Wedding Catering Baltimore Archives

Wedding Bar Packages

November 8, 2018

The Magic Behind Rouge Catering’s Innovation Bar Packages

Time and time again, revered DC and Maryland Chef Jonathan Soudry has been praised for his ingenuity and creativity in the kitchen. A true culinary wizard, his skill is matched only by his innovation, and this is the reason why Rouge Catering has quickly become unmatched in the catering world of the DMV area.

In our last article, we talked about the must-have dishes for your next fall wedding. This week, however, we are all about the booze. Alcohol is a huge part of any celebration, and weddings are no different.

One of the most popular special touches that a couple can incorporate into their wedding is a signature, or even matching his and hers cocktails.

These are an alcoholic or non-alcoholic concoction based around the couple’s personalities and theme, and as you can imagine, they are especially popular for receptions.

Weddings are traditionally centered around the date and develop a seasonal-centric theme. As we approach the holidays, we decided to take a look at the best Rouge Catering has to offer for your special holiday beverages!

Rouge Catering is beloved for their custom menus specifically built for each event, but few realize that that extends to their bar menu as well.

A quick look at their wedding menu reveals their pre-set bar packages, praised time and time again for their upscale options and incredible affordability.

So affordable, in fact, that many couples have foregone purchasing their own alcohol in favor of Rouge’s pre-set bar packages to save both money and time in the final days and months leading up to the wedding. We were especially impressed with the wine selections on their standard package, which features far superior selections to those included in comparably priced packages in the area.

If you’ve ever been to a wedding with over 200 people, you know that sometimes getting a drink can be a feat in itself. However, many comment on the incredible speed and efficiency of Rouge’s bartenders, thereby creating short lines and smoother service at the bar.

Rouge Catering has developed an unparalleled reputation within the hospitality industry for its absolute devotion to five-star service. Not only do they possess the expertise and diversity to create customized menus for each and every couple, but they also continue to demonstrate a remarkable level of flexibility and creativity within their beverage offerings as well.

Welcome Refreshments

Although there has been the occasional alcoholic aperitif offered upon arrival, most hosts choose to refrain from alcohol prior to the event and instead select a fun and refreshing display. Our favorite is to include the welcome refreshment table in your decorations, by showcasing family wedding photos or pictures of the bride and groom throughout their relationship.

There all kinds of beautiful beverage dispensers perfect for this occasion. For example, flavored water with colorful sliced fruit can make for a beautiful (and refreshing!) picture within a glass beverage display.

One of our favorites is Rouge Catering’s strawberry-lime infused water served in urns with clear tumblers. How can guests resist such a beautifully presented and refreshing beverage to kick off the festivities?

Alcohol, Please

The cocktail hour is always the best time to feature a signature cocktail, a long-loved custom for wedded couples.

Says Caroline who was married this past September, the “his’ and ‘hers’ cocktails that my husband I picked out were a huge hit!”

An added bonus is that a signature cocktail can serve as a cost-saving measure for those working with a limited budget.

While many couples feature their signature cocktails for the entirety of their reception, a more budget-friendly alternative would be to serve the cocktails for just the cocktail hour and then move to a more limited bar afterwards.

Another idea is to forego liquor in favor of his and her signature cocktails, which are a fun way to incorporate liquor into your bar without the cost and hassle of a full bar with its mixers, garnishes, and extra equipment.

If you aren’t sure about a signature cocktail and/or are looking for a more budget friendly option, consider featuring the rose included with Rouge’s bar package.

Katie wrote of her June 2018 wedding on Wedding Wire about her experience with Rouge Catering, saying “We added the full open bar package because it was such an incredible deal with the low price per guest and even had a champagne toast and signature drink (a Moscow Mule).”

She goes on to mention that her Rouge planner, Kate, helped produce copper mugs for the Mules and even included a special rose to her wine list because her wedding fell on National Rose Day.

Rebecca, married on September 23, 2017, echoed Katie’s sentiments, writing the Rouge team “working with my husband and the grandfather of the groom to create signature cocktails for our event.”

Becca’s review mentioned how Rouge helped her fiancé source local craft beers to feature on their bar.

A champagne toast is customary prior to dinner and included with most of Rouge’s packages, but many choose to incorporate champagne into a specialty fizzy concoction which could be passed during the cocktail hour or served to the table during dinner.

These lovely brides bring up an important point – sometimes special decorative touches, like the copper mugs of her Moscow Mules, a special craft beer or light rose, or even a family recipe are just the memorable details to keep guests talking long after the honeymoon is over and daily life has resumed.

For the DDs of the Evening

For your designated drivers in attendance (or those who simply do not wish to imbibe), it’s important to consider a fun and creative alternative to the signature cocktail.

