From Elegant Fare to Clambakes & BBQ’s
AWARD WINNER (6X)
Thanks to recommendations from couples on The Knot
Based out of Manchester and Nashua, NH, Celebrations Distinctive Catering is a business that offers high-end catering services for weddings throughout southern New Hampshire and northern Massachusetts. Owner and Chef Fred Manheck heads this culinary team to create exceptional fare for your table. You may call on Fred and his team for a truly remarkable wedding dining experience.
Fred started his career in the foodservice industry more than 35 years ago. Through Celebrations Distinctive Catering, Fred and his team have over 25 years of experience serving clients meals made with top-quality ingredients. They aim to make your wedding festivities truly special with delectable meals and excellent customer service.
Celebrations Distinctive Catering offers three styles of wedding dining for you to select from, with customization both possible and encouraged. You and your guests may tuck into meals presented as full-service buffets, plated dinners, and family-style platters. These catering professionals will strive to make your wedding dining a marvelous element of your celebration.
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Details
Cuisine
American
BBQ
French
Fusion
Indian
Italian
Latin American
Middle Eastern
Dietary Options
Dairy Free
Gluten Free
Halal
Kosher
Nut Free
Organic
Vegan
Vegetarian
Food & Catering
Buffet
Catering Delivery & Setup
Chef Stations
Family Style
Passed Appetizers
Seated Meal
Servers
Awards and Affiliations
Any questions?
Reviews
4.9
out of 5.075 reviews
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Review Summary
This AI-generated summary is a snapshot of this vendor's ratings and feedback.
Celebrations received glowing reviews for their wedding catering services, highlighted by multiple reviewers. Customers praised the delicious food, attentive and friendly staff, and seamless execution of events. The catering coordinator, Amy, was particularly commended for her responsiveness and assistance in creating customized menus to accommodate dietary restrictions. Guests appreciated the professionalism of the staff, from wait staff to bartenders, and the efficient service provided. Overall, Celebrations was highly recommended for weddings and received compliments on the quality of their food and service.- Top reviews
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Courtney H
5.0
10/11/2024
We hired Celebrations for our wedding in Northern NH! I can't speak highly enough about them. Start to finish they were organized, thorough, and everyone is so kind. We worked with Cheri mostly and she was so sweet and attentive to our vision for our big day! The food was amazing and our guests were raving about the menu. The staff who worked the event were all very friendly and did a wonderful job! 10/10! Thank you Celebrations!
Alannah W
5.0
8/18/2024
Absolutely incredible! From planning, to our tasting, to day of our wedding, everyone we worked with was so helpful and knowledgeable. We received so many compliments on the food as well as on the service by the staff. They made the process super easy and delicious! Will definitely recommend!
Any questions?
Anthony M
5.0
8/08/2024
Celebrations catered my wedding this summer and I cannot recommend them enough. Amy was phenomenal helping us plan our menu, and we received countless compliments on the food. The day of staff was amazing and thoughtful, going so far as making a plate for my wife and I when they noticed we spent most of dinner walking around and chatting with guests. Everything was amazing!
Taylor D
5.0
8/03/2024
We used Celebrations to cater our small elopement celebration at my parent's home with our immediate families on a Friday evening, and I can't say enough good things about working with them. Highlights include:
-Working with Amanda through the planning process. We were rather indecisive about exactly what we wanted, and she was wonderfully patient and thorough to make sure we knew about every option available to us.
-I called Amanda about 2 hours before their arrival time to ask if she could provide an additional tablecloth, as we changed our table configuration at the last minute. She was incredibly understanding and provided us exactly with what we needed.
-The food was amazing! Even the basic dishes like the vegetables were prepared perfectly. We had everything served family style, and the presentation and table service were outstanding. I'd read great reviews about the short rib and it lived up to the hype!
-The bar service was perfect. I was so impressed with the setup and service. She kept our toddler-aged nieces and nephews happy with lemonade, and created an amazing signature spicy margarita that was truly a hit. I loved having the option to provide bar service to our guests- it made the occasion feel so much more elevated.
-The chefs not only prepared amazing food, but they were just so completely professional and pleasant to work with. My mother is particular about her home to say the least, and when she saw them wiping down the floors in her kitchen after preparing food there all night, she was blown away.
Celebrations has so clearly worked a large range of events, and they provided small details and helped out in ways that I wasn't expecting but made such a positive impact on our evening. My parents are now actively looking to host or attend an event that requires catering service so they can recommend Celebrations to others. THANK YOU, Celebrations, for making our night so perfect and memorable!
Vendor response 08/07/2024
Hi Taylor, thanks so much for the positive feedback and we are so grateful to have been a ...
part of your special day! Very best wishes to you and James!
Sarah G
5.0
7/11/2024
The food is amazing! Everyone loved what they were served, and the staff were so friendly the entire night. Our contact Amanda was thorough when communicating with us, and answered any questions we had very quickly.
Vendor response 07/15/2024
Hi Sarah,
Thank you so much for your kind words! It was an absolute pleasure working with...
you! We wish you all the best and many happy moments ahead!
Meaghan W
5.0
6/16/2024
Celebrations Catering did an incredible job for our wedding this June. We had a "raw" venue that required us to bring our own catering with rentals such as plates, silverware, cups, etc. Celebrations was an amazing company to work with and provided everything we needed. They were professional, communicative, and helpful every step of the way - from the taste testing, to check-ins before the wedding, all the way to the big day. I have celiac and many of my family members have food allergies. They took allergies VERY seriously, adapting the menu and labeling everything at the buffet so everyone knew what was safe for them to eat. To top it all off, the food was AMAZING. All of our guests complimented it and some even said it was the best food they've ever had at a wedding. Celebrations also wrapped up our leftovers and left them in the cooler at our venue for us to bring home. Our guests loved the food so much, they asked to take some home! I 100% recommend this company!
