I don't remember where I first heard about Catering by Robert, but I had already been to many other caterers/event planners & none of them were what I was looking for.
It was a situation of not really knowing what I wanted, but knowing what I... didn't want.
I knew I didn't want stuffy, boring, typical "chicken or beef" hotel food. I knew I wanted to be able to choose what was being served. I knew I wanted to have input on the decor, styling, theme & overall look of my wedding, but I still wanted expert guidance. I knew I wanted something beautiful & elegant, but also fun & relaxed. And I knew I needed to stay within a reasonable budget.
My wedding ceremony was on the beach, with the reception held in a private home, which I thought meant that I was going to have to take care of every single little detail myself: linens, tables & chairs, silver & glassware, centerpieces, flowers, dishes, tables, bar & bartender, waiters, all the food, cake... the list was endless & completely overwhelming.
When I met Susan, she immediately put me at ease with her charming & laid-back attitude & obvious knowledge & experience. She sent me a questionnaire to get things started, & we talked about my "vision" for my wedding & reception. I wanted to be very involved, & she allowed me to be - but it was clear that she would have been fine completely taking the reins too, if I that was what I wanted. Susan was in contact with me throughout the process & always available for a phone call or a meeting. She has the resources to take care of everything, & if it is something you would rather take care of, she has the knowledge & the contacts to point you in the right direction (& save you money!).
We worked together to come up with a menu consisting of food that our guests would LOVE rather than just another "wedding meal" & she had several open houses where we could come & taste all the food which was wonderful. Susan & I worked together to come up with beautiful & unique table settings & centerpieces that were exactly what I was looking for. She had suggestions for things I might want to change (black table cloths instead of white was EXACTLY the right decision!) & gave me ideas I would never have thought of.
The day of the wedding her staff was there bright & early getting set up but they were so unobtrusive I didn't even know they were there for hours! When I finally realized & I walked outside, the scene took my breath away - the tables were even more lovely than I had imagined. It was so wonderful to not have to stress about anything - Catering by Robert had every single detail under control.
Later that night in the candlelight, the setting was magical. The servers were elegant, the bartenders (serving the "signature drink" that Susan suggested) were fun, & the food... oh my gosh, the food. How often do you hear people RAVING about the food at a wedding? It was truly spectacular. The ribs, the paella, the coconut shrimp... there are no words. And there was so much of it! We had rented the home for the entire week & my family feasted on leftover ribs & paella the entire time we were there!
Finally, I want to mention budget. For the level of service they give & the quality & quantity of the food provided, there IS no better value in the area. Catering by Robert made my wedding beautiful, elegant & above all MEMORABLE. We have already decided to do a 5 year vow renewal & can't WAIT to have some more of that paella!