Says the team at Rouge Catering, “We have a wonderful non-alcoholic bar package which can be complimented with your choice of ‘mocktail.’”

This is especially popular for outdoor summer weddings, when temperatures soar and the brutal sun can make even the most hydrated guest parched.

As the evening winds down, the focus typically becomes less about the bar and more about dessert and coffee.

While alcohol is a long-loved accompaniment to dessert, there are still many who abstain.

For the non-drinkers in the bunch, enhance your traditional coffee bar with the inclusion of rich Mexican hot chocolate and fresh cream.

At the end of the day, it’s less about what you choose and more about what you enjoy. Some couples get so preoccupied with the little details that they forget what matters the most.

And, given the glowing reviews for Rouge’s entire team and the company’s absolute commitment to service and creativity, there is no doubt that together we will dream up the perfect concoction reminiscent of you as a couple!

Top 5 Menu Ideas To Serve At Your Wedding

November 1, 2018

Catering is much like Hell’s Kitchen, built on a foundation of instability, sudden change, and constant disruption to even the best laid plans.

Since 2007, Rouge Catering has taken its place among Washington and Baltimore’s best and brightest, with a near-perfect rating on Wedding Wire where they’re praised repeatedly for their world-class service. They have certainly earned their stripes, but there is no doubt that the food takes center stage time and time again.

With classical French training and over 35 years of experience, owner and Executive Chef Jonathan Soudry creates a level of flair and prestige so rare in the volatile and strenuous world of catering. With a steadfast loyalty to farm-fresh ingredients and seasonally appropriate cuisine, Rouge Catering has become a treasure within the Capital Belt.

And now, with wedding season in full swing with autumn’s mild weather, changing colors, and endless themes, the focus turns to the perfect, seasonal menu filled with seasonal fare. From roasted root vegetables to rich demis cloaking hearty meats, and the scent of apple and cinnamon perfuming the crisp, cool air, fall delivers a rich, decadent menu that fills the belly and warms the soul.

However, with caterers a dime a dozen, opening and shuttering like the tides of the Potomac, it is harder than ever for couples to find the perfect – and affordable – caterer for the wedding of their dreams.

This is where Rouge Catering has become a standout in both the DC and Baltimore markets, writing custom menus tailored to each couple. And thank goodness, because a quick look at their menus can prove to be overwhelming at first glance. (We had to grab a snack just reading through the hors d’oeuvres!)

As we close out fall and approach the holidays, we decided it’s the perfect time to take a closer look at the standout stars among Rouge Catering’s beautifully curated menus.

But every now and then, there comes a chef who is able to translate the catered experience into something much far more powerful, something more unique, and something truly incredible.

Cocktail Hour

Instead, get guests talking with Rouge’s bruschetta bar featuring cinnamon, pears, olive tapenade, and goat cheese. It’s a display that will feel right at home amongst the rolling Maryland and Virginia countryside.

You would be hard pressed to attend a Maryland wedding without Eastern Shore-style crab cakes, and again Rouge does not disappoint. Available as a passed hors d’oeuvre or plated entrée, these morsels of goodness are beloved for their crispy coating, natural sweetness, and no shortage of lump crab. Served on a festive “tear drop” spoon for cocktail hour or with a sweet potato galette for dinner, Soudry tops his crab cakes with an accent of his own citrus remoulade.

Curtsy tradition with a nod to the familiar by adding Chef Soudry’s burger slider with a twist, presented on a hand-cut potato crisp instead of the traditional bun. It’s a lighter and fun option that is recognizable to your guests but delivered with an added elegance.

And the best part about Rouge’s passed hors d’oeuvres?

Kristin B. explains in her Yelp review:

“All amazingly composed AND served so you didn’t need a plate…the hallmark of a great app.”

Appetizer

Despite the plethora of hors d’oeuvres offered during the cocktail hour, guests are often too preoccupied with socializing to eat, so they arrive at their tables famished. However, with introductions, speeches, and toasts, it may be awhile before the main course is served. That’s why it’s especially important to select an appetizer that is satisfying but won’t risk ruining the star of the show, the upcoming entrée.

Rouge Catering offers a host of autumn-inspired appetizers, but our favorite is a velvety pumpkin and apple bisque that is sure to warm those crisp fall evenings. It’s also vegetarian friendly, eliminating the extra work on your RSVPs.

For a more upscale option, Jeanne-Marie, married last December, raved about her appetizer, saying the “highlight was grilled octopus served on a chickpea puree, with roasted tomato and caper embellishments.”

Really, it doesn’t seem like you can go wrong, and Rouge will work with you to create a menu reflective of you as a couple.

Entree

Guests typically do not have high expectations for “wedding food,” but Rouge brings a smile to the face of even the toughest cynic. There is such diversity in their offerings, and their mastery of so many distinctive cuisines is their defining trademark. Better yet, they have the uncanny ability to meet various food restrictions with delicious and distinctive options.