Vendor response 06/17/2024
Meaghan & Brayson, thank you so much for the kind words and for having us be a part of you...
r wedding day! Very best wishes to you!
Renee L
5.0
5/21/2024
We just used Celebrations Catering for our wedding on May 19th. We did the drop off catering option that they have. Not only did we enjoy the food ourselves but our guests did too. They were all raving about how delicious the food was and to their surprise most of the options we had were gluten free and dairy free with some exceptions. Cheri was so very easy to work with and they were so accommodating to our diet restrictions. Plus they are very reasonably priced. We are very happy with everything and would definitely use them again! If you’re looking for tasty food at an affordable price, Celebrations is a solid choice.
Vendor response 05/30/2024
Thank you so much, Renee! It was a pleasure being a part of your beautiful wedding day!
Alyssa B
5.0
4/27/2024
We used Celebrations for both our catering and bartending and could not have had a better experience. While we were planning our wedding from across the country, Amy was more than accommodating with our schedules and tweaks throughout the planning process. The staff day-of was beyond friendly – always checking in with us to make sure we had a drink in hand if we wanted one and to see if we had enough to eat. The food was FANTASTIC, drinks were made to perfection, cannot recommend enough!
Vendor response 05/06/2024
Thank you so much for the kind words! It was such a pleasure being a part of your wedding ...
day!
Brittany A
5.0
1/13/2024
Celebrations was a fantastic hire for our wedding. They did all of our catering, bartending, as well as organized and provided our linens and glasswear. Before the wedding- our tasting was great - we got to select the menu and talk to both the bartenders about drink selection and chef about dinner. Amanda went above and beyond to make sure our menu was personalized, walked us through how to stock the bar for all guests, and answered ALL of our questions quickly and thoroughly. The day of our wedding could not have gone more smoothly - all of the food was delicious, the staff was kind, they executed a NYE midnight champagne toast, & the team even set up and labelled our dessert table that we had purchased through a different vendor. I would absolutely recommend Celebrations to anyone looking for catering or bartending for their own weddings!
Amanda S
5.0
11/20/2023
Celebrations provided the food and bartending service at our wedding back in September. Everything was delicious! Many of our guests couldn't stop talking about how good the meat was (we had short rib for our buffet). We went back and forth a lot with our menu and Amy was super accommodating with what we wanted. They were also very reasonably priced.
Sophia G
5.0
10/08/2023
Celebrations Catering was a dream to work with for our wedding!!! Their food is so so good! The best feeling was hearing our wedding guests raving about it. Not to mention their staff is incredibly friendly. Amy, their coordinator, was so responsive and accommodating to any of our requests. We highly recommend!!
Christina M
5.0
9/10/2023
Amy was our coordinator for all of our food/beverage needs for our wedding weekend. She was very kind, attentive to detail, and was so easy to work with. I also loved that Celebrations offers a drop off rehearsal dinner, bartender service and a late night snack option! We utilized all off the above and it was awesome to have all of these services available with one vendor! Our guests raved about how great all of the food was. The two signature cocktails (cherry margarita & spiked caramel cold brew) they had made up for us were incredible! Everything was so delicious and fresh. I love that they try to use what items are in season as well. The wait staff and bartender were stellar, I am so appreciative of them! Thank you Celebrations Distinctive Catering for all of your hard work!!
Vendor response 09/12/2023
We love to hear this! Thank you so much and congratulations! It was such a wonderful cel...
ebration and our team was so happy to be a part of it!
Annie H
5.0
8/26/2023
Delicious food that exceeded our expectations for wedding catering! Cheri and her team were great to work with to come up with a menu that accommodated our vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free guests. I lost count of the amount of guests who said the butternut squash tortellini was one of the best things they'd ever eaten! I'd recommend them to anyone looking to cater any event in NH.
Vendor response 09/12/2023
Congratulations! We are always so happy to hear that everyone enjoyed the day! Such a be...
autiful day, we were honored to be a part of it!
Kristie-Lee W
5.0
10/21/2022
My wife and I used Celebrations for our wedding this past weekend and we could not have been happier. One of the main reasons that we chose Celebrations was because we were able to use them for catering, bartending, & a day-of-coordinator. All 3 areas were amazing! Amy was our coordinator and we could not have pulled everything off without her! She was so responsive and attentive. The food was amazing and the catering staff was so kind!
Kelsey A
5.0
9/15/2022
We used celebrations catering for our wedding this past July and they did an amazing job. I have never heard more people at a wedding talk about how amazing the food was. I would say just about every single person there mentioned how good the food was, and were still talking about it weeks afterwards. We had a buffet with a pasta station and sliced sirloin. Highly recommend.
Alyssa G
5.0
8/06/2022
Celebrations was great to work with for our post elopement reception. My husband and I worked with Amy who helped us create a customized buffet menu and was quick to respond to concerns we had. Our guests had nothing but positive remarks about the delicious food. The kids loved the chicken tender bar and the adults couldn’t get enough of the sirloin bordelaise. The entire team did a great job on the day of the reception. The service was professional and very efficient. We highly recommend Celebrations to anyone who is looking for catering.
