We met Danielle and Peter in the Fall of 2010 and immediately after our first meeting they decided to book us as their caterer and planner, talk about hitting it off! We were very excited to work with Danielle and Peter because they are both very laid back, easy going people that just wanted a fun, no-drama, beach wedding. We swiftly began our search for the perfect beach house. Weeks upon weeks were spent looking for all of the necessary qualifications, the most important being a large outdoor space for a tent, preferably oceanfront. We ended up finding a little gem (well, not so little actually) called “A Sea Monster” in Kure Beach that had a VERY large “backyard” (of sand) and was right on the ocean. After our first visit, we knew we didn’t need to look any further! The “venue”, caterer and date had all been set.. the rest fell into place as we began planning and designing their September 24th wedding.

The cuisine was to reflect the tastes of North Carolina, which in the end consisted of the following menu:

Hor D’Oeuvres

Sweet Potato Fry Cones, Chicken & Waffles (left), and Mini Corn Dogs (right)

Dinner Buffet

Shrimp & Grits, Roasted Pig, Classic Slaw, Southern Style Collard Greens, Southern Style Mac & Cheese and Corn Bread

Hubert the pig! Danielle and Peter made up that little rhyme for him…. RIP Hubert, although the guests thoroughly enjoyed you and your pickings!

Above: Shrimp & Grits in mini pots, corn bread and classic slaw

The bar also paid homage to North Carolina. Bad Penny and Angry Angel were on tap from Big Boss Brewing and wine was served that Peter and Daneille had made themselves!

The evening was very laid back. Guests relaxed and danced under a tent in the sand with their bare feet, while the band Rush Street (friends of Peter) played some jazzy tunes. Later in the evening cupcakes were served that Peter’s mother had made from scratch that were topped with REAL starfish.

Everything was a success and the weather turned out to be gorgeous (after a drizzly and gloomy morning). The warm, late summer breeze was not the only thing in the air that night; the love of the newly wed Peter and Danielle was felt by all.

We really enjoyed our journey with the two of you in this planning process and we were so privildged to be a part of your special day!

Beat of luck to you from Heather Irvin, Jessica King, Gail Stephenson and the rest of our PC&E Team!

*All photos courtesy of Gary Kurtz

A special thanks to the following vendors:

Gary Kurtz - Photography

Premier Speical Event Services – Tent

CE Rental - Rentals

Technorati Tags: Catering, events, kure beach, premiere, weddings

This summer, we hosted Lulu’s 6th birthday party at her home. It was such a pleasure to do this, because we had such a fun time catering/planning her 5th birthday last year! This is one special little girl, and she deserves the best there is (such as having an airplane fly over her house with a personal message from her Dad!)

Not only did we cater this party, but Heather coordinated all of the decor and design. This years theme was “River Nile”. There were pillars, palms and parrots to name a few things!

Check out the video link below done by Inkspot Crow for a little glimpse of this amazing day!

Lulu’s 6th Birthday

Technorati Tags: birthday party, event design, Raleigh Caterer

Mason Jars: you see them everywhere, but they widely get their attention by being a highlight in wedding decor. Although these simplistic glass pieces are used quite frequently for wedding and home decor, their original intent was to preserve and can food.

A little history on the ever-so-popular Mason Jar…

The Mason jar was invented by John L. Mason in 1858. What made it different from it’s predecessors is that it had a screw on lid, rather than a flat lid that was molded on with wax. Although many people still use the Mason Jars for their original intent, canning, they are also a “go-to” design element in a lot of weddings. Their appeal lies in the fact that they are so versatile, simple and inexpensive.

Here are some creative ways people have used Masjon Jars in their wedding…

 *The Knot

 *United With Love

 *Urban Times

 *Personal Blog

 *Cheaply Charming

The possibilities are endless!!! But do you know what is really amazing? You can reuse these for anything after the wedding… as ornaments in your yard, as decor in your house, as cups in your cabinet, as containers, ect!

Do you like what you see? If so, these functional little jars are very easy to find! Some places to look include: Walmart, Target, ebay, and the list goes on! If you type “mason jars” into Google you will find many resources.

We hope this inspires you!

Technorati Tags: Raleigh Wedding Catering

Come One, Come All to our 2011 Summer Tasting Event! We are teaming up with the fabulous Fresh Affairs for their Tabletop Extravaganza.  You will see stunning table top displays, taste exquisite food, as well as meet other wedding professionals. There will also be music, dessert and even a bar! The best part is: it’s FREE! All you have to do is register here. You can bring as many people with you as you’d like, just be sure to include them in your registered guest count. Space is limited, so please register as soon as you can.

We hope to see you there!

