But we also have stories that we laugh at now but which caused us no end of aggravation and embarrassment at the time!

When everything absolutely has to go right you should probably get professional help.  You might be on the entertainment committee of your social club or be assigned to organize a corporate event in the course of your career.  Perhaps you have a child getting married or a special anniversary to celebrate.  These are events that absolutely must go without a hitch, not only for your sake but for all the other participants.  In these cases you may want to think about a cater hire.

When you engage a caterer you don’t abdicate all your responsibilities.  There is still planning and budgeting chores that will need your attention but that is just a fraction of the work that you would be doing without such help. A catering hire company will handle emergencies, coordinating food service, making sure that food is served seamlessly and there is just enough of everything.  Should by some chance there is danger of running out of food, dishes or other supplies there will be people to take care of that without interrupting your duties as a host or hostess.

Employing a catering company to manage your function, event or private party is a bit like having a large staff of servants.  You tell them what you expect to be done and it miraculously materializes with no worries, no problems on your part.  There may well be complications behind the scenes but as far as you will ever know your function proceeds smoothly and at great success.  You will not have to frantically check the supplies of appetizers, adjust the temperatures of food warmers or replace ice under the shrimp cocktail.  All the food is kept at official health department standards or above, replenished when needed and never appears picked over or less than attractive.

Prices for a catering hire company vary, of course, depending on how much you want them to do.  As well as preparing and serving the food, caterers can arrange special decorations for an additional fee.  What if you want to serve cocktails?  Catering hire services also provide bartending services and waiters and waitresses!

But probably the best thing about hiring a catering service is being able to relax after your event or party.  If you’ve ever had the job of cleaning up after an event you know it can be bone numbingly exhausting, especially if you’ve entertained guests for a few hours, an afternoon or an evening.  Usually, all you want to do is kick back and relax and when you engage a cater hire that’s what you’ll be able to do.  They will clean up, wash up and put away or remove the dishes and any cookware they have used, take out the trash, and generally leave the venue exactly as they found it.

If they decided to go ahead with the wedding, the groom would give the bride’s parents a gift of money to prove that he was able to earn a living and take good care of their daughter.

Lavish weddings are a fairly recent development for the general population.  Royalty, of course, has a tradition of extravagant wedding celebrations with all the pomp and circumstance one would expect.

Prince Charles & Princess Diana's Wedding

Even Prince Charles and Princess Diana had to enrol help outside the Royal household and employ the services of  the Emanuels to design and make her legendary wedding dress.

The wealthy class was more apt to make a show of marriage simply because it was an ideal occasion to network and form bonds and loyalties.  In fact, until the last century, marriages were often arranged between the offspring of business contacts in order to cement the partnership and avoid possible business sabotage.

Up until the mid-twentieth century, the average couple was usually married at the bride’s home or in her church.  The guest list consisted of family and there wasn’t such a thing as a reception.  Weddings were very simple, quick and inexpensive—after all, the couple and their parents could ill afford to waste money on entertaining, something that would have been considered foolish.

After WWII the world’s economy slowly improved and there was more discretionary income.  Weddings became a bit more elaborate and the average couple could afford to make it a special day for themselves, their family and their friends.  Big weddings became very popular and indeed, an entire industry was built around them.

Some people love planning a wedding.  They like juggling details, calling florists and other providers, poring through books of cake photographs and all the other details that have to be taken care of.  For too many people, though, planning and executing a wedding turns into an endless river of stress.  It’s ironic that such a joyful event should be so much trouble and aggravation.  In fact, many couples throw up their hands and quietly visit a judge rather than wrestle with a big production.

There’s no need to deny yourself or your daughter a beautiful wedding just because you are dreading the planning and organizing.  A wedding hire can take care of all the details and make the big day unfold flawlessly.  Since weddings are their specialty, they know what works and what doesn’t and know what to do should anything start to go wrong.

A wedding hire specialist  knows from experience where you will get the best quality and customer service.  They can arrange for the flowers and the church or chapel.  They will hire the venue for the reception and take care of the food service, the entertainment and drinks as well as limousine service for the bride and her family and attendants.  Just about the only thing you will have to do is choose the wedding cake and the reception menu.  What could be easier?  That’s how a wedding should be!