Miranda F
5.0
6/06/2022
Hands down the best caterer in NH!! We booked Celebrations for our backyard wedding a couple weeks ago. From the first phone call, Amy and her team were fantastic!! They allowed and encouraged us to be creative with our menu. My husband and I had decided on an “upscale BBQ” theme - grilled chicken, steak tips, roasted veggies, potatoes, etc. Wow - Celebrations nailed it!! All of the food was freshly prepared and grilled on-site in their food truck. Our guests are still raving about the juicy chicken, delicious steak, crisp salad and perfectly seasoned veggies. Everything was INCREDIBLE!!
While the food was the star of the show, the Celebrations staff was absolutely amazing. I can’t express how grateful we are for their effort and attention. We had ten staff members working our event. They all made sure all of our guests had plenty of passed appetizers, the buffet stayed full and all plates were cleared in no time! They even met our bridal party with a tray of appetizers when they returned to cocktail hour after taking photos. Exceptional!!
Amy and her team are wonderful to work with. They were so responsive and easy to communicate with. We had made changes throughout the wedding planning process and it was totally easy! Celebrations is a dream vendor for anyone planning a wedding!! We cannot recommend them enough.
Katie E
5.0
5/11/2022
We use Celebrations for Wedding last October 2021 and are SO SO happy we did. We received the best compliments about the food and the staff day of was absolutely amazing. Our wedding day was probably the rainiest and coldest day of the season but everyone was over the top helpful and nice. We couldn't have picked a better caterer. THANK YOU CELEBRATIONS!!
Vendor response 05/11/2022
Katie, Aww thanks so much! We really appreciate your feedback, it was wonderful to be a p...
art of your day which was beautiful despite the NH weather!
Laurie K
5.0
3/03/2022
My daughter and her fiance' wanted a small wedding so I called Celebrations Distinctive Catering. Amy Strike was wonderful to work with. She helped to create a meal for 14 people and even suggested brunch for the next morning since we were staying at an airbnb. The chef and two servers were absolutely great. The meal was exceptional. I can't say enough wonderful things about all of them. Anyone planning a wedding should call Celebrations Distinctive Catering. You won't be sorry!
Audrey Z
5.0
9/24/2021
Celebrations was awesome to work with! Our first caterer went out of business due to COVID and we had to find a new one and Celebrations ended up being better, in our opinion!! We had a buffet with a bunch of delicious options, and since it was September, they even incorporated some fall flavors into our menu, which we loved. They were so easy to work with and everyone raved about the food all night.
We also used their bartenders and they were great too. Highly recommend, the food was so good!
William M
5.0
9/12/2021
Celebrations Catering has a very extensive menu for a reasonable price. All of the food was delicious and the servers were excellent! They continuously checked in with us throughout the day and were very cautious of allergies and dietary restrictions.
Vendor response 09/14/2021
Thank you so much for the kind words! It was really our pleasure to be a part of your lov...
ely day!
Molly F
5.0
12/06/2020
We can't recommend Celebrations enough! Amy was such a pleasure to work with from start to end and really made everything run smoothly for us during the planning process, answering every question and accommodating all our requests. The food was delicious and the service was great! The were even able to cater our brunch for the following morning! Everything was perfect.
Vendor response 12/07/2020
Thank you so much, Molly! You were such a pleasure to work with as well! We were so hono...
red to be a part of your day!
Sarah K
5.0
10/29/2020
We used Celebrations for our wedding this year and had a great experience. Our wedding plans had to change last-minute due to COVID so we booked them on the later side compared to our event and I never felt rushed or issue with this. Working with Amy was great as she was extremely responsive, kind, thorough and talked through all details. The food was great, staff was friendly day-of and they thought of details down to moving extra tables out of our tent between dinner and dessert when not needed so we would have extra space.
Vendor response 12/07/2020
Thank you so much, Sarah! It was so nice working with you to redirect your original plans...
! So happy for you both! Cheers!
Kaitlin K
4.0
8/18/2020
The food was awesome and Amy was wonderful setting things up for us. She even worked with my fiancé to have a few surprises for me on my wedding day which was so sweet. The only downfalls that I have was due to Covid, so likely not completely their fault. They wouldn’t put food down for the bridal party while we were getting our pictures done so we didn’t get to have any of that but maybe if you mention it, they can make it easier the next time. We also had a hard time because we originally had to cancel the wedding three months in advance and they weren’t willing to work with us by giving us any money back except for a credit. They made up for it with the willingness to work with us when we were able to pick a new date. The filet was so good and they do work with you for any ideas you might have! Amy worked with the chefs to get us an appetizer that wasn’t even on the menu and it was so good!
Kathryn S
5.0
8/08/2020
After deciding to postpone out large wedding reception I began to search for caterers for my smaller wedding ceremony. Celebrations had the most options at the best price. I loved their "Instant Buffett." There were so many food options to pick from, my guests loved everything! I also loved the "Instant Buffett" option because I didn't have to worry about set-up, and all the serving equipment was picked up the next day! Celebrations was quick to respond to my initial inquiry, and were easy to work with throughout the planning process. I would highly recommend them for your catering needs!
Vendor response 08/10/2020
Thank you, Kathryn! It was our pleasure to serve you, congratulations on your wedding!
Lauren G
5.0
12/07/2019
How many weddings can you walk away from and remember the meal, let alone that you loved it? Our guests are still talking about the food, specifically the butternut squash ravioli. Amazing food cooked on-site and GREAT prices!!! Super affordable. What we got for our money was a great ROI. Thank you, Celebrations!
Rachel H
5.0
11/11/2019
I reached out to Amy while looking for a caterer to plan my wedding. She exceeded my expectations - she was personable, knowledgeable, and easy to get in touch with. She was able to offer various options to accommodate my budget, which made the process seamless. It’s been two months since my wedding and people are still calling me to tell me how delicious the hors d’oeuvres and meals were (which you don’t often hear for a 200+ wedding). Celebrations was easily able to accommodate all dietary restrictions. I would highly recommend Celebrations for anyone planning a wedding or event. I will be using them again in the future!
