity events, is almost as crucial as the food! In fact, some of the catering consultants based in London have made their food an absolute art form. Picture the scene - towering ice laden piles of seafood, dessert tables heaving with miniature cakes and ices, wok stations and sushi bars, oyster boys and caviar girls%u2026anything is possible in the luxury catering industry.

The larger UK catering companies such as The Admirable Crichton or Urban Caprice have very large event catering planning teams, whose job it is to organise all the catering services for an event and finalise all the outside catering arrangements for their clients. Employed on a full time basis they can build up superb relationships with their clients and ensure that their expectations for their birthday or gala dinner are always more than exceeded.

Most good catering companies can work in varying venues too, and of course the UK can provide the perfect choice of those - grand museums and galleries, atmospheric courts and castles, green parks, fairytale palaces and grand public spaces. Other countries simply do not have the ability to take their catering expertise wherever it needs to go, and from that perspective too, the UK catering industry is simply second to none.

There is no doubt, with 2012 looming and tickets now on sale, the biggest corporate hospitality event the UK has ever seen is about to explode!

Corporate hospitality is big business. A crucial tool for getting new clients and keeping old ones, it is the surefire way to ensure business runs smoothly and that business relationships continue to develop well over time.

Large corporate companies have huge budgets for entertaining their clients, and taking them to the words biggest sporting stage is just about the best corporate hospitality deal going.

Of course though, there are many other elements to corporate hospitality - the transport, the music, the celebrity guests and the accommodation, but lets not forget the finest food and drink too.

Corporate hospitality catering companies, particularly outside caterers are gearing themselves up for the busiest few weeks they have ever seen during Olympic fortnight. Tasked with creating incredible talking point food for the business world's big hitters, it is their job to dream up new and innovative menus, serving styles and presentation methods.

Some of the best corporate hospitality caterers, such as Create, Rocket or "rhubarb" have entire event planning departments dedicated to corporate business and these departments are only set to get bigger and busier as 2012 approaches.

Top projected trends for corporate hospitality and outside catering as the Olympics get closer are international in flavour - hawkers market style eating, with burrito bars, sushi stalls and oyster boys & girls are all hot ideas for corporate events. For more formal gourmet dinners, sharing plates and tapas style starters are a great way of bringing new trends to old style tables. Miniature dishes mean everyone gets a taste of every dessert for example - perfect for impressing those clients.

And of course budgets are that little bit larger for the Olympic period, so the corporate event industry will be pushing the boat out that little bit more!

If you want perfectionism and professionalism, if you want to impress your clients with attention to every little detail, then you need to use the very best caterers and corporate event companies to reflect and mirror your company's business image and reputation.

The very best companies can make a corporate event a real theatrical production, with the best glasses and china, the most professional uniformed and corporate logo-ed staff, and of course the best, freshest and most seasonal food, served in the most stunning ways.

And corporate hospitality events over the Olympic period will take place in some of the most amazing venues too, such as The Royal Courts of Justice, The Saatchi Gallery, The Natural History Museum or The Royal Palaces. And what about all the new venues that are appearing specifically for the Olympics - some temporary installations, some more permanent stadiums with private viewing boxes for the very best corporate customers. All perfect for impressing, and therefore perfect for corporate hospitality.

There is no doubt that your wedding day has got to be the most perfect day of your life - from the most beautiful invite, to the most breathtaking venue, from the fairytale dress to the stunning lights and flowers, from amazing favours and fireworks, to utterly delicious food and drink, champagne and chocolate%u2026

Your wedding is the most important party of your life, full of your nearest and dearest, and the only day at which you are truly king and queen for the day! So a wedding reception takes a great deal of thought. It is, after all, a real reflection of you - do you want something low key and relaxed for example, with hay bales to sit on and a BBQ to eat? Or do you want a formal banquet with a set five course wedding menu and twinkling chandeliers hanging from a designer marquee? Whatever you are trying to achieve with your wedding catering, it helps to be absolutely sure what your vision is first.

When it comes to wedding food at your wedding reception - there are a thousand ways to do it - from fish and chips followed by an ice cream van, to a Bollywood themed Indian buffet. Any whatever way you choose, great food means happy guests, and an even more memorable day.