In the 16^th century this tradition was born due to the hoards of robbers that roamed the countryside.  If they came upon a wedding party they would often kidnap the bride and either hold her for ransom or grossly mistreat her.  This began the similarity in dress for the women in the wedding party in order to confuse the robbers as to which woman was the bride.

Events before the wedding are traditional, too.  The bride and her friends usually have a “hen night” to celebrate her marriage and the groom’s attendants throw a “stag” party to congratulate him for his coming nuptials.

Marriage proposals have always been up to the prospective groom but women are permitted to propose to men on February 29, an occasion that comes around about every four years.  These days, of course, it’s not that unusual for these traditions to be broken.

Marriage banns are traditionally read in the bride’s church three Sundays before the wedding.  “Banns” are derived from an Old English word meaning “to summon”.  Without the reading of the banns a couple cannot obtain a wedding license and the marriage is not valid.  It is considered bad luck for either of the happy couple to be present at the reading of the banns.

As you have probably noticed, many traditions are made and continue in order to bring the happy couple good luck.  Brides usually sew a good luck charm in the hem of their wedding gown and often carry a horseshoe with their bouquet.  Many brides arrange to have a chimney sweep waiting outside the church as it is considered good luck for the bride to be kissed by one as she exits the church.

After the wedding, the couple and two witnesses sign the wedding register.  Until they do this, the marriage is not legal and no license will be issued.  From there it is on to the luncheon, referred to as a “wedding breakfast”.  There are two cakes, one for the groom (usually chocolate) and a cake containing cherries and nuts for the bride.  The top layer of the bride’s cake is called the “christening cake” and is meant to be saved for the christening of their first child.  Cutting the wedding cake together symbolizes the couple’s first mean as man and wife.

This may sound like a lot of traditions to honor but truthfully, there are many more!  Whether you want a traditional wedding or something more modern or unusual, you can make everything run smoothly by engaging a wedding hire company to take care of all the details.  It’s your special day, one you’ll treasure for the rest of your life and tell your children and grandchildren about.  A professional wedding hire firm will allow you to enjoy it free of stress and make sure that all the traditions you want to honour are incorporated every step of the way. From traditional marquees, to flower arrangements to classic car hire!

By planning your event down to the last detail and using reliable resources you can make it an event that will impress your clients as well as your employees.

The reason for the event has a lot to do with what you plan.  Are you showing your employees how much you appreciate them or thanking clients for their business?  Is it a retirement party or welcoming new recruits?  Whatever the reason for the event, you want your guests to enjoy themselves above all else.  You need to take all elements of the event and plan for every contingency; this will take time, so be sure to allow yourself plenty of it.

The venue for your event is one of the most important considerations.  You will need enough space so that people don’t feel crowded but not so much that they tend to form exclusive groups.  Hiring a hall or a meeting room in a nice hotel are two options that might save you a lot of trouble since they usually supply tables, chairs and kitchen facilities if you need them.  If you are planning to hold the event outside be sure to have an alternate location in case of inclement weather.

One of the more important considerations is the availability of bathroom facilities.  Does the venue you are considering have enough or will you need to rent portable lavatories?  A hall or hotel will usually have sufficient facilities but if your event is outside you may need to consider an outside provider of portable toilets.

Once you decide where to have your corporate event you can proceed with other important aspects such as your menu, an appropriate theme, entertainment and activities you might want to incorporate.  It’s helpful to choose a theme for your event so that you can keep food, decorations and entertainment consistent.  For example, you may want to build your event around a Hawaiian Luau and have all the elements built around that.  You may want to gear your event to a historical era or even a certain part of the world.  A party with a French theme could feature the delectable cuisine of that country, French wine and perhaps gaming tables from the Riviera.

It is important to remember that while your company is sponsoring the event, the guests are where the focus should be.  This is about them, not the corporation.  Engaging a catering hire firm will allow you to give your full attention to your guests and ensure that everything runs smoothly.

Entertainment is another important element of any event.  You should avoid bands that play too loudly or who specialize in just one genre of music.  A DJ is ideal for the under-30 crowd but may be inappropriate for older guests.  Look over your guest list carefully and plan your entertainment for that set of demographics.