Samantha F
4.0
10/15/2019
Celebrations was amazing to work with! We worked with Amy leading up to the wedding and loved our tasting! The food at the wedding was outstanding, we chose to go with family style for dinner and it was absolutely perfect. Our only reason for 4 stars was that both my husband and I and a few guests reported they didn't get many appetizers as I think coming out of the prep tent, the waiters didn't get through too many guests before all of the plates were eaten, but what we did try was so delicious! We would highly recommend them!
Sarah P
5.0
10/10/2019
Celebrations (and Amy in particualr) were an absolute dream to work with. They were so helpful and willing to adapt throughout the planning process and we’re still hearing from our guests that our wedding food was the best they’d ever had! Would absolutely recommend!!
Sarah I
5.0
9/08/2019
When looking for wedding caterers, we started by reaching out to a bunch of vendors after researching on wedding websites. Only 2 responded quickly, and Celebrations stood out with a great menu and an incredibly detailed set of resources explaining all our options. The choice was pretty clear.
We opted for a family-style meal for our wedding, which we felt let the guests adjust portions to their own needs while not worrying about a buffet line affecting the timing. Amy was really easy to work with from the beginning and was responsive over email and phone. She set up a nice tasting for us where we got a chance to try different appetizer and main course options to help fine tune our menu, as well as look at linen and table setting choices. Amy also coordinated directly with our venue coordinator about their needs so we didn't really have to get too involved there.
My husband and I made it a point to really eat at our wedding. The food was too good not to! The appetizers were fun and unique, including mini chicken & waffles, bacon-wrapped dates, macaroni & cheese bites, and tomato soup shooters w/ grilled cheese bites. For our main course we had beef in a merlot sauce, grilled chicken piccata, rice pilaf, and grilled vegetables. Everyone was raving about the food!!!! We also opted to use their bartenders but purchased our own alcohol, and it worked out quite nicely as they still provided all the mixers, limes, napkins, cups, etc.
Trust me, wedding food doesn't have to be boring. We would definitely recommend Celebrations for your event.
Vendor response 09/09/2019
Thank you so much for your kind words! It was such a wonderful wedding, we were so glad t...
o be a part of your day. Congratulations to you both!
Lauren Z
5.0
5/05/2019
Celebrating cooked the food perfectly and onsite. Their waitstaff was friendly, excellent and professional. Amy worked with us from the beginning by making our meal packages choice easy and always communicating quickly. We highly recommend them for catering ANY event.
Kayte D
5.0
12/05/2018
We LOVED working with Celebrations! Amy was fantastic and communicative. Everyone was flexible and accommodating. Guests complimented the food up and down from appetizer to dinner. We were very lucky to have Celebrations with us on our wedding day!
Courtney N
5.0
11/11/2018
The reason my husband and I chose this particular caterer was due to the restrictions from the venue and although were much higher in price than we were hoping to spend they worked incredibly hard with us to help stay closer to our budget. The tasting we had was incredible (got to bring all the leftovers home) and the food service (family style) was seamless and the food was hot and absolutely delicious.
Amanda S
4.0
10/30/2018
Celebrations did great! The reason for 4 starts is because they forgot the martini glasses for the mashed potatoes. It was a miscommunication where Amy did not think we were 100% for it, but did not bother to confirm it with us during our final phone call. Disappointed to see it was just left out. Other than forgetting that personal detail our guests enjoyed the food.
Kate D
5.0
10/29/2018
We cannot say enough wonderful things about Celebrations! We got married at our family’s home in rural NH and the Celebrations team accommodated the venue like the pros that they are. The staff was so friendly and worked really hard all evening and the food. Oh my gosh. SO GOOD. We had a tasting to narrow things down but you can’t possibly make a bad choice. Also, we worked closely with Amy, who coordinated and ran the day. She was such a calming force during the weeks leading up to it and helped things go off without a hitch. Celebrations - THANK YOU. We honestly couldn’t have pulled it off without you!
Mary S
5.0
10/29/2018
Celebrations Distinctive Catering did an outstanding catering job at the rehearsal dinner for our son's wedding. Fred and his team were easy to work with from planning the menu and decor to making final adjustments just one week prior to the event. Their professionalism and "know how" ensured that the evening went on without a hitch from appetizers to dessert. The chef did a top-notch job creating the lovely meal we envisioned. And it was delicious! We couldn't have been happier with the results for such a memorable evening. We highly recommend Fred and his team!!
Alyssa G
5.0
10/28/2018
We used Celebrations for our June wedding at the Currier Museum of Art. Our contact, Amy, made the process simple, smooth and fun. The food was delicious and abundant. The service was excellent. I would without hesitation use them again and recommend them to other brides and grooms.
Carol S
5.0
10/27/2018
Everything from the initial meeting, tasting, menu, service, and food was absolutely professional and accommodating. And delicious!!!!!
Mary H
5.0
10/27/2018
I would, and do, highly recommend this company for your event, small or large. From the moment we first met Amy to the day of our wedding, every detail was handled with the utmost professionalism. Amy worked with us to make sure every last detail was just as we wanted it. If we weren't sure what we wanted, she offered a variety of suggestions to make the planning as stress free as possible. Everything was perfection. One thing I was most impressed by (as were my guests) was the fact that they brought grills and cooked the meats outside. The food was outstanding and fresh. We could not have asked for anything better. My guests still talk about the meal as far surpassing anything they had ever had. My sincere thanks to Amy and her team for making our wedding such an enjoyable experience. M&DHamel
Colleen S
5.0
10/23/2018
Celebrations Catering was fabulous! We had some tricky and specific food requests and they exceeded our expectations!