Still, there are two dishes that stand out again and again: Rouge’s rockfish and short ribs.

Like crab, rockfish is a staple in Maryland and popular on many locally-inspired menus. However, it can be incredibly hard to get right in a full-service kitchen, let alone a mobile catering kitchen like the one Rouge utilizes.

And yet each review heaps endless praise and adoration on Soudry’s rockfish, which he carves to order and plates with fresh garden herbs and a delicate citrus-garlic sauce.

We recommend the homemade brown butter gnocchi pan-seared with sage and brussels sprouts as the perfect accompaniment to the delicate fish. (And bonus – it has the added bonus of serving as a third entree for vegetarians!)

And finally, the star of the show, the dish they are known for – the slow-braised short ribs.

They’re so good, they are served a few different ways. The most popular is Provencal, which infuses fresh herbs with toasted fennel and orange zest, and then topped with plum tomatoes and a red wine demi-glace. Or, for more of a Latin flare, go with the Provencal Espanola, which pairs an exceptional tortilla Española with fire roasted asparagus as compliments to the signature dish.

Kristin also applauded the beef short ribs in her Wedding Wire review, saying they “melt in your mouth” and were the “groom’s favorite,” while other reviewers echo the same sentiment of the “fork tender” dish. (Tip: they can also be served in a mashed potato cup as a creatively convenient and delicious hors d’oeuvre.)

If none of these popular entrees strike your fancy, their maple brined chicken with pear chutney or mirin glazed Chilean seabass with cannellini bean puree surely suit a seasonal menu.

And for those looking for something a little more mainstream, Rouge Catering takes their mac & cheese very seriously, offering eight different kinds with a customizable topping bar.

Dessert

As you may have noticed, interactive stations never seem to go out of style, but one small misstep, and a station can disintegrate into the typical, stale, overcooked buffet. Rouge Catering, however, transforms their stations into a magical spread of wonder.

Think we’re kidding? For a company built on creative ingenuity, Rouge offers no shortage of options to suit even the most discriminating palate.

A long-loved favorite is their homemade, signature mini donuts, available as a martini bar or presented atop mason jars with cold milk.

Donut martini buffet? Yes, you heard right. Rouge makes their signature mini donuts on-site with the especially seasonal-appropriate apple cider donuts. These can be complimented by a toppings bar that includes everything from crème fraiche, champagne-soaked berries, and cinnamon Chantilly cream.

With such creative and seasonal options, even the most demanding guest will not be able to fight the warmth of nostalgia from these delectable little nuggets.

Rouge also offers their signature donuts in a different pairing, served atop miniature mason jars filled with ice cold milk and accented with a festive striped straw. (Plus, it has the added advantage of slowing down the bar as the evening winds down!)

They also make for a gorgeous display, and they are just the finishing touch to have your guests raving about your event for months to come.

Plus, you can decorate the table with pictures of you and your guests for an added touch to end the evening.

“Here at Rouge, we like to say: ‘Let the menu tell the story of the couple.’”

And the best part? Rouge Catering’s team sends a special picnic basket to the honeymoon suite for the bride and groom to enjoy long after the reception is over. Flair and style for your big day.

With such incredibly unique and creative menu options, Rouge Catering brings a level of class and glamour to the upscale world of Washington, D.C. Invite personal flair and style to your big day through a customized menu and world-class service, courtesy of Rouge Catering.

Unique Dessert Options For Your Wedding

October 13, 2017

As the years pass, weddings become less and less traditional. Rather, they have simply become a celebration of love and the union between two people. While some still follow many of the traditions that have developed over the years, others are becoming more into the unique weddings that match the couple’s personality. Whether this means a colored wedding dress or a party that has no connections to the wedding traditions, people are becoming more creative with their wedding planning.

One area that could always use some creativity and fun is the dessert menu. While the wedding cake is sophisticated, beautiful, and traditional, not everyone likes cake, making the wedding cake a dessert that some may not enjoy. Wedding cake is often some of the best cake many people have ever had, but there are so many other dessert styles you can go with for your reception. If you are into the unique wedding, the dessert is a great place to switch it up, and even if you still want a wedding cake, adding different dessert options for your guests is never a bad idea!

When you choose the right caterer for your wedding, planning on different dessert options is easy and delicious. At ROUGE Fine Catering, we offer many different dessert options, helping you find the perfect sweet treat combinations for you and your guests. Your dessert options can now match your wedding theme, creating the perfect celebration.

If you are thinking of ways to spice up your wedding day celebration, dessert is always a good place to start! Read on to take a look at some of the best dessert options you can choose from to make your wedding unique and tasty!