When most of us think of a stage we think about musical concerts or theatre plays, but stages are used for so much more.  A podium is a small stage used by public speakers, a place they can organize their notes as they speak and even lean on for support.  Larger stages are used at weddings, parties and public events such as festivals and open air markets.

There are some very famous stages that have brought a lot of entertainment to millions of people.  Did you know that in 1576 the first permanent theatre was built in Shoreditch?  William Shakespeare’s company performed on that stage!  Today, London is the center of a thriving theatre community attended and enjoyed by people all over the world.

The London Palladium is probably one of the most well-known and loved stages in the world, celebrating its 100^th birthday in 2010!  Performers regard the Palladium on Argyll Street much as musicians in the States think of Carnegie Hall—it’s a goal to strive for and when you finally walk on that marvelous stage you know you’ve “made” it.  The great magician Harry Houdini has performed there as have Frank Sinatra, Ethel Barrymore and Yul Brynner to name just a few.  It has hosted productions of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Scrooge and other delightful plays.

Stages are also used extensively in the film industry.  A really famous stage in America is at Universal Studios; it was dubbed the Phantom Stage, named for the 1925 silent film classic “Phantom of the Opera” starring the inimitable Lon Chaney.  It was the largest stage every built at the time, 360 feet long and 145 feet wide, using 175,000 feet of lumber.  It still stands after being used as stage hire for movies such as “The Sting” and Alfred Hitchcock’s “Torn Curtain”.  Studio tours visit the stage when a film is not being shot there.

Phantom Stage

You may have occasion to need stage hire at some point.  They are popular for private parties that have hired bands for entertainment.  Bringing in a safe, sturdy portable stage for a private performance makes a lot of sense when you think of all the paraphernalia that goes with a band.  It’s safer for your guests as well as your entertainers when all the wires and equipment are in one place and well away from feet that may be tripped.

No matter what type of stage you need to hire, it can be sourced.  Whether you need a small platform for speaking or a larger venue for a play or musical performance, you can rent a stage for any occasion.

Believe it or not, portable toilets have been around for 3500 years!  The ancient Egyptians fashioned stools with holes in the middle and a clay pot beneath.  These devices were held in such high regard that they were often buried with important people and top officials.  During the Middle Ages and up until the mid-19^th century, chamber pots were used.  These containers were made of metal or glass and were often quite beautiful.  Used mostly during the night hours, the contents were routinely thrown out a window in the morning and woe to whoever happened to be passing below!

During World War, 1 the American infantry carried portable toilets emblazoned with the logo “T. Crapper”, the London plumber (1836-1910) famous for the quality of his work.  Hence, the slang word “crapper” became popular when referring to bathroom facilities.

The first modern portable toilet was fashioned from wood and metal.  A shipbuilder in California noticed how much time it took workers to leave a ship and travel to the bathrooms on the docks.  In order to save time and increase efficiency he made a wooden cabana with a small holding tank for his workers to use.  It wasn’t a very pleasant contraption, as wood absorbs odors and is difficult to keep clean.  Sanitation in that first modern portable toilet was nonexistent.

Later, in the early 1970’s, fibreglass was used to make lightweight portable toilets that could be moved about easily from site to site.  Since fibreglass picks up odours almost as well as wood does, these were not very popular even though they provided a much needed service.  Near the end of the decade polyethylene was the material of choice. It is non-permeable, durable and easy to clean as well as lightweight.

We’ve come a long way since that shipbuilder built the first modern portable toilet.  When you see a portable sanitation unit on a construction site or at a festival you can be sure that it is clean and odorless with every care taken to make it pleasant.  There are many different models of portable toilets, from basic utility units to luxurious VIP accommodations.

If you need portable sanitation for an event you have a lot to choose from.  Units are cleaned, deodorized and disinfected regularly during use and after each rental period.  Perhaps the most impressive units are the portable VIP bathrooms which are no different from the restrooms in an upscale restaurant on the inside.  There are private stalls with doors, a vanity with mirrors and washing facilities.  In fact, there are even mobile shower units that you can rent if you have the need.