Our cocktail hour had super friendly servers brought around delicious, bite sized appetizers. The dinner was family style and it worked out perfectly. Celebrations even worked with a few requests from myself and a few guests (vegetarian, vegan and gluten free). They put a lot of thought and effort into our meal and it was so yummy!
Rob R
5.0
10/06/2018
We loved this catering company! They provided dishes that allowed even our most restrictive guests to feel fulfilled.
We had our ceremony right where our reception would be and they set up quickly and were so unobtrusive. When it came time for serving they had everything set up and ready for folks to enjoy.
The food was amazing!! We gave them a fairly restrictive list as far as making sure dietary restrictions were met and they delivered easily. Folks with restrictions had one or two dishes they could enjoy and everyone else had the most delicious food!
(There was portions leftover so I was able to enjoy them for several days later)
The staff, food, and service were all fantastic and we were so happy to have hired them.
I plan on using them for my next large party as well.
Kara (
5.0
9/23/2018
We couldn't have been happier with Celebrations for our wedding catering. Fred and Becky were wonderful to work with and they worked so hard to find an option that fit our budget, plus made sure to work in BBQ for my husband. I could not believe how many people commented on how delicious the food was, from the passed apps to the buffet dinner to the late night snacks, everything was fantastic. I honestly didn't have high expectations because I'm usually very picky about catered food, but everything was high restaurant quality and we had plenty of options for our guests, including gluten free, lactose intolerant and vegan. PLUS they packed up all of the leftovers for us and we froze the brisket and pulled BBQ chicken and had several days worth of meals to come home to after our honeymoon! I would absolutely recommend Celebrations to any couple.
Maria P
5.0
9/18/2018
Celebrations was spectacular from start to finish for our wedding. We had a BBQ rehearsal dinner, passed apps for cocktail hour, and a buffet for the reception dinner. Amy and the team were very helpful and responsive while planning, and the food was delicious! They were so independent, and we trusted them to get everything done perfectly!
Heather B
4.0
9/11/2018
Everything was displayed nicely, and our guests enjoyed the food! We had a nice buffet of different items with something for everyone. The appetizers were served to us taking pictures which was a very nice touch since we were starving!
Vendor response 09/12/2018
Thank you so much, Heather! We enjoyed being a part of your day! Congratulations!
brittany C
5.0
7/25/2018
We used celebrations catering for our wedding, and the food and presentation was great! The staff was very attentive and professional the day of. Everything was cooked on site, and it was amazing that they were able to do this with our menu! The price was very affordable, and they were willing to do just about any foods we asked them for. We will definitely use them again for our catering needs.
Vendor response 07/26/2018
Thank you so much for your kind words! It was our pleasure to be a part of your day, such...
a wonderful wedding! Congratulations!
Laura P
5.0
6/13/2018
I don't think I could have gotten through wedding planning without Amy and Celebrations. They were attentive, thorough, the food was delicious and presented beautifully, and so so easy to work with. I hired Amy to be my day-of coordinator and can't recommend her enough. Amy was a star talking me down from the ledge when I was panicky about wedding decisions and what to do. She was a calm, guiding force that kept me moving in the right direction and made sure I had all my stuff together. The day of the wedding she took over and made sure all the decorations (and people!) were where they should be. And she made sure I had food! She came to meet us with food and water while we were taking photos, and worked with our DJ to make sure everything went as smoothly as possible. We had a perfect day and it was all because of Amy and her wonderful staff!
Vendor response 06/20/2018
Thanks so much for your thoughtful words! We thoroughly enjoyed being a part of your day....
Congratulations on your marriage!
Nicole T
1.0
1/29/2018
If you are looking for a well-run, organized, transparent, customer-centric company to cater your wedding, Celebrations is not for you. We were drawn to Celebrations given the good reviews and they seemed flexible and well-organized during our initial discussions with them before we placed our $2500.00 deposit in late Jul 2017 for our Sep 2018 wedding. During the initial discussions, we were told that we would be able to set up a tasting for October when business slowed down and that we would be able to taste the items on our wedding menu during that tasting. Once we placed the deposit, I tried to schedule the tasting for Oct but was told that there wasn’t any availability so we agreed on a tasting in Nov. A week prior to the tasting, we reached out to Celebrations to confirm the location of the tasting since they hadn’t provided us with many details and were told that they needed to change the time- no big deal since it was a week in advance. On the day of the tasting, they called us an hour before the tasting and asked if we were still coming to the tasting "since they hadn't heard from us" which wasn't true as we had just corresponded with them that week. This call made us uneasy- we felt like Celebrations was unprepared for the tasting. When we arrived at the tasting we went through our menus and they told us we would be able to taste the Filet Mignon, Salmon and other items from our wedding dinner menu. Well, long story short, the only thing we tasted that day was 2 hor’dourves, a few options from our rehearsal dinner menu and the mixed vegetable on our wedding dinner menu. We were astonished that they didn’t serve anything other than the mixed veggie out of the 8 items on the wedding dinner menu and left that tasting feeling let down and second guessing our decision. We communicated this and they promised to make it right, so we gave it another shot and came back for the second tasting in Dec. We were presented with 4/8 items from our menu but the cut of meat was not Filet Mignon (which we were being upcharged for). We spoke to the executive chef who told us that the cut was in fact different than how it would be presented on our wedding day- that was really upsetting- we came back for a second tasting and were really hoping Celebrations would put our worries aside and regain our confidence. Given the lack of organization and repeated miscommunication, we decided that Celebrations was not the right company for us. We didn't want to be worried about Celebrations not being prepared on our wedding day and unfortunately, they lost our confidence through the tasting process. When we communicated all of this in a polite manner in early January and asked if they could consider refunding our deposit, they refused to provide any sort of refund of our $2500.00 deposit, citing their terms and policies document which was never signed by us or them- poor business practices if you ask me.