For The Inner Child

Wedding cake offers not only great taste but also a beautiful look. But if you are looking for a dessert that is fun, easy, and allows you to travel back to your childhood, ROUGE offers many options. There are always fancy and fabulous dessert choices, but everyone will love a build-your-own ice cream sandwich bar, a house-made ice cream bar, an assortment of gourmet cookies, and house-made mini doughnuts!

Desserts are meant to be delicious and fun. And if you and your new spouse are children at heart, these dessert options will be ideal for your wedding and help display you as a couple. Not only are these unique options for a wedding day dessert list, but they also allow your guests to get exactly what they want. Allow them to create their own ice cream sandwich or sundae with these options, pick their perfect cookie, and enjoy desserts that bring them back to their childhood. These dessert selections can feel less formal, allowing your guests to enjoy their dessert and have fun with the process of creating their perfect sundae.

A chocolate “fountain” lollipop display is every kids dream, and ROUGE Fine Catering can provide you with these perfect dessert displays at your wedding. Allow your guests to enjoy angel food cake, bananas, brownie bites, coconut macaroons, and more, dipped in chocolate for a delicious treat that your guests can have multiple of!

The s’mores pops are another great dessert that will transport your guests back to their childhood and all the fun time they had camping, even if it was in the backyard. These s’more pops are simple but delicious—marshmallows dipped in milk chocolate and rolled in graham cracker crumbs, creating the perfect treat for the camping lovers on your guest list.

Desserts that bring out your inner child are perfect for a celebration, and these dessert options can make your wedding one of a kind, allowing your guests to create their own masterpieces.

For The Fruit Fanatic

Whether you are a vegetarian or simply enjoy fruity desserts, you will love the many dessert options from ROUGE Fine Catering. Fruit is a great way to keep the sweet treats healthy but satisfying as well. ROUGE offers many different dessert options centered around fruit, for a naturally sweet dessert that your guests will love.

Give your guests fruit that can add some fun to the party with our champagne and fruit coupe, which is delicious and fresh fruit and berries soaked in champagne and completed with a dollop of crème fraiche. This is a great options when you want to keep your wedding on fancier side of things while adding unique dessert options.

Some other options include fruit skewers. ROUGE offers a seasonal fruit skewer that is grill and drizzled with ginger syrup, as well as a grilled peach skewer with an orange-infused honey drizzle. These dessert options are delicious and healthy and can give your wedding a completely different vibe.

You can also find mini fruit tarts, a mixed berry salad, giant chocolate strawberries, and a balsamic glazed strawberry parfait. These fruit filled dessert are delicious and can allow you healthier guest to enjoy dessert with everyone else.

For The Dessert Lovers

While we all lover desserts, there are some sweet treats that those with a sweet tooth love more than others. All of ROUGE’s dessert options are scrumptious and will make the perfect treat for your wedding, but if you are looking for a more unique options that will have you craving more, there are a few desserts you should focus on.

The candy cane marshmallow pops are unique and perfect for a quick treat that offers many different flavors, plus it is the perfect choice for a winter wedding, with holiday tastes! Chocolate covered pretzels are also a favorite. These pretzels are covered in dark and white chocolate for a sweet and salty snack that will have every guests satisfied. The milk and cookies bar is a simple dessert that will most likely please every single person, who doesn’t love a good cookie?

ROUGE Fine Catering not only serves up gourmet meal options that will help your wedding stand out, but we also offer desserts that are unique, delicious, and perfect for your wedding theme. If you are the more traditional type, we also can provide a beautiful wedding cake or cupcake assortment. See our full menu to view all of the dessert options and find the perfect sweet treats for your special day! Contact us today to learn more!

Finding The Perfect Venue

August 7, 2017

When it comes to your wedding, there are many things that can make the celebration even more special. Having the perfect dress, the best bridesmaids, color scheme, decorations, and playlist may feel like some of the most important decisions you make in regards to your wedding. But there are certain aspects that you should make sure are perfect before you decide anything else.

Picking the perfect venue is one of the most important parts of planning your wedding. And there are many things you need to consider when deciding on your wedding venue. If you have yet to decide on many different aspects of your wedding, let us help! ROUGE Fine Catering is the perfect gourmet caterer for your wedding. We offer options for every wedding type—from a morning wedding that requires brunch options to delicious appetizers to serve to your small and intimate wedding. Whatever style your celebration will have, we can help you create a menu that fits!

But we also have a few connection that can help you get finish, or start, planning your perfect wedding. Along with our great food, excellent service, and wonderful display, we can help you find the help you need to complete your wedding plans. Our resources list offers names of some of our favorite professionals that can get the job done. From florists and photographers to planners and transportation, we give you the resources you need to add the finishing touches.

But we are the preferred caterer for all of the major venues in downtown Baltimore, meaning that we know all of the best places, what makes the special, and we can help you find the perfect venue for you.

