The Ombre Cake

By far the most striking trend we've seen this wedding season has been the Ombre Cake. And as beautiful as it is we're hoping it doesn't go anywhere for a while!(Hint, hint to our cake goddesses: the blogger would like an ombre birthday cake ;) ) One of the great things about this cake trend, besides teaching everyone a new fabulous french word, is that it's completely customizable. This trend has been seen with so many different decorating techniques, that it fits everyone's personal style. Rosettes for the romantic, avant garde style for a dramatic look, or clean contemporary lines for the modern couple, and everything in between. We've collected some of our favorite interpretations of the trend below.

The Cocktail Party

The Cocktail party is much more then cocktails it's a prime time for eating delicious food presented in unexpected ways. And It's a great way to host an event where the intentions are to have your guests mingle and meet, whether it be a wedding, fundraiser or just a fun party at home.

 

Rooftop Soiree

It's Wedding Wednesday again, and this week we're in love with Rooftop Weddings!

Imagine your ceremony with the skyline as your backdrop, or your reception under the stars without the restrictions of a park? Incredible, right?  

We've been inspired by some beautiful weddings in the big apple, like this brightly colored wedding on top of the Rockefeller Center.

The Great Gatsby at The Muckenthaler

The Muckenthaler Mansion is a beautiful 1920's mansion located right here in Fullerton. It's full of art deco charm and makes a perfect setting for any wedding, but right now we're yearning for an art deco love fest! With The Great Gatsby film coming out this December we took a cue from the movie and created a inspiration board for our own roaring 20's wedding.

 

A Picnic Basket

With warm weather in the air and long summer days lingering on, it's the perfect time of year for a picnic.  Picnics hold a nostalgic spot in everyone's hearts whether they've ever been on one or not. And a picnic theme is a great idea for your company's summer events, as well as a great idea for a relaxed wedding or any social gathering.

A great way to host a picnic is to incorporate classic elements but with an updated twist. Just because it's a picnic doesn't mean it has to be full of tupperware and ziploc bags. It can still be as carefully executed as a black tie affair. Having servers tray pass appetizers on wood slabs, and serving your beverages in mason jars(which could definitely be filled with our signature lavender lemonade and and a citrus vodka for a great summer treat!) are perfect nods to the classic picnic.

Christmas in July

It's July! and amidst this sweltering heat we're dreaming about the days of wearing sweaters. So we're celebrating Christmas in July with festive themed parties, holiday sound tracks, and (frozen) hot chocolate! If you too cant wait until December consider throwing your own Christmas in July party. It's actually much easier than hosting Christmas in December, much less pressure, and no gift exchange required. It can be even more fun and games by implementing an "Ugly Sweater" theme or providing all of your guests with Santa hats or reindeer antlers to wear. And if you're not quite ready to climb into the attic and unpack those boxes of decorations, it's the perfect time to buy decor at a discounted rate. There's always the great holiday section on Etsy with loads of items for parties, like these great printable invitations we found.

And it's a great time to visit your local goodwill. Goodwill's are full of seasonal decor right now and even better the cost will go to good cause which gives us even more of that holiday spirit we yearn for. 

Another great reason for Christmas in July? Getting to eat holiday food of course!

 We'll be making turkey and cranberry sauce (which means day after sandwiches as well!) with garlic mashed potatoes and candied yams for miles. And let's not forget about those fabulous seasonal cocktails we all love. Try eggnog on the rocks or our Candy Cane-tini.

Now all you need is a yule log and you're set!

And yes we will make them in july ;)

And for everyone who's not quite ready to celebrate, it's never too early to start planning your holiday party in the actual holiday season! We're offering 10% off your food and beverage plus a complimentary event upgrade if you book before September 1st.

The most important meal of the day

    Your mother always told you that breakfast was the most important meal of the day. And while we don't always agree with our mothers, we do think she might have been on to something.
There are many ways to celebrate, but there's nothing quite like a casual brunch.  Brunch offers a laid-back way for friends and family to gather and eat in a way they don't normally get to.
When planning a brunch, there are two things to keep in mind. First, you have to serve the quintessential  breakfast dishes—think biscuits, pancakes, eggs, and potatoes.  Second, it has to be something you can put together without a big mess. In other words, it can't be too complicated. When entertaining at home it's best to prepare everything you can ahead of time.

But don't be afraid to get creative brunch offers a lot of possibilities to be just as amazing as a traditional dinner event. 

Consider having these french toast dippers tray passed at your event, potato pancakes topped with smoked salmon, some bite sized quiches, or mini doughnuts served over shots of espresso

There are a lot of fun options with breakfast that aren't quite right during the rest of the day.
 Add a Mimosa bar to your event, which can double as a juice station for those who aren't quite ready to drink in the morning. When working with a small budget that doesn't allow multiple entrees try focusing on the details to make everything more festive than an ordinary breakfast, like offering different flavored cream cheeses or syrups to your guests.

The morning is also a great opportunity to play with vibrant colors and flowers. We love this morning table scape from Martha Stewart complete with a morning crossword puzzle.

