Sometimes your dream spot for a wedding reception is missing a few minor details, such as food and chairs. Catering services do the dirty work for you and vary as much as wedding styles. Go with low-budget, drop-off services or spend a bundle for the white glove treatment. There’s also plenty of middle ground. Check out some of our favorite local picks.
Budget
Need a lot of bang for your buck? Corky’s Catering offers wedding packages such as the Walnut Creek Wedding Buffet. Pick three entrees, one potato dish, one hot veggie and one salad for a mere $8.99 a person. The serving staff costs $98 for three hours, and bartenders can pour for an additional cost. The company caters to the budget-minded, but there are plenty of upgrades available just in case your in-laws open their wallet wider. www.corkyscatering.com, 630-932-3200.
Kosher
Basel & Balfour LLC specializes in upscale kosher catering and has access to 30 Chicago venues, including hot spots such as Le Passage. Wedding packages start at $110 per person and average around $150 to $175. The company can handle all sorts of affairs–from small weddings to 1,000-guest blowouts. www.baselandbalfour.com, 312-491-1999.
Modern
Couples who call Hearty Boys Catering are usually going for a hip but not necessarily super-casual celebration. The company is a city-centric, one-stop shop and arranges all the details from the linens to the linguini. Past venues have been as grand as the Newberry Library or as intimate as a couple’s home. Hearty Boys also is known for catering many commitment ceremonies. www.heartyboys.com, 773-BIG-YUMM.
Multicultural
Phil Stefani Signature Restaurants is a scrumptious solution for couples who don’t want to exclude any taste buds. Themed buffets are manned by a chef, and couples usually choose about three to four stations. Go traditional with a meat carving buffet and add Asian, Italian, Mediterranean, Mexican, Seafood or Spanish tapas displays.Voila! Everyone’s happy. www.ste-fanirestaurants.com, 312-226-7611.
Posh
Elegant affairs are the norm at Artistic Events by Carlyn Berghoff Catering, Inc. The waiters wear tuxedos and serve high-end dishes such as filet of beef with oxtail ravioli on white-rimmed china. Sophisticated upgrades can mean a beer-tasting station or cocktails poured through an ice luge. And expect it all to be flawless–your staff for the day includes an event producer who makes sure every detail is taken care of. www.carlynberghoffcatering.com, 312-432-0200.
Theme
The folks at KDK Boutique Hospitality have seen it all before–so go right ahead with that Kung Fu theme (we’re not even kidding). The company owns five Chicago restaurants–Gioco, Marche, Opera, Red Light and Saiko–and lets couples mix menu items from all of them. Portable equipment means the staff can cook at eclectic locations–such as airport hangers or barges floating down the Chicago River. 312-226-8388.
Veggie
Vegan couples can have a meatless meal and wedding cake from Chicago Diner. The restaurant can cater a full-service, medium-sized wedding that includes a full bar. With menu options such as stuffed mushroom caps and spinach phyllo turnovers, carnivorous guests aren’t likely to miss the meat. Not including alcohol or service extras, costs usually run around $25 per person. www.veggiediner.com, 773-935-6696.
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Edited by Jen Robbins (jrobbins@tribune.com)