Guest List

You don’t want to rent out a venue that is suitable for 500 people when you are only having a wedding with 150. You also don’t want a venue that can seat 50 when your guest list includes 200. When you are looking for a venue, you want to be sure that you find one that will accommodate for all of your guests without paying for more than you need.

You want to be sure you can allow everyone to be comfortable and able to relax in the space you provide. You want to have a full guest list before you choose your venue in order to avoid the situation of having more guest RSVP “yes” than you have room for.

The Time Of Year

If you are having a winter wedding, an indoor space will be the better option. In the summer you will want a space that has a beautiful outdoor scenery but also allows for guests to escape the heat if they feel the need. There is no way of knowing what the weather will be like on the day of your wedding, especially since you will be booking a venue so far in advance. But take into consideration the time of year and weather in the past, this will help your guest be more comfortable with the venue choice depending on the weather.

Your Budget

Although you may find the venue of your dreams, you must remember your budget. While a venue is wonderful and can truly add to your celebration, going over budget to get married in a rustic barn may not be worth it. You are sure to find a place that will give your wedding just as much character and that you will love.

If you do find a place that is within your budget, find out what is included in the price. You may find that it is a better deal than you originally thought. Some venues include full service, offering decorations, vendors, and photographers. Other require you to bring your own vendors but offer tables and chairs. If one of your venue choices offers more than another, your decision may become easier.

Consider Your Style

Just like your wedding dress, color scheme, catering, and decorations, your venue can represent you and your soon to be spouse. Our list of venues covers everything from ballrooms and farms to a glassblowing studio and museums.

You can find a venue that gives your wedding a little extra personality. If you and your significant other are comic book collectors then Geppi’s Entertainment Museum might be the perfect venue to hold your wedding. This pop culture museum is full of comic book character collectibles that you will love having as the backdrop to your wedding.

Or perhaps you both love history and want your venue to have some historical background. The Cylburn Arboretum, Swan Harbor Farm, Woodlawn and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Pope-Leighey Estate, Historic London Town and Gardens, and the Evergreen Museum and Library are only a few of the many historical venues that we have listed. You are sure to find a historical locations that can add character to your wedding.

No matter what you like as a couple, you will find something that matches your style and personalities. Our list of venues is extensive and offers many different styles and looks. Find something that is elegant and sophisticated or go with an artsy and creative venue. The possibilities are endless and we hope you find something you truly love.

Location

Your guests may be traveling a long distance to come to your wedding, but if most of them are located in a similar area, you may consider finding a venue that is convenient for everyone. Pick a venue you love, and certainly don’t pick a venue based on what you think your guests will like, but a place that is closer to everyone may be easier for your guests.

The venues that we often work with are in areas including: Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Calvert County, Carroll County, Cecil County, Frederick County, Harford County, Howard County, Kent County, Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, Washington DC, and Alexandria County. These locations offer historic, unique, and beautiful venues that can work perfectly for your wedding and are convenient for your guests.

When you pick your venue think about the style you want, the look that will add personality to your wedding, the location and time of your wedding, and the amount of guests that will be attending. Finding the perfect venue may be difficult, but with the help of ROUGE Fine Catering, you can get the find the best venue for your wedding and create the perfect menu. Take a look at our menus now and start picking your favorite options!

Adding A Unique Touch To Your Wedding

July 21, 2017

Weddings have become a cookie-cutter event. They all seem to feature the same things. The set up, the music, the reception, the food and desserts—the entire process seems to all be the same. It may be because of tradition or maybe it is because weddings, like graduations and other formal events, follow a guideline, as they always have and always will.

You can make you wedding more unique and memorable, even when following the traditional layout. Adding in different aspects can help you guests feel like your wedding is more personalized and not just another wedding. No matter how big or small, your wedding can be simply transformed into something special with a few simple adjustments.

At Rouge Fine Catering, we understand the importance of standing out. We know that a wedding is special, and you want your guests to remember it as much as you will. You don’t want it to be known as “just another wedding” and you certainly don’t want your guests to be unimpressed.

Don’t fret. There are ways to give your wedding celebration an added touch of fun and unique flair with a few simple steps and additions. In this blog, we will go over some of the things you can add or change about your wedding that will make it memorable without breaking the bank!

For The Couple

One thing you must remember is that the entire purpose of the wedding if to celebrate the love between you and your soon-to-be-spouse. While your guests are important and you want them to have a good time, you are the reason they all came. They came to celebrate your love and will hopefully understand if you don’t make your wedding about them.

When you make plans for your wedding, adding in small but meaningful things that represent you as a couple can create a personal touch and make your guests feel the love as the ceremony takes place.

Memories

Everyone loves hearing the stories about how you met, when you started dating, fun moments you shared, how you were proposed to, and every other little detail of your love. But what is even better is getting an outsider’s perspective.