Vendor response 02/01/2018
We are confused by some of the statements made in your review as they differ from comments...
made in your email communications where you complimented us on the food multiple times. We freely acknowledge that at the initial tasting, we did not have the cut of meat that was on your wedding menu and thus promptly rescheduled a second tasting for you where filet mignon was served. The chef explained to you that it would be slightly different on the day of your wedding as it was going to be cooked over a wood grill, which we cannot do for a tasting.
As far as not signing a contract, our procedure, which we followed in this case, is to send a Policies and Terms document along with your menu proposal. As clearly stated in this document, deposits are nonrefundable, and when we receive your deposit, we have both entered into an agreement that is legally binding. We are still willing to uphold our end of that agreement and will do what it takes to make you feel comfortable in that decision.
For those considering a catered wedding, it’s important to understand that several things happen when you enter into an agreement with your caterer. There are many reasons why it is our policy and the industry standard to have deposits be non-refundable:
- Your date is confirmed and other business for that date is turned away.
- Resources are allocated to your event by operations staff, such as vehicles, equipment, etc.
- Time is invested on planning and scheduling the details of your event.
- When a tasting is offered, Chefs, servers, sales support and cleaning crew are paid to provide this service. We never charge clients for a tasting. At your tasting, you can expect to get a sense for our presentation, flavoring, sauces, seasonings and spice levels, etc. We take your feedback and make the appropriate adjustments. The entrée may be a tasting-sized portion, as opposed to full size. There are times you may not even taste your main entrée because the preparation can be and usually is different in a restaurant setting than how it will be on the day of your off-premise wedding. We don’t view tastings as a “taste test”. We view them as an important way to get to know our clients better.
We strive and take pride in having the most customer-focused Terms in the business. We custom develop menus to suit a client’s preferences, are as flexible as possible with changes and are upfront and honest about pricing structure and terms.
We are sorry that you don’t feel Celebrations is a good fit for you. We repeat again, we would be happy to uphold our end of the contract, and in any case we wish you all the best.
Meghan K
5.0
9/30/2017
We would give Celebrations and Amy six stars if we could. The food was incredibly delicious and surprisingly affordable — they grilled the food fresh for us at our minimalist reception location. Amy also served as our day-of coordinator, and she was super responsive, flexible on the menu, and went above and beyond to personally handle taking care of our decorations, getting the liquor to the bar, organizing flowers, and setting up our venue. She was a pleasure to work with and I would recommend her and Celebrations to any couple.
Jen M
5.0
9/14/2017
Celebrations and Amy did an amazing job with our cocktail style wedding. We had lots of passed apps with a pig roast and mashed potato bar. The pig roasters were awesome and very engaging with our guests allowing them to try various parts of the pig as they carved it. We also hired Amy to be our day of coordinator and she was fantastic! She was on top of everything and took care of all the little details so we didn't have to think about anything. She would prompt us when it was time to do certain things and made sure details were covered from start to finish. Amazing weekend, I would definitely recommend Celebrations!
Chloe D
5.0
9/04/2017
We had a wonderful experience with Celebrations as our caterer for our wedding. We were looking for a casual backyard cookout style meal and they couldn't have done a more perfect job! The food was fantastic and they even packed up leftovers for the bride and groom to enjoy later. We received lots of compliments from the guests about how great the food was. The service was wonderful as well! We worked with George, who was incredibly accommodating and easy to work with. The staff who helped on the day of were very friendly and upbeat the entire time. We absolutely recommend Celebrations Distinctive Catering!
Rose Ann H
5.0
8/28/2017
Outstanding food, service and customer satisfaction. All food was prepared and cooked on our lawn where a kitchen tent was set up. Nothing cooked ahead and held in warmers. All was fresh and the guests noticed the difference with the first horsd'oeuvres!
Kate B
5.0
8/23/2017
There aren’t words to describe how amazing Celebrations is! I was nervous about finding a caterer for our wedding on my grandparent’s property, but everything was perfect thanks to Amy and the Celebrations team! The food was amazing and all the guests raved about it!! Amy was so helpful and detailed the entire process. We hired her for the “day of” coordinating, but she put in so much time and effort before the wedding day to make sure everything was perfect. We had multiple meetings and she was always in contact with me and answered my many questions. Each time I asked about something she always had a solution or great suggestion. I credit Amy and the staff for how smoothly the day went and how perfect it turned out. I cannot thank Amy enough for all that she did so that we could relax and enjoy the day. You can tell this company truly cares about their clients and making their events special. I give Celebrations Distinctive Catering my highest recommendation!
Katelyn B
5.0
8/20/2017
Celebrations did an absolutely lovely job catering our wedding. The antipasti display was a feast for the eyes, and guests raved about the passed appetizers we selected. We opted for a buffet vs. plated dinner and guests kept going back for more! The marinated sirloin and pasta pulito were two very popular entrees. We worked with George from the beginning, and he was incredibly responsive throughout the process, always making himself available if we had any questions or concerns and working with us to create just the right menu. We would highly recommend Celebrations as a caterer for a New England wedding!