Paying a wedding caterer to look after the menu and food at the wedding reception is the answer for many couples. And there are a huge number of catering companies specialising in wedding receptions in the UK, and when choosing a wedding reception caterer - such as Absolute Taste, "rhubarb" or Alison Price - it is very important to establish a few things straight a way. Can they work within your budget? Can they travel to where you want them to be? And would they be able to provide all the drinks too, and research possible venues?

Once you have found your wedding reception caterer it is very important to focus on the wedding menu very early on. Get your wedding caterer to suggest ideas. Talk about what suits you as a couple, and get advice on what is right for the wedding venue, the overall occasion and for your guests. And don't forget your wedding cake either - a wedding reception isn't a wedding reception without a stunning cake!

Wedding reception caterers can vary hugely in price and in product. Low key weddings may benefit from smaller, more relaxed (and likely cheaper) wedding caterers. But if budget is no issue, then nothing is impossible, and you can find luxury wedding companies who will provide ice bars laden with the finest caviar and the most superb cocktail barman serving freshly mixed martinis to your guests until the early hours.

And a wedding reception is not just about the food either of course - you also have to think about wedding reception theming, lighting, staff uniform, table centrepieces and of course what about dancing and photography? With each and every supplier remember to look for testimonials that might give you a steer on whether they really know what they are doing.

The main thing about wedding caterers is getting them to work well for you - don't feel you can't ask for a bespoke wedding menu for example. If the company's wedding menus don't offer what you are looking for, always ask if they can create one just for you. Any good kitchen and event team should be able to tailor what they do to your exact requirements, and if they don't - then you should be looking elsewhere!

As far as the chosen menu is concerned, if the produce is excellently sourced and superbly cooked, even steak and chips can be perfect for a wedding meal! As a rule, try to stick with what is seasonal. Popular choices still tend to be chicken, lamb, beef and salmon. They're generally well liked and, if your wedding reception caterers are any good, they don't have to be boring either.

And of course staff are crucial too. Smiling, happy and helpful waitresses are so much better on a glorious wedding day than grumpy serving staff who just wish they were somewhere else!

Finally, if the budget isn't quite tallying up, then remember that good wedding caterers should be able to suggest great ideas and clever ways of doing things within budget. If you want to save money, consider serving substantial canapés or bowl food instead of a starter for example, or a very luxurious chocolate wedding cake as your pudding.

Overall, the best wedding reception caterers are those who specialise in making a dream day a total reality, while you just sit back and enjoy the magic!

British catering is some of the best in the world. Our country's reputation for fine produce as well as innovative style means we can create some of the best catered food possible. London is of course the UK's main hub of business and industry, of arts and media, and events and society, and so it makes sense that London's catering companies in particular are the cream of the crop, but competition within the catering field is fierce all over the UK too.

Of course catering companies don't just do food these days either. They are crucial to the overall style of an event, party or wedding, whether its providing waiting staff in branded and colour co-ordinated uniforms, sourcing the finest vintage wines and the most expensive champagnes, providing trained mixologists and cocktail barmen, sushi chefs, towering wedding cakes, or even showgirls and circus performers, the best of British catering companies need to be able to provide it all.

Some British catering companies have consultancy arms too - run by key staff members whose wealth of experience and knowledge makes them perfectly placed to advise large corporate organisations, international businesses, or even venues and hotel chains on how to make their outside catering truly exceptional. As the party 'venue' itself becomes more fluid and ever changing, from field to mountainside and deserted castle to beach shack, these catering consultants can ensure quality is never compromised, wherever the kitchen may be being constructed!

Of course catering companies vary hugely in scope and size. Not all have catering consultancy divisions! A smaller British catering company would perhaps be ideal for catering at a family christening or birthday bash, but a charity or celebrity gala for thousands of people would need a rather different approach!

Often with the larger events and bespoke bashes, British caterers work very closely with some of the country's leading event organisers and party planning companies, such as Banana Split or Bentleys Entertainment. These companies excel in providing real wow factor and work with every supplier going - Want to project a picture on to the houses of parliament? Book Beyonce to perform after dinner? Or have your swimming pool turned into a glass dance floor for the evening? These companies have the contacts and address books that can turn every dream into reality.