Technorati Tags: Catering, Raleigh, Wedding

We all know that the Spring and Fall are the most popular seasons for weddings, but let us not forget that some couples still choose summer (and winter) for their big day. If you were to receive a wedding invitation dated July 30 in San Fransisco, you may feel some sort of relief. However, here in the south, summer weather is scorching. Now let’s go back to that wedding invitation, how about now the location says Durham, NC. A typical sunny July day in this area can reach 105 degrees, WHEW! Now that you’ve retained your calm, cool and collected composure after reading the invitation, you begin to wonder, “How will I survive an outdoor summer wedding?” Well keep on reading, we’ve got some great ideas to make you the coolest guest on a hot day.

Tip #1: Bring a Parasol (a fancy umbrella) - Not only are they absolutely adorable and classy, but they give you some partial shade.

*See these and more at Bella Umbrella

Tip #2: Wear loose-fitting, light weight materials, such as cotton. If you are wanting to wear a dress, consider a halter, strapless or thin strapped dress to keep your upper half exposed to the breeze. Add some flare to this simple dress from Ann Taylor LOFT by adding a belt, some fashion jewelry and some heels (or sandals!). And don’t forget some trendy sunglasses!

Tip 3#: Bring a change of clothes. Although this will take some thought (now you have to put together two cute, but “cool”, outfits) it will be to your advantage if your first set of clothes becomes dewy and/or odorous. If you are unable to leave them in a vehicle, bring a large tote with all of your necessities.

Tip #4: Bring an “Emergency Kit” – In addition to your year round staples (hem tape, bandages, aspirin, hairspray, ect) think of items you would like to have if you were hot and uncomfortable. For the parts of your body that are prone to perspiring, bring a small packet of wipes to stay fresh. Also remember to bring some travel size deoderant and perfume. A really good item for your “glistening” face will be blotting paper, such as these ones from Sephora.

Tip #5: Stay hydrated!!!  The last thing you want is to pass out in front of a large crowd, not only is it dangerous, but somewhat embarrassing. No matter if it fits in your purse or not, you should bring a bottle of cold water. A good idea may be to freeze it the day before and take it out the morning of, that way it will still be cold even in the hot sun. Since anything cold in a bottle will produce condensation, consider a cute koozie like this one so the items in your bag or purse will not get wet.

Thanks for reading, we hope these tips will help make any summer wedding enjoyable!

Yours Truly,

PC&E

Technorati Tags: Catering, Raleigh, Wedding

Drum roll, please!!! We are honored to be given another Bride’s Choice Award from Wedding Wire! Here it is, how exciting!

Also, we have another happy client who has written a review on our Wedding Wire profile. We are so thrilled that our clients go out of their way to let others know about our services. Read the new review here.

We are so excited and thankful to be so appreciated!!! Thank you to all of our clients for spreading the word!

Whether you’re trying to save some “green” or be “green”, finding gently used items for your wedding is an all around smart choice. There are a handful of resources out there where you can find dresses and decor gallore, and I’m not talking about the typical eBay or Craigslist (which are great resources).. but, these websites are a little more specific, they deal with weddings of course!

Here are some great websites:

Project Wedding

Wedding Bee

The Knot

Ruffled (blog)

Here are some examples of what you can find from other brides!

There really are some amazing finds out there if you dedicate some time to hunt for them!

Yours Truly,

PC&E

Seth and Morgan met a few years ago through mutual friends, and surprisingly, it was not love at first sight… but that all changed once they began to get to know each other, and later realized they were meant to be together. On April 2, they vowed their love to one another in front of 130 friends and family at the beautiful Shady Wagon Farm.

It was a beautiful, but windy, spring day and the tempature was perfect. The ceremony took place on the gazebo on the pond, and with the barn as the back drop it was picturesque. After the ceremony guests headed over to the barn for cocktails which consisted of a Fruit and Savory Cheesecake display and two passed Hors D’ouevres. For refreshments there was a bar serving beer and wine and lavander lemonade.. wonderfully delicious!

This Fruit & Savory Cheesecake display was simply elegant!

The buffet was infused with “station style” items to give it the simplicity of a buffet but with a distinctive design. The menu consisted of Carved Beef Top Round (top left), Baby New Potatoes and Haricot Verts (not shown), Asian BBQ & Slaw (top right), Shrimp & Grits (bottom left), and Mason Jar Mixed Green Salad (bottom right).

Here is how we displayed the menu…

We hung customized menu items within each section of an old reclaimed window… very rustic and chic!

Here is a glimpse fo the inside of the barn where the guests sat to dine. The ivory and green with pops of color were perfect for spring.

After dinner and some heart-felt toasts, Morgan and Seth had a donut dividing ceremony! Instead of having a wedding cake they had a tier of Krispy Kreme donuts, which is SO their style!