For menus from us check out the great breakfasts were offering at The Meridian Club, cause let's face it no one actually wants to cook a feast first thing in the morning!

Brunch Menu - Breakfast Menu

Mac n' Cheese

If you've ever been to an event where Colette's was catering and happened to have the privilege of sampling (possibly by stealing it off of the children's meal) some of our delicious macaroni & cheese, than you too are probably suffering from a mild addiction. We've seen adult men ask if it's possible to have a kids plate rather then their intended "adult" dinner. So in response to this overwhelming love of Colette's famous mac n' cheese we're devoting this blog post to just that!

There's absolutely no reason the adults can't relish in our decadent mac n' cheese at any event. There's nothing that says you cant serve macaroni and cheese at your wedding or even a conference, trust us we checked. And as macaroni and cheese grows in popularity we've come up with our own twists on this classic comfort food that dress it up for any occasion!

 One recipe we've been making for years is our delicious mac n' cheese bites, these fried balls of ooey gooey goodness (which can be made with bacon as well!) are perfect as a tray passed appetizer paired with marinara for dipping.

Presentation plays a large part in taking this kid's meal favorite to an adult's meal time dream.  For instance serving this classic in a martini glass knocks it up a decade or two. For even more fun you can try serving up a Mac n' Cheese Martini Bar, very similar to our  Mashed Potato Martini Bar.

Our chefs also love playing with all of the great flavor combos that lend itself mac n' cheese. This goes far beyond cheddar people.

With smoked gouda, roasted chicken, and peas baked in your mac n' cheese do you really need anything else in life? Or how about a three cheese mac with tomato and bread crumbs on top. It is one of those magical foods that has few limitations.

Something else we really love is individual mac n cheese, baked in ramekins for the perfect serving size. Who wouldn't want someone to place one of these gorgeous things in front of them at dinner.

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 And put those individual mac n' cheeses on a station and you might have a frenzy on your hands(don't worry our servers are used to it)!

For an even greater nostalgic treat combine our other favorite classic, the grilled cheese, with macaroni and cheese and it'll change your life!

And for your mac n' cheese eating delights check out this list of beer pairings courtesy of SeriousEats.com;

Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar: Built on an English brown ale base, this beer has an extra hazelnut kick that really sings with the nutty flavors of the cheddar and gruyere cheese.
New Glarus Fat Squirrel: Another beer with a pronounced hazelnut character, this one has a bit more bitterness and roasted flavor than the Rogue beer. The added English hops give a shout-out to the sage and clear away the sauce.
Oktoberfest/Märzen
Schell's Oktoberfest: A 2010 GABF gold medal winner, this is a beautiful example of the style. Toasty caramel malt brings out the sweetness of the sauce, while the spicy flavors of continental hops offer a tasty counterpoint.
Paulaner Oktoberfest-Märzen: The original Oktoberfest beer, Paulaner is light with a clean, dry finish. The subtle sweetness enhances the sauce, but really lets the cheese come through.
English Pale Ales
Samuel Smith's India Ale: This classic English IPA is bitter, but balanced and a great partner for cheddar cheese. The flavor-marriage with this dish creates an interesting floral offspring. It's sharp enough to cut through the creamy sauce.
Fuller's ESB: Smooth caramel malt with a balancing blast of bitterness and light, earthy hops make this a delightful mate for mac and cheese. It's another beer that pairs well with cheddar, bringing both sweet and nutty flavors to the table. 

Tell us about your favorite way to serve up mac n' cheese.
Cheers to cheesy goodness!

The Kelly Wedding

This wedding was beautifully shot by Perpixel Photography at The Muckenthaler Mansion. The couple had a great typewriting theme. Complete with centerpieces growing out of typewriters from Urban Gardener. One of the greatest features from the wedding was an over-sized automatic typewriter that continuously typed "Marry Me". It was lovingly hand built by the groom for his bride, and was an amazing statement piece of their love and certainly something they'll continue to cherish in their home.

 The bride thought of every last detail using a "Type" font for all of their stationary including the paper napkins that were used at the bar and handed to guests with the tray passed appetizers.

 A Beautiful Cake from our Cake Goddesses displayed with photos of the couple's parents' weddings.

Another successful dream wedding come true at 

The Muckenthaler Mansion...

Dessert Displays

In contrast to the classic dessert course served table side, dessert displays are making more, and more of an appearance at events of all kinds. These displays serve as a fun alternative where guests can gather and enjoy! Dessert displays are much more then an ordinary buffet, they really showcase the food and get your guests excited about what they're going to be eating. Dessert displays can be a part of your reception after the traditional cake cutting, or a focal point for an entire event. Consider making the theme
 "Cocktails and Cupcakes" and you've got a party!

Photos courtesy of Lucero Photography

Not only are they fun but they're also a great opportunity to add some design flare to your party, and express the theme and mood of your event.  Because dessert displays generally only occupy one large table(depending on your guest count) or so, you can really take advantage of the limited space and dress it up with florals, accessories, and props.

You can really utilize a great dessert display to show off your personality, and the reason for the occasion. And of course the best part about a dessert display is you won't have to choose just one dessert!

All Desserts by: Colette's Cake Goddess