Lauren C
5.0
7/12/2017
After much research and deliberation, we decided to go with Eli's Catering for our backyard wedding of 180 people. From the start, they were easy to communicate with and just put me at ease in a way the other vendors we were communicating with did not. Choosing vendors who help alleviate your stress is huge. Becky helped me work thru all the small details, offering advice in a non- pushy and helpful way. We decided on a menu we loved- bbq chicken, sirloin steak, and added shrimp skewers. The shrimp skewers and sirloin were honestly some the best I've ever had. The day of, we felt so taken care of. It was the little things- the staff bringing us snacks unprompted during pictures, coming up to us to check in. They certainly made sure we were well fed and taken care of. The bartenders were great, laid back and fun, but professional. The feedback we've gotten from friends about the food is what really blew me away the most- I've had many people go out of their way to tell me some strong compliments. "It was the best wedding food I've ever had." "The food at your wedding was incredible." "I don't usually eat steak, but that sirloin might have been the best beef I've ever had!" etc, etc.
If you're driving yourself crazy with the many wedding decisions you have to make (as I did), I promise choosing Eli's Catering will be a great decision and you can rest assured that you and your guests are in good hands. Thank you thank you.
Celine L
5.0
5/30/2017
Celebrations did an outsanding job! Everyone raved about the food and went up for seconds or even thirds! They were incredibly flexible and helpful when changing the menu, and in the end it turned out to be great. It was just what we wanted. We did the mixed grill BBQ option, and it was fantastic! I would recommend them to anyone in the MA/NH area.
Meredith L
5.0
1/10/2017
We recently used Celebrations Catering to cater our wedding at the Concord, NH Audubon Center. Becky was our point person and absolutely wonderful! She was easy to contact and even met at our wedding location to run through set-up options. My husband and I are both vegetarians, so the team helped us create a primarily veggie heavy menu. We never actually tried the food prior to the wedding reception, but we still get compliments from guests. The team also offered bartending services and allowed us to purchase our own beverages. The staff was very friendly and professional. Highly recommended!
Kristi H
5.0
11/08/2016
I was really nervous about choosing Celebrations initially. I planned our wedding from overseas and wasn't able to taste or talk in person to any of my vendors. I chose Celebrations based on previous positive reviews and let me tell you, Im so glad I did! They worked with us to help us customize our menu and our options. I wanted to do more appetizers instead of a crudite option and they made it happened. My husband and I were able to completely personalize our menu so that it truly reflected us and our tastes. Becky was awesome and so accommodating.
Then there was the actual food. It was amazing! Our venue was a tent in the middle of a pasture on my husbands farm so I was worried it wouldnt work right but they made it happen. The food was piping hot and super fresh. The service as amazing and everyone was so courteous and polite. So many people at the reception mentioned to me how great the food was! I definitely recommend Celebrations for your event. Not only are the prices incredibly reasonable but the food and staff are amazing!
Kayla L
5.0
11/04/2016
Celebrations Catering was amazing! We used them for our wedding in October. My husband and I were impressed by how accommodating they were. We had a picky eater at the wedding and they took the time to prepare her meal special. We also had someone with a gluten allergy and they were very good about informing us what the guest could have and also offered to prepare her chicken and serloin special if she wanted. We got a ton of compliments on the food, and at a wedding, that is huge! We worked with Amy who was super friendly and easy to work with, she also showed up at the end of our wedding to congratulate us. My husband and I agree we will be using Celebrations Catering for our next event!
John G
5.0
10/27/2016
We were planning a small, intimate, wedding reception for 40 people and researched quite a few caterers before selecting Celebrations. Communication was fast and easy - they always responded to questions/calls/emails in a timely manner. We met Lisa to share our vision and let her know what we wanted for our special day. Food quality was our number one priority - our guests were 'foodies' and generally good cooks themselves. As it was a smaller party, we decided to splurge on the food. We picked out some options and Lisa promptly provided a quote. We revised the selections a few times and settled on a menu. Ours was more of a cocktail party with very heavy hors d'oeuvres. We also wanted an open bar and they provided the bartender and fixings, we bought alcohol/water/soda. We met Lisa and Fred for a tasting and they made some tiny bites for us to try. We offered a few suggestions based on the samples, which wasn't a problem and they adjusted the recipe accordingly (for example - make this item more spicy, more filling in this sandwich etc..).
On the day of the event, they showed up and got everything set up and running by the time our guests arrived. Fred was there, manning the grill and making sure all of the food was perfectly cooked. The food was very good and everyone was well taken care of by their servers. The bartender was friendly and flawlessly executed our custom drink menu. Clean up was quick and easy.
After the wedding I asked our guests for feedback and everyone had nothing but good things to say – and this wasn’t an easy crowd to please. Every dish was a hit – only wish I had a chance to eat more of their delicious offerings. Would not hesitate to use them again. The price was reasonable compared to other caterers and definitely worth the money. It can be a bit nerve-wracking selecting a caterer as you generally don’t have a chance to taste the food before putting down a big deposit. Rest assured, with Celebrations Catering, you’ll be in good hands on your special day.
Cynthia B
5.0
10/27/2016
Like most couples, finding the perfect caterer was a must. My, now, husband and I spent countless hours searching, reading reviews, looking at sample menus as well as speaking with many potential candidates. We were looking for exceptional food with exceptional service at a price we could afford. Celebrations Distinctive Catering provided just that. From our first contact, the customer service was phenomenal. Lisa Jean was professional, easy to work and responsive. She guided us through the entire process from the initial proposal to providing us with the the supplies and staff we needed, including a bartender, at our wedding reception venue. Chef Fred was also a joy to work with. We could tell right away he cared about his product and wanted us to be more than satisfied. He even incorporated many our own food ideas into the final menu. Our guests raved about the food and service and this made us very happy. I have to say, I'm not easily pleased or impressed, but Lisa Jean, Fred and their staff both pleased and impressed me. We highly recommend Celebrations Distinctive Catering.
