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.

Innovatemap’s colorful, food-forward holiday party

Innovatemap, is a Broadripple based product services company helping companies of all sizes dream, design and scale digital products and services.

So, when it came to throwing a holiday party, Innovatemap knew exactly what they wanted. Their team insisted the party be lively, colorful and food forward, with emphasis on big taste and a low carbon footprint. No surprise, they hired Jacquie’s Gourmet Catering (farm-to-table, sustainable, organic, locally sourced foods) and set the evening at Finley Creek Vineyards.

The vibe was easy upscale and festive. Guests arrived for an evening of holiday celebration beginning with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres from 6 to 7, followed by dinner, then a reception from 8 through 11 PM.

Hors d’oeuvres included:

Three Layer Pesto Torte with Goat Cheese, Cream Cheese, Sundried Tomatoes, Fresh Basil Pesto and Pine Nuts with Crackers.

Bourbon Chicken Skewers Mini Cuban Sandwiches were also offered. Naturally there was a vegan option, Morbier Grilled Cheese with Tomato Jam Mushrooms Stuffed with Parmesan.

A seated dinner followed with a choice of:

Barbeque Beef Boneless Short Ribs with Molasses Bourbon Sauce
Cedar Planked Salmon
Bow Tie Pasta with Arugula, Goat Cheese

Rounding out the meal, was:

Mixed Organic Field Greens with Pecans, Cranberries, Goat Cheese and Champagne Dressing
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Wood Grilled Vegetables with Herb de Provence and Balsamic

No holiday celebration would be complete without ending on a sweet note. Jacquie’s team prepared an irresistable dessert station filled with everyone’s favorites:

Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Creme Brule
Cheesecakes
Smores in a Ball Jar

There’s nothing like a perfectly hosted, beautifully prepared and presented holiday party, which is exactly what the folks at Innovatemap received this holiday season. Team Jacquie’s Gourmet Catering and Finley Creek Vineyards delivered!

Republic Airlines landed at Finely Creek Vineyards for their holiday luncheon

. The event was festive and fun, with great food and lovely surroundings. Just the thing for Republican Airlines personnel after a bustling holiday travel season!

The Buffet Lunch by Jacquie’s Gourmet Catering, included a choice of select entrees, two sides, salad and holiday desserts.

The high flying lunch took flight with Spinach and Pear Salad with Rosemary Vinaigrette.

From there, guests chose Beef Wellington or Chicken Stuffed with Brie. The Tenderloin of Beef was first class, including Mushroom Duxelle Wrapped in Puff Pastry.

For those choosing chicken, it was a savory marvel -- Chicken Stuffed with Brie, Wrapped with Proscuitto and Rosemary.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes rounded out each entrée, pairing well with Seasoned Farm-to-Table Indiana Vegetables and Rolls.

The fitting end of the meal? The sky was the limit, and calories no problem with Butter Chocolate Mousse Torte. Delicious!

Guests remarked at how lovely the Finley Creek Vineyards barn was for a winter holiday party. Lovely, warm, and bursting with rustic charm! And of course, every party Jacquie’s Gourmet Catering does is perfection from start to finish. Guests enjoyed a “soft landing” at the bar, taking in lots of holiday spirits and camaraderie.

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