When Planning an Event

I have talked to lots of people about planning their events.  They often have no idea what to do first...and they get overwhelmed and lose their confidence that it will be an incredible experience.  I understand that feeling very well.  But over time I have found that with some careful planning, and lots of leg work up front, every event has the potential of being a great party!!

Remember it is your party, your sales meeting, your breakfast, your reception.....what do you see?  What do you want to create for your guests??

It doesn't have to be what everyone else has done.......it is your party and you get to decide!

Have confidence in your vision, and then let us help you create it.

We can bring our pots and pans to your house and cook there...

We can bring our pizza oven and turn your event into an Italian bistro with homemade, hand tossed pizzas made right in front of your guests...

We can bring our event grill and turn your backyard BBQ into a party you get to attend!!  No work for you, just Ray Ray flipping burgers, grilling chicken, cooking Steaks to order and sneaking in an occasional hot dog!!

Or we can bring the food already prepared from our rented catering kitchen.

Ray Ray's can do it all....we will help you plan a great menu that fits your budget.  We just want you to relax and enjoy.  So let's have a party!!

Fabulous Antipasto Salad, which of course means "before the meal" Thinly sliced Italian Genoa Salami, Prosciutto, mozzarella cheese, Provolone cheese, artichoke hearts, different varieties of olives, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, greens. red onions, and pepperoncinis and Ray Ray's special Italian dressing...add some crusty bread and life is good!!

My Favorite Tips!!

I have set lots of tables, starting with my grandmother's table.  She had a wonderful old mahogany dining room table, one set of china that said, "made in occupied Japan" and sterling flatware....that was the bases of her incredible dinners.  Her food was great but her table was perfect.  She was always very clear about what went on the table...and what didn't.

I remember this one...."no plastic on the table." Everything went in containers other than what they came in from the store.  Even if we ate outdoors.  She just had a way of making every occasion feel like a special occasion.   She knew that everyone likes to drink out of stemware, even if they were having a coke.  And she knew that toast tasted better on china and flatware never went in the dishwasher.  Forks go on the left -the word fork and the word left have 4 letters each.  get it?

Her centerpieces were legend....and not always only flowers.  She used driftwood from the nearby beach, or vines from the yard, and a million different kinds of flowers.  That's what happens when you grow up in Texas where things grow with little or no effort.  She put cups on the table with buds in them,  roses at each setting.....she just used her imagination to tell a story with each centerpiece she made, and knew she couldn't do it wrong.

And if you want to see amazing centerpieces here is my favorite site.  Between Naps on the Porch....http://betweennapsontheporch.net/  Every Thursday she has table setting Thursday and you can choose from what seems like millions of blogs with centerpieces.  Enjoy!  The ideas are amazing!!

That is my tip for the day...have fun with your centerpieces.  Don't think they have to be a certain way, or take a long time.  Just tell a story....and tell me your favorite tip.

Rehearsal Dinners are the Best!!

So when Danny Russo decided to marry Stacie they needed someone to cater their rehearsal dinner.  We have been friends with the Russo's for years....Danny and Marco Russo are the same age as my sons Trey and Mikey.  So we sat through thousands of baseball games, soccer games and footballs games together.  So doing the rehearsal dinner was a labor of love.  Nothing is more fun than watching the two families get to know each other, everyone starts out a little bit nervous, but by the end of night they are all great friends looking forward to the wedding!!

Peggy wanted antipasto at every table, family style!!  And when we picked up the plates there was nothing left!!

A fun table, but the Antipasto made it

Chicken Bolognese, Penne Pasta with Vodka Sauce and French cut Green Beans

Peggy wanted strawberries at every table....no problem!!

Emma loved taking pictures

This dinner

was so easy, it just fell into place

Red roses are always appropriate

My friend Barb gave me these napkin ring holders, Stef gave me the stemware

All the bottles of olive oil are from Barb...Aloha Barb!!!

Seriously the Antipasto was amazing!!

the blue table

The centerpiece is just an oak ivy no big deal,  but it is fun to know I grew this one from cuttings  from the mother plant!!  Just cut stems so that you have a joint, put them in water, wait for roots to appear, and put it in dirt.  I have done this with so many of my plants, and sometimes I just leave them in water....like for years!!

I didn't do anything special for any centerpiece, I totally ran out of time!!

Raymond made the grapevine wreath from our very own grape vines

Just feels good to see all the colors, right?