Portable sanitation is no longer unpleasant, smelly and unattractive.  Modern sanitation units are clean and safe; many of the newer ones have washing facilities and/or a hand sanitizer in each unit.

What if we miss something that will throw off the entire event?  Even the most self-confident people sometimes doubt their abilities when faced with such a big task.  Those of us who have been brave enough to plan and execute such events know that it’s definitely not as easy as we made it look!

Using an Event Planner to help carry out your plans is an excellent way to make sure that things run smoothly and meet all your expectations.  Whatever you can think of an event hire specialist can help you out.  Would you like to set up a street festival complete with hot air balloon rides to raise money for your favorite charity?  An event hire planner will arrange the permits you will need, secure however many hot air balloons you would like and even provide entertainment for the patrons.

Weddings are often stressful affairs but they don’t have to be if you use an event hire specialist.  They will arrange for the church or chapel, floral arrangements, provide the venue for the reception, arrange for catering and even take care of the bachelor party!  Nuptials should be a time of joy and new beginnings, not the stuff ulcers are made of.  With an event hire planner you can enjoy your daughter’s wedding as the wonderful day it should be.

One distinct advantage of an event  planner  is their remarkable networking abilities.  If they do not provide a service or the goods you need, they know who does.  An event hire management company  works closely with other providers and knows which ones are reliable.  They have learned who can give quality service and which ones to avoid.  Event Planners can even provide a security team should you need crowd control or want to insure the privacy of your event.

You will save both time and money as well as stress when you use a specialist planner.  Have you ever arranged a party and needed tables, chairs or other equipment?  Then you know how time consuming and backbreaking it is to transport it, set it all up, tear it down again and return the merchandise in good condition.  By using a management company you simply tell them how much of something you need and then direct your attention to other details, secure in the knowledge that you will have everything in place with no effort or wasted time on your part.

An event  planner  can provide entertainment, too.  From inflatables for children to laser light shows, from bands of all genres to paddleboats and canoes, they will make sure that your party or other function is fun.  Have you ever thought of having a fashion show as a fund raiser?  Event  planners will provide the models, the runway, the refreshments and even the commentator.  Perhaps you prefer to sponsor a casino night for fun or for charity?  Planners can provide slot machines, table games, pit bosses and bartenders.

As you can see, event hire professionals take all the stress out of the planning and execution so that you can relax, enjoy and gracefully accept all the compliments you will receive on a flawlessly executed event!

But how can you maintain high morale, especially when the economic climate is so dismal?  One way is to sponsor a corporate employee appreciation event once or twice a year.

 At first such an event may sound like a huge responsibility.  When you think about the hours you’ll spend planning and arranging all the food, entertainment and activities involved in an employee event you may tend to get discouraged.  But the key to a successful, morale building employee event is delegating all the tasks involved.  This is where caterers and other providers can help your event be successful. 

 Your main goal is to express your appreciation to your employees for all their hard work and sincere interest in your company.  Think of when you yourself worked for someone else.  What made you feel appreciated?  Your first answer will probably be money!  But didn’t you remember all the times your company rewarded you with recognition?  Acknowledging an employee’s competence and hard work and letting everyone know how much you value them is what builds lasting morale and loyalty. 

 You may want to do something simple like an employee picnic with games, awards and recognition ceremonies.  People always have fun playing games outdoors and eating good food.  But you could go a step further by renting an outdoor pavilion, hiring entertainment and providing child-friendly activities. 

 You could sponsor a more formal affair in a hotel ballroom or rented hall.  Your employees would appreciate a catered party that would allow them to dress up and enjoy being waited on hand and foot.  A live band playing classic dance music would let couples feel like movie stars as they glide across the floor and snag a glass of champagne from a passing waiter.  Imagine the morale booster such an event would be!  Every person who attends will be talking about it for months to come and know that you appreciate all the effort they put into their work.

 Planning and executing a morale building event of any kind doesn’t have to be time consuming or prohibitively expensive.  Hiring a caterer will actually save you money in the long run.  When you think of how much you will spend on food, people to prepare it and clean up afterward and staff to take care of the party, a cater hire is actually a very good bargain.  Especially since all you have to do is set the date, choose the menu and hire the venue.  Your corporate morale building event will go off without a hitch and instead of being mired down in details, you and your staff can enjoy the event.  You’ll be able to have some quality time with your employees instead of putting out fires behind the scenes!