It was a day filled with love and joy and fun was had by all….

Congratulations Seth & Morgan, your wedding was amazing and we truly had a pleasure helping make your day special!

**All photos courtesy of Brett Arthur Photography**

Meet David and Amanda…

… Two free spirited people who love life, but more importantly, love each other

The two of them wed at the historic Crenshaw Hall in Wake Forest, NC.  They shared their special day with 60 of their closest friends and family members. The evening was filled with laughter and happiness as everyone celebrated new beginnings with this vivacious couple.

After the ceremony, a selection of Hors D’oeuvres were on display on the dining room table inside the house. The couple chose the Fruit & Savory Cheesecakes display. Pictured here is the Fiesta Cheesecake (left) and the Pimento Cheesecake (right), with a seasonal variety of fresh fruit.

After cocktail hour, guests headed to the tent for a station style dinner. Two of the stations pictured are Lemon Picnic Chicken served with a Spinach and Strawberry Salad. Below that is the Carved Mojo Pork Loin topped with Mango and Black Bean salsa served over Yucca Mash. Delicious!

After dinner, the dancing took center stage. As you can see, the guests busted a move.. or two!!!

Inside the house, David and Amanda cut their three tiered cake which was later enjoyed by everyone in the room.

We were so privileged to work with a couple as joyful as David and Amanda and we wish them all the happiness the world can offer! Congratulations you two!

***All photos courtesy of Michelle Gunton Photography

If you research the words “2011 (or 2012) Wedding Color Trends”, just about any combination comes up… but we really fell in love with the chic, modern, or earthy/vintage look of black, white and green. Depending on your personality, infusing black as an accent in your wedding may seem daring or boring… but if it is woven throughout the color scheme in a delicate, but bold way, you could end up with something like this!

Let’s start with invitations and seating cards…

(Invitations from The Green Kangaroo)

Doesn’t this already look amazing? This color combo has “modern class” written all over it!

Now let’s talk about the Ceremony…

The best thing about green is it’s EVERYWHERE (outside, that is). With this color scheme, it would be best to have an outdoor ceremony (and even reception) if possible, that way the backdrop does the decorating for you! All that really needs to be done is some detailed touches here and there and VOILA, you have a black, white and green masterpiece! (Well, it’s not as easy as saying “Voila!”, but that’s where we come in, we can help you make all of this a reality!)

Look at how these simple hanging moss balls added just a touch of detail without being too much of a hassle… what’s even better is you can buy these from a bride who wants to recycle them by selling them gently used by clicking here.

Moving to the reception…

Here you can see that the major pop of color is white. If you look closely you will see tall black vases on the table and black chargers. With a touch of green in the flowers and a small green runner down the middle you have completed your color scheme! This is a more natural approach and the most inexpensive decor peice here is the grass, hey, you can’t beat free! Mother Nature most definitely deserves a “Thank You” card!

On the other hand, you could use a green linen with black and white accents. In this photo (from weddingbycolor.com) a black charger is still used and in this case the runner is a damask print. Damask has been popular for some time now, and we don’t see it packing its bags any time soon. We absolutely would recommend using it somewher in your color scheme.

Looking at the following two pictures for a solid hour or two would be an easy task, there is so much beauty and detail to soak in. Since there is so much green detail in the candy buffet, it would look best on a white linen, as shown below. This is also a more vintage approach to the color scheme. As for the cake, the black linen is fabulous. Black as an accent table works wonderfully, as it does with this GORGEOUS cake! (This cake won 1st place in the 2009 Wedding Cake Contest and the candy buffet was from a bride’s blog. Click images for more.)

But wait, check out this jelly bean pallete from Jelly Belly!!! 

Delicious and visually brilliant!

Now, the moment you’ve been waiting for…it’s time to see how you can incorporate black and green into your bridal attire.

This gown is by Modern Trousseau and is called “Wallis”. This dress is perfect for adding a touch of black without straying from the traditional white dress. But if you want to be really bold, you could go with a black or green dress!

“Where is the green?” you may ask…

Check out this beautiful handcrafted hair pin from Etsy.com. This is a great way to incorporate a hint of green without adding too much. Pin this little baby in your hair and you are ready to be bold, confident, but mainly… beautiful.

Order here

And here is the beauty that can lie within your hands…

Look at this bouquet! It perfectly embellishes the three colors of this scheme. Black Calla Lillies are what really make it pop. With your white dress, black sash, green hair pin and this bouquet you are sure to be the intricate center of this modern and elegant color scheme.

(This bouquet was showcased on Bollea.com, a blog that showcases beautiful floral designs)

***If you like what you see, we would love to meet with you and help you design the wedding of your dreams!