As the guests enter, have some note cards with pens by the front. Ask your guests to write down their favorite memory of you and your love and put it in a glass bowl. You can choose to share these memories sometime during the reception or bring them home and enjoy them with your new spouse. This is a great way to remember some of the great times you had, and to get a view of your love from the outside.

If you choose to read these at the reception, it will not only celebrate your love, but it will also give your guests a taste of who you are and how your relationship is. When you read your guests memories of you both, they will feel lucky to have been a part of your love and to be a friend who witnessed a moment that would lead to this day.

Moments

Like mentioned before, everyone wants to know the details of your relationship. When it started, where you met, how the proposal happened, and more! There are ways to share the journey of your relationship without having to tell everyone every story.

Rather than naming your reception tables number, give them names that are unique to you. Give a table the name of the mountain you had your first kiss, name one the street your first apartment together was on, and name one the location you were proposed to. On each table, give your guests a mini explanation of what the name means and why it matters to your relationship. This will also be fun for your guests to go around to every table and get the full story of your love.

You could also hang pictures up all around your venue, showing images of you two together, with your friends who are now guests at your special day, and of your families. These photos will also give your guests background information about your relationship and help you share some special memories.

Ceremony

There are many different ways to celebrate your love during the ceremony. Sharing your love story will help the guests feel the importance of this moment even more, and will add a special touch to your wedding.

One special thing you could do is a timeline. Start with pictures of you two as infants at the beginning of the aisle, your photographs on one side, theirs on the other. With each row of seats, progress a few years, eventually getting to when you met. Then the photos can turn into each of your favorite images the two of you, and finally, at the end of the aisle you stand next to your significant other, and continue your journey. This timeline shows your lives and how they somehow got intertwined and landed you here, getting married to your love.

Another thing you could do to add a personal touch to your celebration of love is to have a friend who introduced you two, or who was around your relationship, officiate your wedding. Not only will this add a special touch, it will allow the officiate to share special moment they remember with the two of you. Your relationship started thanks to this friend, and now this friend is marrying you. It is a beautiful circle of life.

For The Guests

While the wedding is about you and your soon-to-be, you will want to make sure your guests have fun and feel like an important part of your celebration. You can add different aspects to your wedding that will make your guests feel special and enjoy your wedding more.

Personalized Note Cards

Depending on the size of your wedding, you could make your guests feel special be writing personalized cards and placing them at their seat for the reception. While this may take a while, when they find a card thanking them for coming all the way from California they will feel like an important guest at your wedding and love the personal touch.

A Guest Photographer

When you hire a wedding photographer, they mainly focus on you and your spouse. But your guests are all dressed up and looking fantastic as well! While they may get featured in a few of photos, a fun idea is to hire another photographer to take pictures of the guests only. There are many different ways to do this that can become a fun and cool way to share this moment with your friends and family.

First, think about getting a photographer with a Polaroid camera. As they take images of the guests, have the guest take the freshly printed image and write a message on the back—this could be marriage advice, a memory of the new couple, or anything like that. After the wedding, take all of these photos and create a scrapbook that you can keep forever, this is a great idea for a guest book as well and a great way to get memories and advice from your favorite people.

You could also have someone record your guests. Have them tell a story about your relationship, tell you why you two are the perfect couple, or anything else they feel like saying! These are fun to watch years down the road and your guests will love feeling like the center of attention for a second. You can share these videos with your guests as well, so everyone can watch the fun advice and memories from your wedding.

Get Them Dancing

Not everyone loves dancing, but dancing at weddings is something that everyone should do. With all the older relatives who have awesome dance moves, there is no reason for your guests to hold back their own moves.

But not everyone will want to dance unless their favorite song suddenly comes on! When you send out invitations, add a line that asks your guests to add their favorite song, and maybe mention “favorite song to dance to” so they know. Compile this list and give it to your DJ so they can play your guests favorites all night long, getting everyone on the dance floor at least once!

When your guests hear their song come on, they won’t be able to stay seated! And the more people who are on the dance floor, the more fun the wedding becomes!

You can also ask any of your musically talented guests to perform a song for your first dance. This will help Incorporate your guests into your wedding and add a fun touch with live music! If they want to perform more than one song, don’t tell them no! Everyone loves live music and this will get people up on their feet and out on the dance floor.

For All

There are aspects of your wedding that can benefit everyone! If you have an open bar at your wedding, you can help it become a little more personal by getting glasses for your guests. Getting individual glasses, whether they are fun mason jars, decorated glasses, or glasses that go with the guest’s drink of choice, will be a great way to give your guests a personal drink. They can reuse these glasses all night and keep them as a fun memory.