In the UK, the most well known caterers, such as Alison Price, "rhubarb" food design, or Urban Caprice, all often work abroad too (alongside these types of party planners), and can therefore take their catering product (and all the chefs and kit needed to produce that product) anywhere you may want it to go. Taking the best of British worldwide too!

What makes a party? The guests certainly, the food and drinks undoubtedly, the weather (sometimes)%u2026however, perhaps one of the most crucial ingredients for a really good party (or wedding of course) is the venue.

Venue hire in London (and countrywide in fact) is now big business. There are literally thousands of venues or spaces available for hire in our capital city and beyond, from vaulted ballrooms in royal palaces, to small intimate restaurants or private dining rooms to iconic landmarks.

There is certainly no doubt that one of the most crucial ingredients for a really good party or wedding reception is the venue. The venue can create a cosy candlelit ambience for a dinner for eight, or jaw-dropping wow factor for a celebrity studded charity gala. Whether in a private house or garden in one of London's swankiest squares, on a sun soaked French beach, or at a famous and awe-inspiring national landmark, a party venue can make or break a party.

Lots of party venues have other uses. Museums and monuments often have a sideline in venue hire, and of course lots of London tourist attractions double up as great wedding venues too.

More often than not, the larger party venues have their own events teams who do all the party planning for you. These party planning teams will often try to work with a list of preferred suppliers - the florists, caterers, DJs, bands, and lighting & production companies that they feel do the best job of creating parties and events in their spaces. They will worry about the invites for you, and the goody bags. And some of the best catering companies for example, such as The Recipe, Moving Venue and Alison Price are all experienced in working in the country's biggest and best venues.

As for the process of finding the perfect party venue or wedding venue, the Internet has made that much easier. There are now a variety of event-led venue hiring websites and organisations, which allow you to browse through all the venues located in a city.

In London, popular event and party venues include the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum, Madame Tussauds, The London Aquarium, Guildhall, Two Temple and Chelsea Hospital - the list is endless.

But sometimes an event calls for a really unusual venue hire, and of course London is ideal for this too as the city's scope is so enormous. How about a luxury super-yacht cruising the Thames for a beauty product launch, or for a Halloween party why not try the London dungeons? You can even hire a pod on the London Eye for a wedding if you like!

Again, good event caterers such as "rhubarb" (the official caterers on the Silver Fleet and at the London Eye) or Rocket can bring their skills to each and every one of these venues.

Companies such as London Launch can help you find and hire these party venues, in fact they split up their venue searches into useful sub sections such as hotels, restaurants and bars, away day venues, marquee venues, and boats, yachts and moving venues - don't forget you can party on an old routemaster bus too! All making the job of finding a party venue much easier.

Wherever you are looking to hold your party or event, and whatever that event might be - product launch, wedding or corporate gala dinner - once you've found the perfect party venue you are definitely halfway there!

There are hundreds of corporate events caterers and corporate catering companies in the UK, and a huge variety of catering services offered by them too.

Some event caterers may just supply delicious fresh sandwiches, salads and cakes for relaxed lunches in the office or at offsite meetings. Other companies specialise in luxury director's lunches, in offices or headquarters. And even more high end corporate caterers design and deliver every aspect of glamorous canapé receptions, lavish five course banquets, and cool corporate gala balls and dinners, all aimed at impressing clients and colleagues alike.

The best corporate event caterers can of course deliver everything from one end of this wide spectrum to the other - a delicious freshly baked bread roll with ripe French cheese for a clients' French chauffeur and personal assistant? Stunning sushi bars in designer marquees? The finest vintage champagnes, the most expensive caviar, and the rarest cuts of the finest meat? All possible if your corporate budget can accommodate it of course!

Corporate events (and indeed corporate catering budgets) are now absolutely crucial to the world's big corporate companies, and as the catering services industry gets more and more competitive, the companies that really wow their clients are the ones that stand out from the rest of the pack.

The very best corporate event catering companies - such as Urban Caprice, Rocket and "rhubarb", to name just a few - can make every corporate event a really beautiful production, with the best glasses and china, the most professional and charming uniformed and corporate logo-ed staff, and of course the best food, served in the most gorgeous ways.

