10 tips on what to know before you set your spring/summer event

It’s tempting to consider choosing an event location you love and then, wrap the menu around all your favorite foods. But – party planning experts say when you truly consider your guests’ preferences over your own, your event will be more successful.

At Finley Creek Vineyards, we have a list of questions we ask event planners, family planners and brides as we begin to plan each event.

Here’s what to consider from the event experts at Jacquie’s Gourmet Catering, the owner/managers of Finley Creek:

Is your group more casual or more formal? Family or corporate?
How far would attendees be comfortable traveling from home or office?
Is your event going to be outside or inside – or both?
What is your budget?
How important is the vibe (upscale, folksy, urban contemporary, trendy, barn chic, etc.)?
What type of food would appeal to most you are inviting? Consider vegetarian and child-friendly options.
Is this going to be a seated formal meal, or serve-yourself with lots of options?
Do you want an open bar, beer and/or wine, or “special occasion” drinks?

Some of these are more obvious, but others are questions you may not have considered yet. It’s important to gain some perspective on your guests so they will feel comfortable at your event. Once you have established the main-frame objectives, you can begin to move on to the fun – impressing your guests.

The most memorable events at Finley Creek all did the following:

The event location was right for the crowd. Venue size is key – not too big or too crowded.
Had a contingency plan in case it rains.
Set up bar and food table traffic flow in advance. Nobody wants to stand waiting for a drink for 15 minutes.
Arranged for convenient and adequate parking.
Set a theme – from color to food choices to décor.
Added a few unexpected touches to delight guests get talked about.
Never run out of food. This is a cardinal rule at Jacquie’s Gourmet Catering.
Made sure food was delicious, looked fantastic, and was served at the ideal temperature.

At Finley Creek, Jacquie's Gourmet Catering strives to iron out as many details as possible ahead of time. It’s never too early to start planning your next event! Let's talk.

Spring & summer wedding reception ideas

At Jacquie’s Gourmet Catering, we love to plan spring and summer wedding receptions. The world is in bloom, warm and in love… such a lavish and bountiful time to get married!

There are also so many, many different ideas and themes to choose from when you are planning a wedding reception in the warm months. We enjoy working with the bride and groom to create the right feel, theme and the vibe for the event – and the ideal food and drink, too.

Here are Jacquie’s spring and summer wedding reception tips on how to bring the lovely color and warmth of the season into your big day:

Have your wedding outside under our gazebo at Finley Creek Vineyards. There will be plenty of flowers all around in our lovely spring and summer gardens. Bonus: You won’t need as many bouquets and flower arrangements. Nature will provide quite a few on its own.
Take your color cues from nature with bright reds, brilliant pinks, and vivid lavender, purples, greens and yellows. Don’t limit your color choices to the wedding tuxes and gowns. Extend the colors to invitations, lighting, bridal bouquets, table centerpieces, and especially, food and drinks!
Foods can be bold or subtle, outrageously spicy or refined. Maybe a little of both. If you want formal, we can go with the classics like standing rib roast, brisket or lamb chops. Or make things bright and off-beat with easy to eat sliders or Szechuan pork barbeque. We can do whatever you want.
The biggest dinner trendwe're seeing right now? Interactive stations. Couples are moving away from a sit-down multiple- course dinner where the food is served by wait staff. Instead, we’re seeing couples add longer cocktail hours and include multiple self-serve food stations. Not only can this be less expensive, but it encourages interaction among your guests. Some station and small plate foods we like? Sliders, chili bars, beef brisket sandwiches, pork tenderloins, mini grilled cheese sandwiches, and steak/chicken/veggie fajitas bars.
Get creative and fun with what you wear. Have the bridal group slip into sequined tennis shoes under their gowns -- and high tops under their tuxes.
Evenings get still be cool in early spring. Add heaters along the path to the reception facility. You could also drape comfy blankets over the back of chairs or have a fire pit for later in the evening.
Dessert bars? Everyone’s favorite. Merengues are colorful and yummy. Individual sized cheesecakes, tiramisu, even ice cream cones… be as fun as you want.
Bring the outdoors, in with brilliant spring flowers in centerpieces. Lots of greenery keeps things grounded and fresh. Consider plants in flower pots as giveaways.
How about a specialty coffee bar to go with your wedding cake? Have serve-yourself specialty liquor toppings, fresh whipped cream, and lovely fresh peppermint sprigs as garnishes.
Wedding signature cocktails are fun. Name “his” and “hers” drinks… after your best man, or your college mascot, or your dog’s nickname. Have fun with it. Your guests will love it.