Your menu is also an important part of your wedding day celebration. If you pick the perfect catering menu, you and your guests will remember it. This does not just mean having delicious options, it means having options that match your wedding theme, your relationship, and adds to your love story. If you have a morning wedding, brunch options can really make your guests enjoy the beautiful morning and celebration. Or maybe you and your soon-to-be-spouse love mac n’ cheese. At Rouge Fine Catering you can find all of these options for your wedding day catering. From brunch to different mac n’ cheese options and so much more! You are sure to find just what you need to make your wedding menu memorable and meaningful!

If you want to add an extra special touch to your love celebration, follow these tips! Contact Rouge Fine Catering to learn more and get started creating the perfect menu for your wedding day!

Unique Dessert Ideas for Your Wedding Day

June 19, 2017

There are many wedding traditions that we carry out today without realizing the purpose behind them. Weddings are a traditional way to represent the union between two people, it is a way to bring two families together and celebrate the couple. The little aspects that make up a wedding also have traditional meaning.

Many of these meaningful traditions are centered around the cake. Wedding cakes are grand, beautiful, and elegant. It is not often you say that about a cake. But wedding cakes have been taken to a new level of dessert. They are often gorgeously decorated, with multiple tiers and many different looks.

Wedding cakes are generally white, and during the Victorian times, this symbolized social importance and wealth. It was expensive to get the fine white sugar, so the lighter the cake, the wealthier a family appeared. The white cake was also meant to represent the bride, the main focus of the bedding.

Nowadays, white cakes are still popular but often decorated with the colors used for the wedding—in the bouquets, bridesmaid dresses, and decorations. This adds some color to the cake, but sure most people do not know the purpose behind the pure white cake.

But the traditions behind the wedding cake seemed to have slowly lost their meaning. People are also beginning to take an untraditional approach when it comes to their wedding. Whether it is because of religious reasons or because they don’t feel that these traditions fit their style. And so, the traditions fade. But wedding cakes will most likely be the dessert of choice for years to come.

If a wedding cake doesn’t seem to fit your wedding style or your preferences as a couple, Rouge Fine Catering can offer you a large assortment of desserts that will satisfy your guest while staying away from the traditional ways.

There are many reasons why couples would choose to skip the grand and flashy wedding cake. Maybe the wanted a variety of different desserts so guests could enjoy a sweet of their choosing rather than being stuck with cake.

Baked Goods

Maybe you think the traditional wedding cake is too difficult to cut for all of your guests. Maybe cake is not really your thing. There are other options of baked good that can easily replace the wedding cake.

Mini Pies

Rouge Fine Catering offers individual pies as a dessert options. With so many flavors to choose from, your guests are sure to love this cute little pastries. Our mini pie flavors include:

Pumpkin
Black cherry and pear
Apples and cinnamon
Lemon-blueberry crumble
Fruit of the forest
Lemon meringue

You can also request custom flavors to ensure you have your favorite pie type!

Cookies and Brownies

Perhaps you enjoy the simplest of baked goods. Have brownies and cookies catered to your wedding. Your guest will love the simple treats that are always delicious. Our cookies and brownies are hand-made and delicious. Our cookie flavors include:

Sugar
Oatmeal raisin
Chocolate chip
Double chocolate
White chocolate-cranberry

Our cookies are also available in full-size or mini.

More Minis

Who doesn’t love mini desserts? They are the perfect size for a wedding, allowing your guests to get the sweet taste they crave without feeling overly full after the delicious dinner from Rouge Catering. Mini desserts are the perfect size and allow everyone to get their share of sweet treats. At Rouge, we offer many different mini desserts. These include:

House-made mini doughnuts
Mini bêté noir
Mini cheesecakes
Mini cannoli tart
Mini fruit tart

Many of our other desserts could be also be considered mini, like our cookie pops, chocolate covered pretzels, and our house-made macaroons! These treats are the perfect way for your guests to feed their sweet tooth without feeling too full or wasting a bunch of delicious dessert.

Bars and Shots

If you are looking for more fun and unique desserts for your wedding, Rouge has what you need! With different dessert shots (served in a shot glass) and bars, your guests will be able get the sweet taste they want! Our dessert bars include build-your own ice cream sandwich, house-made ice cream bar, and a milk and cookie bar. Let your guest have fun with their dessert as the make their own ice cream sundae! With ice cream flavors, toppings, and sauces, these desserts will entertain your guests and make them feel like kids again!

Our dessert shots are much like our mini desserts. They are small, delicious, and satisfying and allow your guests to enjoy some sweets while not eating an entire piece of cake. Our root beer float shots are a simple and classic dessert. We also offer mousse shots. These come in many different flavors, allowing your guests to find the one they will love. These flavors include:

Bananas foster
Black forest brownie
Cookies n’ cream
Lemon meringue
Strawberry shortcake
S’mores delight
Tiramisu
Toasted mango-macaroon mousse
Pumpkin pie

Shot glass sized desserts are perfect for a wedding day. They are big enough to give your guest a sweet taste to enjoy, but small enough to keep them from becoming overly full. There are many different flavors to choose from as well, allowing for your guests to find something they can enjoy.