If you work in events for a big corporate company, and if your corporate events budget fits the bill, then using this kind of event catering company means you can be sure your business strikes exactly the right notes for all those who experience it. If you want perfectionism and professionalism, if you want to impress with attention to every little detail, if you want your corporate event catering to reflect and mirror your company's business image and reputation, then the very best corporate catering company can get you more than half way there!

And that makes good business sense of course - if your event catering ensures maximum impact for your company, then every single one of your guests leaves your event feeling that they have been looked after in the very best of ways. Not only will they have eaten the most fabulous food, but most importantly they will have been impressed. Put simply, a memorable corporate event like this, with superb catering, can simply make or break the biggest international business deals.

These top end corporate catering companies have catered for numerous events for some of the UK's biggest corporate hitters, such as HSBC, Barclays Capital, De Beers, KPMG, Royal Bank of Scotland, Price Waterhouse Coopers, Deutsche Bank, Sotheby's, Citibank and Rolls Royce.

Adept in working in every venue, from the UK's biggest landmarks such as The Natural History Museum and The Tower of London, to stunning royal palaces and private homes, these types of corporate event catering company are hugely experienced in taking their product anywhere and everywhere.

And of course with the best corporate catering companies being accredited and recommended at certain venues, there is always fierce competition for the best corporate jobs. The companies that win are those with the very best product, the very best service and the most impeccable reputation - just like the corporate companies that win in business too!

Source: Rhubarb Food Design Ltd - Corporate Catering London & Catering Services UK

As the corporate hospitality industry readies itself for London 2012,
The UK's catering companies and outside caterers are getting ready for the busiest few weeks of their business lives!

Corporate hospitality is very big business now, and never more so than at an international sporting event like this - the biggest and best in the world of course.

It is truly the perfect way to wow clients from every country and every nationality - a day at the Olympic stadium watching the world's finest athletes compete on a global stage, but with a superb three course lunch with fine wines and champagne, perhaps a traditional English tea for wives and partners, all culminating in a gala dinner when the day's sport is over. What better way to ensure new business and keep the old business too?

Outside caterers and catering companies involved in corporate hospitality therefore need to be 'upping their game' in the months to come to ensure they stay ahead of the competition in the corporate hospitality catering packages they offer. Some companies will do better than others of course - some of the larger and more well known catering companies such as Keith Prowse and "rhubarb" even offer corporate hospitality consultancy services so that their expertise in all things event-related can be shared with any group or organisation, in any part of the world.

And some companies will need that help. Good corporate hospitality isn't simple - it's not a case of sandwiches and cold beer (although that has a place at times too!). No, good corporate hospitality catering is a fine balance of superb food, plentiful drink, charming staff and superb levels of service, as well as (of course) the event that it is based around! Really faultless corporate hospitality will also take into account branding, logos, goody bags and all the other minute details that make the difference in business entertainment.

The very best caterers such as Urban Caprice or Alison Price can provide anything, anywhere, and are adept at serving food in marquees by polo pitches, in gardens by rowing clubs and even in training or practice rooms at sports stadiums and music venues.

And the venue is of course crucial - for 2012 hundreds of brand new corporate hospitality venues are being planned and built. Huge swathes of marquee and temporary installations will be going up alongside the Thames for example - spaces dedicated to outside catering companies and their work to entertain the world during the Olympics.

Wherever the corporate hospitality catering needs to take place though, you need to make sure you have concept, styling, menu design, operational delivery, and every part of the event process in between, down to absolute perfection.

Experienced corporate event caterers can make every corporate event a real theatrical production, with the best glasses and china, the most professional uniformed and corporate logo-ed staff, and of course the best, freshest and most seasonal food, served in the most stunning ways. If you work in events for a big corporate company, and if your corporate events budget fits the bill, then using this kind of event catering company means you can be sure your business strikes exactly the right notes. If you want perfectionism and professionalism, if you want to impress with attention to every little detail, if you want your corporate event catering to reflect and mirror your company's business image and reputation, then this is the way to go!

Source: Rhubarb Food Design Ltd - Special event Caterers & Birthday Caterers

Whilst there are a thousand ways to do the food at a wedding - from fish and chip van to BBQ, from Indian banquet to a formal five course dinner - great food means happy guests, and an even more memorable day. So it's important to get it absolutely right.