No matter what you choose for your spring/summer wedding reception, let’s meet to get things booked and begin getting a feel for your ideas early. Jacquie’s Gourmet Catering can bring your wedding ideas to life in all kinds of ways, keeping foods fresh and organic, sustainably and locally raised, and always… delicious.

Celebrate fall at Finley Creek Vineyards

Fall barn celebrations, Halloween parties and wedding receptions are a blast! Especially when they are held at a place that’s easy to get to, and includes the mouth-watering sustainable food from an award-winning caterer.

Naturally, we’re talking about Jacquie’s Gourmet Catering at Finely Creek Vineyards, north on 421 (Michigan Road), in Zionsville.

Holding an event at our Finley Creek rustic barn can be as casual and charming as you want. Or lavish and over-the-top, with electric lights, swag curtains, and our crystal chandeliers to set the tone.

This month, we are looking forward to two crisp fall weddings, complete with fall foliage, gold and silver sprayed pumpkins, silver candleabras, and plenty of lovingly prepared Indiana pork and fresh-picked apple dishes. Even the wedding cake will be fall themed – carrot cake!

We’re also looking forward to some traditional Halloween-themed fun, as we turn our barn into a spookier version of its usual self. We will help set up an apple-bobbing area, and serve home-made caramel apple ice cream as well as Jacquie’s Indiana caramel topped apple pie. Definitely a crowd pleaser! Bales of hay and arrangements of quirky ghost white pumpkins and bumpy green gourds surrounded by corn stalks and fall foliage will set the tone.

If it’s mild, the fun will be outside as well as inside, especially with our fire pits and hay bales for extra seating. But if the temperature dips, our guests are covered, literally! We just head into the barn without missing a beat.

Jacquie’s Gourmet Catering keeps any party happy, as her made-from-scratch, locally sourced food lives up to its reputation. Fall favorites include Jacquie’s pulled pork sliders, maple bacon topped pumpkin flan, and corn soufflé – all organically grown and sustainably sourced from nearby Indiana farms – from appetizers to desserts.

When Finley Creek in the Zionsville countryside gets all dressed up for a fall party or reception, you and your guests are in for a treat! We hope you will come join us and see what we mean!

~ The Jacquie’s Gourmet Catering team

Exclusive caterers for Finley Creek Vineyards

Finley Creek hosts a country wedding

The Thompson wedding last weekend was the quintessential beautiful outdoor wedding.

The ceremony was held at 4:30, so the heat of the day was not a problem. The simple and elegant celebration was followed by a cocktail hour from 5 to 6pm, a great way to toast to the couple and the day, and for guests to mingle.

This was followed by dinner indoors in the fabulous Finley Creek barn – a lovely rustic place to enjoy a relaxed and delicious dinner before the real celebrating began.

Here’s what Jacquie’s Gourmet Catering served the happy couple and their guests:

Hors d' Oeuvres display board packed with three rich layers of Pesto Torte with Goat Cheese, Cream Cheese, Sundried Tomatoes, Fresh Basil Pesto and Pine Nuts along with a selection of crackers.

Served hors d’oeuvres:

Mushrooms Stuffed with Goat Cheese, Spinach and Bacon
Mini Chicken and Waffles with Local Maple Syrup

Dinner followed from 6:30 to 7:15, and was all about Jacquie’s Southern Barbeque – which – according to those at attending was “absolutely to die for!”

To accompany this crowd-pleaser, we also served:

Spinach and Pear Salad with Rosemary Vinaigrette
Texas Style Beef Brisket
Smoked Pulled Pork - BBQ on Side
Garlic Mashed Potatoes Sour Cream Corn Bread

And for those with special diets, Stuffed Portobella Mushroom with Fresh 3 Spinach and Pine Nuts or Eggplant parmesan. There was even a special dish for the children in attendance: Chicken Fingers, Carrot Sticks, and a Fruit Cup.

After such a bountiful dinner, what better to do than have some fun outside along with a beverage of your choice, and dance to music favorites of the wedding party with some live music!

The celebrating was followed by a lovely evening send-off which included colorful biodegradable balloons as the bride and groom made their departure.

Everything was carefully planned, and the weather cooperated beautifully, right down to the gorgeous sunset!

Your next event can be just as sensational at Finley Creek Vineyards, where our lush, fall grounds and shabby chic party barn are ready and waiting for you.