The first factor in the mix is the kind of event you are planning.  A wedding reception will have very different requirements than a corporate event involving speakers, activities and a sit-down dinner.  The venue will also come into play, of course—is the event at your home, indoor or out of doors, or at a business venue or perhaps at a theatre or park?  The physical location and the type of event should dictate your menu.

If you are having an event rehearsal dinner you will be safe in choosing nearly any food you can think of.  Your party will be sitting down at tables, not worried about whether they drip or spill on expensive attire.  In this case you can cut your expenses with family-style dishes such as Shepherd’s Pie, Italian cuisine or salads and a roast of beef, lamb or goose.  Your guests are stationary with no danger of running into each other and there is very little physical circulation going on.

However, if you are having an event such as a cocktail party where people are dressed in their best and constantly moving about, you will want to be a bit more thoughtful about the food you provide.  Nobody wants a good time spoiled by a ruined suit or dress so you should serve food that has little chance of spilling or dropping.  You may want to serve hors d’oeuvres, finger foods, bite-sized bits of succulent fruits and other foods that are consumed with no mess but enjoyed immensely.

A more formal, mobile event does not mean you cannot serve dinner fare, of course.  Small, two-bite sandwich bits that are seasoned and toasted to perfection is one idea that is always well received.  Parmesan chicken tenders or bacon and chicken wraps, sesame seasoned chicken or beef strips and hand made pizza bites are just a few of the delicious foods you can serve.  The key is to keep serving sizes small enough that no utensils are needed other than a cocktail fork or toothpick.

One more thing you may want to consider is whether any of your guests have food allergies.  If your gathering consists of friends that you know you will probably already have this covered.  If you are sponsoring a corporate event you should inquire about such allergies when the invitations are mailed.  At a public function you should make sure that foods are properly labeled.

Your caterer can work with you, making suggestions or showing you different ways to accomplish your goal.  With their knowledge and your creativity, you’ll be sure to have an event that will bring you compliments long after it’s over!

So you have to be careful when choosing a caterer to hire.  There are a few basic qualities to look for that must be present in order to avoid unnecessary stress and social disasters.

The first thing you should check is if they are registered properly.  If so, this means they are serious about their business and have the motivation to do a good job and please their clients.  Unregistered caterers are usually amateurs trying to make some extra cash—their intentions may be good but their lack of knowledge will ruin your event!

After you pick out a few likely catering hire companies, it is important that you visit the premises.  There are certain health concerns regulated by law and while you can’t know all the rules you do have your common sense with which to make a judgment.  Is the kitchen clean?  Is there rodent or insect waste lying about in the corners or in drawers?  Look for food lying out on a counter as that could indicate the caterer is too casual about the safe and proper serving temperature of food.  Look into the refrigeration and freezing units, peering under items on the floor and into the corners to be sure that it is spotlessly clean.  You would be surprised how many commercial units haven’t been cleaned for weeks or months!

When you have ascertained that your prospective caterer is sanitary and careful about handling food, ask them about their staff.  An experienced staff is essential!  If you have ever managed an event on your own, you know that whatever can go wrong probably will.  How those situations are handled make a difference between a successful event and an embarrassing flop.  Let the business owner tell you about his or her experiences and pick up what their attitude is.  If they love their business they’ll do their best to make your event a resounding success!

If you need extra furniture such as tables and chairs or a stage for a band or anything out of the ordinary, your caterer may be able to provide it for you.  Many caterers also have access to resources that save you the trouble of hiring several different companies.  A catering hire company that can manage the entire event through their own resources or by networking with quality companies they have previously dealt with will save you a lot of stress, let you enjoy your event and pay attention to your guests, not a myriad of details and small emergencies.

Lastly, before you make a decision as to which catering hire company to engage, ask for references and don’t hesitate to contact each and every one of them!  Ask your friends, neighbors and co-workers what they may have heard about the caterers you are considering.  Do an internet search on each one and find out what other people are saying about them.  By taking the time to investigate and choosing carefully and objectively, your event will be the very best experience for everyone!