Frequently Asked Questions
What type of services do you offer?
We are a full-service, off-premise caterer which provides a variety of services including food, beverage, equipment, staff and more.
What if my venue doesn't have a kitchen?
A lot of the venues we work with do not have kitchens. We specialize in creating satellite kitchens to make sure your food is fresh and finished on-site. Depending on the menu, we have most of our cooking equipment on hand and include it at no cost. Please note some events may require additional kitchen equipment rentals.
How far out should we book our catering?
During wedding season some dates can become completely booked. We will only take 2 events on a Saturday to gaurentee our couples get 150% of our attention. Once you decide to work with Olive Events, we recommend signing a contract as soon as possible to secure the date. Even with a proposal you are not gaurenteed a date until you sign a contract and pay the deposit.
Do you have gluten free or vegetarian menu options?
Yes, we can accommodate all dietary restrictions as indicated prior to your event. This includes gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, vegan, vegetarian and paleo. We are constantly coming up with new menu items to accommodate the growing number of food allergy requests. We want all of our guests to have an enjoyable food experience at our event.
Do you charge a service fee?
Yes, we charge an 18% production fee. Our production fee contributes to the back-end costs that go into producing an event aside from the food itself, including but not limited to: tastings for large-scale events, client meetings, site visits, insurance certificates, gas, truck rentals, uniform costs, equipment & breakage costs, etc. This fee offsets all of those operational costs to ensure our clients aren’t worrying about asking for help in these areas; we want to ensure that the planning process is as easy as possible once you have us on board!
What other fees are there?
You will never be surprised by any hidden costs, even when your contracts is changed or revised. All costs to you are clearly outlined in each custom proposal and/or contract and no fees will be added without prior knowledge or consent.
Do you offer a Childrens Meal?
Yes! If you want to do a separate meal for children we can do a kids box with varying menu items!
Can I try the food first?
Yes! We love showcasing our food. We call them Sample Tastings- we provide 4-5 appetizers of our choosing to show you our quality, favorites + presentation. This allows us to better get to know you and create a custom menu for you!
If you have a proposal already or want to start there we do offer menu tastings-Once you feel comfortable with the vision and cost of your proposal, we welcome the opportunity to schedule a tasting. The menu that you will try at the tasting will be representative of the menu you have chosen. A menu tasting cost range depending on the menu from $100-$150 per person (with a maximum of four people total in attendance)
Do you help with rentals?
Absouletly! We provide your rentals for everything dinner (plates, silverware, linens, glassware etc.) and can help place any other rental items you need. We work with local companies to help make your decor dreams become reality!
Do you provide Service Staff?
Yes! We are a full service catering company, all of our weddings require full service. All of our service staff is professionally trained, uniformed and always excited to service your guests.
Do you prepare and cook all menu items onsite?
All menus are carefully reviewed to accommodate cooking limitations at the venue, volume and quantity, style of service, degree of difficulty and every other aspect of production. With a large focus on food quality and flavor, most all of our food will be prepared onsite. We start the preperation and cooking process at our kitchen but finish the process at your venue to insure you menu is perfectly prepared for you and your guests!
My vendors require a meal, do you provide that?
Yes, we can provide a vendor meal! Depending on the amount/location and timeline the meals vary.