Alexandra H
5.0
10/27/2016
I wish I had a less cliche word to use other than amazing, but that's exactly what Celebration's is.
I was one of those people that wanted all my vendors to be in place as soon as I got engaged. I chose Celebrations right away and worked with them back and forth for a year until the day of my wedding. My coordinator (who works for Celebrations) Amy Strike was wonderful and I couldn't have done my wedding without her. If you need a coordinator, all of my recommendations go to Amy.
The food selections were great - and I was able to basically build my own menu to fit my budget. The communication was spectacular - I never felt like I had to wait long for them to answer me. And the customer experience from beginning to end was more than I would have expected. It poured on the day of my wedding, and the Celebrations staff never stopped moving and making it a perfect day for me and my husband.
I can't thank Amy and the team at Celebrations enough for all they did for us, and I would highly recommend them for any and all events!
Vendor response 11/07/2016
Thank you so much! It was our pleasure to work with you as well. So glad to hear that you...
were pleased.
Jennifer B
5.0
10/27/2016
We got married on October 1st at Lakeshore Village Resort in Weare NH. Working with Celebrations was wonderful! They were very professional and accommodating. We never felt rushed or as though we were an inconvenience. Most folks know that it can be tough to have an excellent wedding meal (food in bulk) but our guests absolutely raved about everything and many even asked for the recipes. They grilled on site so everything was fresh and all reasonably priced as well. I would HIGHLY recommend Celebrations for your next wedding or catered event!
Vendor response 11/07/2016
Thank you so much for the kind words, we are so glad that you were pleased!
Hannah R
5.0
10/26/2016
I worked with celebrations catering. I absolutely loved the food George was quick with getting back to me. They did a great job and reasonable!
Vendor response 11/07/2016
Thank you so much! Glad you enjoyed it!
Alexa P
2.0
10/23/2016
We did the World at Your Door Instant Buffets. It had options of American, Asian, Mexican, and French entrees, salads, sides, and desserts. It was a cheaper option in the Nashua area. It was a buffet that was delivered to our venue, set up, and then picked up once the reception was over. The owner was very accommodating, we told him our maid of honor had celiacs (gluten free) so we needed to make sure she could eat the food. He told us by the time we booked that she could eat the taco bar (minus the flour tortillas served on the side), the salads (minus the croutons served on the side), the brownies/cookies served for dessert, and obviously the macaroni & cheese entree. After getting a confirmation email about 2 months later, we called to double check about the roast turkey (which in the email said to be covered in gravy). We asked for the gravy on the side which the person on the phone (not the owner) said she had to ask the chef. They then replied with an email saying they can't do that even though we chose the turkey because it was a gluten free option (and the gravy was clearly not gluten free). We called back about 2 weeks before the wedding after getting the email saying we need it on the side because that's why we booked with them, because they were accommodating us, and they told us they would put the gravy on the side. When the food showed up, however, the turkey was covered in gravy. And the brownies that were supposedly nut free (we asked because of my grandma's walnut allergy) had nuts in them. Overall the food was good, nothing amazing but people were happy and I just had to make sure the people with allergies knew what they could eat which was what I was trying to avoid.
Vendor response 10/24/2016
We are so sorry to hear that your day was less than perfect. The gravy was supposed to be...
on the side and that was an oversight on delivery. While that was an error on our part, I'd like to talk through your other concerns. Please feel free to reach out via phone or email. ~Fred Manheck, Owner
Elyse L
5.0
10/10/2016
One of the best decisions we made throughout the entire year and a half of planning our wedding was choosing Celebrations as our caterer. We were lucky to have a venue that let us choose whoever we'd like to cater, and after reading excellent reviews we decided to go with Celebrations.
Both Amy and Becky were enormously helpful throughout the entire process, working with me when I changed my mind here and there and communicating so efficiently with us.
At the wedding itself, everything was seamless. We had the Mezze Display for appetizers, and many folks said the appetizers could have been a meal in itself! Dinner was chosen from the Eli's BBQ menu - steak, bbq chicken, corn - the food was unreal.
I would absolutely recommend Celebrations to anyone looking for a caterer in the New Hampshire area - thank you so much!
Leigh T
5.0
9/12/2016
We decided to have a casual buffet with food WE loved for our wedding. I can't tell you how many compliments we got from guests from our wedding. So many people raved about our food.
At first I must say I was hesitant with Celebrations because they initially were a little pushy with getting a deposit, even before my menu was final. BUT in grand scheme of things I can understand as I'm sure catering companies deal with a lot of people and perhaps many people pull out. Other than that I LOVED Celebrations. I changed my menu many times before settling on exactly what I wanted, but at no time did Lisa (the lady I was working with) ever say "No, we can't do that". There were never any hesitations and she worked with me. Aside from a few delays in e-mail responses (which was understandable with summer & vacations), working with Lisa was very easy and she was very attentive.
From our fried pickles, chicken tenders, buffalo chicken cheesesteak & philly cheese steak sliders, to our lasagna cups, tortellini salads, proscuitto wrapped asparagus, they did an exceptional job. The food tasted great and was a hit, that's all that matters to me! I would definitely recommend Celebrations Distinctive Catering.
Abby N
5.0
6/16/2016
AMAZING!!!! we had the best food ever!
Lisa M
5.0
1/12/2016