So, we have compiled a top ten tips list to get you on the right track with choosing your wedding caterer, to creating your wedding menu, and to making your wedding reception meal the best your guests can remember!

1) Budget :
There are a huge number of companies specialising in wedding catering in the UK - so make sure you start with the right one! Finalise your budget first (that will determine which level of wedding caterer you can afford), then do lots of research - ask friends for recommendations, search the Internet, and get reading your local press and wedding magazines too.

2) Theming :
Theming is an integral part of wedding receptions. Once you have decided on a caterer - spend some time thinking about theming your wedding reception - that will really dictate the kind of wedding food you want to offer your guests. Are you looking for an urban city affair with a modern, minimalist reception (how about sushi in this case?). Or will it be a rustic, seaside affair (think about local fish and seafood).

3) Wedding Menu :
If you have your theme and budget sorted, then of course it's the wedding menu next. You need to be clear on what you would like your guests to experience - do you want to offer canapés for instance? And of course think about what actual dishes they might like to eat - chicken is always a popular wedding choice as you can be sure that most guests will like it! Remember your wedding menu doesn't HAVE to be lavish to be good - even pie and mash can be jawdroppingly special when done to perfection!

4) Vegetarians :
Always remember to think about the vegetarians or food allergy sufferers amongst your guests. Certain religions too can only eat certain things - make sure you bear all this in mind at your wedding menu planning stage. And your caterer should be able to help you with options too.

5) Wedding Cake :
What's next? The cake - of course! You can ask your caterer to provide your wedding cake for you, although many people now treat this part of the day as a separate entity and use other suppliers. There are hundreds of cake designers available who specialise in wonderful wedding cake marvels.

6) Timing :
This side of things is crucial to your wedding caterer too. Make sure you give some thought to the timing of the food parts of the day - will you want a canapé reception for one hour? Or more? Speeches before dinner? Or afterwards?

7) Original ideas :
Adding unusual bits and pieces to your wedding reception catering really makes a difference and doesn't have to be expensive. How about an ice cream van for dessert? Or bacon sandwiches at midnight? Foody favours can be lovely touches too - initialled chocolates or his and hers gingerbread men for example.

8) Wedding Style :
Your caterer will also be responsible for much of the wedding style too. They will be in charge of the table design and overall look and feel of the catering. China, glass, cutlery and table linen all come under the wedding caterers remit. Make sure you get to see samples of what they propose, or that you have a good idea of what you want instead!

9) Contact :
Make sure you keep in contact with your caterer in the run up to the wedding - whilst they shouldn't be bothering you with all the minute details, you can of course keep them up to date with any guest number changes, specific food requirements, or anything else to do with the food that you may be worrying about - they are meant to be lightening your load after all.

10) Enjoy :
Finally - make sure you sit back and enjoy the day. That's the whole point of using a good wedding caterer after all - it gives you more time to relax and let someone else do the worrying!

The world of 'catering' is now a very far cry from simple sandwiches for office staff, or an occasional Directors lunch.

There are literally hundreds of thousands of catering companies throughout the UK. Some are small businesses providing mobile catering solutions, perhaps for small public events like fetes or open days. Others are multi million pound companies who specialise in catering for the country's most high profile parties and occasions.

And catering isn't just about food any more either. In fact plenty of today's catering companies also provide drink, decoration and even entertainment as part of their product. More party planners than simple caterers, companies like Create or "rhubarb", also have fingers in the retail pie too - running restaurants and bars as well as event catering arms.

Catering consultants are a fairly new phenomenon. Catering consultants (such as Merrit-Harrison and Turpin Smale) are people or organisations whose sole job is to assist other businesses in their own food and beverage arena. In the upcoming London 2012 Olympics for example there will be a huge demand for good catering consultants. They will be tasked with helping businesses to perfect the art of entertaining their corporate clients for the Olympic period. Many catering consultants are already busy helping hotels and restaurants create, improve or simply enhance their product in the run up to the Games. Let's face it - it will be one of the busiest event and hospitality times the UK has even seen, so there is a great deal of money to be made getting it right!