Fruity

Fruit is nature’s candy. It is sweet, sugary, and still healthy—a great option for your wedding day dessert. With our many different fruit dessert options, you can choose the one that matches your wedding style best and that your guests will love the most. Perhaps you want a classic fruit and chocolate duo, you have a few options to choose from:

Chocolate “fountain” Lollipop Display: angel food cake, banana, brownie bites, coconut macaroon, fresh strawberries, pineapple, and NY-style cheesecake skewered and dipped in chocolate.
Giant chocolate-covered strawberries
Mousse charlotte
Petite Mousse Duo

Or maybe you want fruit that is a little more unique. We have some fun options for these as well:

Champagne and fruit coupe
Balsamic glazed strawberry parfait
Grilled fruit skewers
Grilled peach skewers
Mixed berry salad

These fruity options are delicious, different, and give a healthy and unique touch to the traditional wedding dessert. This is the perfect dessert for a beachy wedding, a laid back wedding, or just a wedding that wants to switch up the traditions.

Cupcakes

Another popular option in the world of wedding desserts is cupcakes. Cupcakes are often used as a wedding day treat and arrange to resemble a wedding cake with different tiers. This option is often used because it allows for different flavors, less cutting mess, and it adds a different look the the traditional wedding cake.

Rouge Fine Catering offers many different cupcake flavors made from scratch and Instagram worthy (they look as good as they taste). Some of these flavors include:

Baked apple
Chai-infused vanilla
Chocolate chip cookie dough
Maple bacon
Pink lemonade
Red velvet
Dulce de leche
Berger cookie

These are only a few of the cupcake flavors that could be making up your cupcake wedding cake. Go for the classic cupcake flavors to keep it simple and easy to accommodate for your guests preferences, or try new, unique, and delectable flavors to add something different to your wedding day dessert.

Of course, Rouge Fine Catering can provide a beautiful and traditional wedding cake if that is what you desire. But if you are looking to break the social norms and traditions that often come with a wedding, these dessert ideas are for you. Read through our menu to find the perfect dessert to go with your wedding theme, style, and needs.

Contact Rouge Fine Catering to get started on your wedding day catering menu, we can help you create a menu that will wow your guests.

When in Charge of Catering

May 1, 2017

It is your best friend’s wedding. You met her in elementary school, and you both have made a lot of memories ever since. You have planned your weddings together, played dress up, talked about your first boyfriends, and you were the first one she called when she got engaged.

She has asked you to be her maid of honor, and you know you will do a better job than anyone else would be able to do. And that is due to the fact that you know exactly how she wanted her wedding to turn out, you know how she has pictured it for years, telling you every detail. But now that you think about it, you realize she forgot to tell your one important detail, one detail many people don’t consider when planning their dream wedding, the food. And she has added catering to your list of things to decide upon.

Based on her taste, style, and personality, you know she will want something gourmet, delicious, and special. You definitely can’t go with barbecue, fast food Mexican, or a DIY catering, you must go bigger, better, and find something she will love and make her wedding even more special.

This is the ultimate test. The best friend test. If you know your friend, what she likes, dislikes, what she prefers, and what her fiancé is allergic to, choosing catering should be simple. You could call all the catering companies in the area and ask if they have all of her favorites, you could simply choose one and hope they have what you need. Or you could choose the best option and pick Rouge Fine Catering.

At Rouge Fine Catering, our wedding menu is huge, meaning that whatever your friend loves, we most likely have. You just need to know what exactly it is that she likes. Whether she likes seafood, pasta, or is a vegetarian, you can find something from our menu that will satisfy her and all of the guests.

Not only can you decide on the different food options for your friend’s wedding, you can make the decision on how it will be served—whether you will have butlered hors d’oeuvres, chef-manned stations, or buffet style.

Depending on the time of day her wedding is, you will be able to pick foods to match the overall wedding. The means morning weddings can have brunch served, late night weddings can enjoy a snack bar and light courses, and there is a bar menu as well to keep the fun going all night long!

Rouge Catering is the perfect decision when it comes to wedding catering. The guests will be satisfied, your best friend will be happy, and you will be able to count this moment as a win for your friendship.

With so many options to choose from, so many different serving options, styles, and courses, you will be able to get the best catering for your friend’s wedding, your wedding, your company party, and any other event that require the best catering.

If you are looking for catering that makes a statement, Rouge Fine Catering is for you! Call today to get started on your menu and view our menus to see what we offer!