As the catering industry has grown and diversified, so too has the scope of catering creativity these companies offer. Event catering, for example, is no longer just about dinner for 200 guests. Now a good catering company may offer you the choice of stalls service (where guests can help themselves to freshly cooked and served food); wok stations - a superbly theatrical way to serve hot fresh food en masse; sushi and sashimi bars; or even roving oyster shuckers. All are new ways of serving fresh, fabulous and of course visually impressive food quickly and efficiently.

The top catering companies employ Creative Managers and Designers whose sole job it is to ensure these ideas are always cutting edge and that the catering product continues to be unusual and effective. After all, as with any industry, it is those companies who evolve and develop their product effectively who do best in their market.

But of course catering doesn't have to have the 'wow factor' either. Just good delicious food is a winning formula in some catering markets. Some companies for example specialise in creating (and delivering to your door) superb yet simple food, sourced and cooked brilliantly and aimed at reducing the time we spend in our kitchens. Classic fish pies and cottage pies perhaps, handmade chicken goujons for the kids, or a simple (cheat's' dinner party) cheesecake - all food that perhaps you might pre-order for a weekend away with friends perhaps, just to make a little less work yourself!

After all, that is what catering in all its forms is about - making a little less work for us, be it one less sandwich to make before our working day or one less dinner party to cater for, one less party for 1000 to organize, or one less headache on the corporate hospitality front.

As a corporate company, choosing the very best catering services you can afford will, no doubt, enhance the product you provide for your clients tenfold. And, as the corporate entertainment and corporate catering market evolves, a company's clients naturally expect more and more from every event they attend. In short, it pays to be on top of your corporate events offering.

Now too - with only approximately 365 days to go until the biggest sporting event the UK has ever seen - the corporate big hitters need their catering suppliers and corporate events teams to really step up their offering, both creatively and logistically. Corporate caterers are striving to be the most innovative, efficient, daring and cutting edge companies out there, as well as, of course, providing the most delicious food.

London 2012 is a whole new world for the corporate catering industry, with a whole wealth of opportunity (and a whole host of headaches and competition too). Literally hundreds of thousands of the world's big corporate hitters will be arriving in London next Summer, expecting the finest food, wine, service and overall catering concept they have ever experienced. Simple sandwiches during the lunchtime break won't be sufficient on this occasion - clients will be looking for freshly prepared delicacies, stalls of hot and spicy world food, and chic five course banquets, with canapés and champagne, or cocktails, cockles and mussels in between!

Some corporate caterers will be focusing on providing a quintessential British product - others sourcing the finest sushi grade fish or Italian antipasti. And the best corporate event caterers will of course deliver everything from one end of the spectrum to the other - a delicious freshly toasted sandwich for a clients' driver and personal assistant? Not a problem. Stunning seafood ice bars in designer marquees constructed beside the Olympic stadium? Easily done. The finest vintage port, the most incredible caviars, the freshest oysters and the rarest cuts of Kobe beef? All possible if your corporate organisation can afford it!

Those corporate event catering companies at the top of their game, such as Rocket, Alison Price and "rhubarb" - will also be making every corporate event during 2012 a really theatrical production, with the best glasses and china, the most professional uniformed and logo-ed staff, and of course the best lighting and entertainment money can buy too.

If you work in events for a big corporate company, and if your corporate events budget fits the bill, then using this kind of event catering company means you can be sure your business strikes exactly the right notes during the Olympic period. If you want perfectionism and professionalism, if you want to impress with attention to every little detail, if you want your corporate event catering to reflect and mirror your company's business image and reputation, then this is the way to go!

Let's face it, a truly memorable corporate event like this, with the backdrop of the world's best sporting event, as well as truly superb catering, will simply make or break the biggest international business deals.

Companies such as Urban Caprice and Moving Venue have catered for numerous events for some of the UK's biggest corporate hitters, such as HSBC, Barclays Capital, De Beers, KPMG, Royal Bank of Scotland, Price Waterhouse Coopers, Deutsche Bank, Sotheby's, Citibank and JP Morgan. Of course these types of company will be sponsoring certain aspects of the Games, getting involved in financing and funding and - in return - will be given opportunities to bring guests and clients to front row seats at the Olympic events. No travelling fish and chip van or ringside burger stall will do! The catering companies that win the corporate catering contracts for these corporate companies are those with the very best product, the very best service and the most impeccable reputation - just like the corporate companies that win in business too!