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Harvest Moon Catering
OWNER
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AWARD WINNER (11X)
Thanks to recommendations from couples on The Knot
Harvest Moon Catering brings gourmet dishes to weddings and special events throughout Charlottesville, VA. This full-service caterer is committed to creating a sense of place where everyone has a seat at the table. Using sustainable business practices and locally-sourced ingredients, the team crafts high-quality meals for celebrations of every size and style.
Whether they’re building a new relationship with a farmer, forager, or cheese monger or consulting with a new client, this caterer puts people first. Taking care of their staff, forming strong community bonds, and helping you throw the wedding of your dreams are Harvest Moon Catering’s top priorities. They collaborate with a wide range of event planners, venues, photographers, officiants, florists, entertainers, and more to nourish community connections.
Harvest Moon Catering works with regional suppliers whenever possible in order to ensure the freshest and most delicious culinary experience possible. They make their food from scratch and encourage the chef skills and growth of their employees. This caterer features a rotating, seasonal menu that reflects the changing flavors of Virginia’s farms and which they guarantee will delight all the senses. Browse their hors d’oeuvres, plated, and family-style spring, summer, fall, and winter selections to find the cuisine that best suits your tastes and wedding date.
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Details
Cuisine
African
American
BBQ
Cajun
Chinese
Eastern European
French
Fusion
Greek
Hawaiian
Indian
Italian
Japanese
Korean
Latin American
Mexican
Middle Eastern
Northeastern
Seafood
Southern
Southwestern
Specialty
Thai
Dietary Options
Dairy Free
Gluten Free
Halal
Kosher
Nut Free
Organic
Sugar Free
Vegan
Vegetarian
Food & Catering
Buffet
Catering Clean Up
Catering Delivery & Setup
Chef Stations
Family Style
Menu Tastings
Passed Appetizers
Seated Meal
Servers
Awards and Affiliations
Any questions?
Meet the team
Harvest Moon Catering
Owner
At Harvest Moon Catering we give consistent and thoughtful attention to details. We create your vision with a nod to seamless service, excellent preparation of quality food, for big and small events alike. We believe exceptional service as well as exceptional food should be a given, and train our staff accordingly. At the very heart, we are about people and relationships. Our team shares an understanding of the significance of what we are creating for you.
Reviews
4.9
out of 5.0112 reviews
Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.
Review Summary
This AI-generated summary is a snapshot of this vendor's ratings and feedback.
Harvest Moon received glowing reviews from multiple users for their outstanding wedding catering services. Reviewers praised the delicious food, attentive staff, and high level of detail provided throughout the planning process. The event producers were highlighted for their helpfulness and professionalism, with special mentions for Sammi and Kylie. Guests appreciated the quality of the food, particularly enjoying dishes like mashed potatoes and mac n cheese, as well as the variety of options available. The level of coordination and assistance in executing the wedding day was commended, making Harvest Moon a highly recommended choice for couples seeking exceptional catering services for their special day.- Top reviews
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Nick M
5.0
11/09/2024
Harvest Moon catered our wedding and was absolutely fantastic. They were so flexible and helped bring to life the menu we dreamed of combining a Lebanese and French inspired theme. Sammi was our Event Producer and was incredibly helpful throughout the entire process. We would highly recommend Harvest Moon to our friends and family
response 11/19/2024
Thank you for your kind words, Nick! I am glad you and Michelle have found each other and ...
I am grateful to have been able to be a part of your celebration! I wish you both all the love and happiness. Happy Climbing ❤️
- Sammi
Owen F
5.0
7/19/2024
Harvest Moon was fantastic! They provided some of the best wedding food we've ever had, our guests raved over the appetizers, and the bartenders kept our guests cups full the entire night. They also provided quick and effective service to allow guests to get to the dancefloor quickly!
Any questions?
Ally M
5.0
4/10/2024
Can’t speak highly enough about HM. We really prioritized food/beverage in terms of what was important in our wedding, and we are so glad we went with Harvest Moon. So many guests (and other vendors) have told us it was the best food they’ve had at a wedding (truly just great food in general). Their staff really made our vision a reality at every step and we were so happy to work with them; they were incredibly attentive and detail-oriented. Kylie is excellent and produced a perfect event for us. If you’re looking for a wedding caterer, I would absolutely recommend Harvest Moon.
Nicole C
5.0
2/28/2024
We were so thrilled with the measure of detail and help in coordination and assistance in seeing the day through. Kylie helped me get dressed, arranged my whole timeline, coached me through the day, took video shots where they would have been missed, and came to the rescue in cleaning my dress! She cheered us on through the cake cutting, saw that the guests were cared for. She assured Shawn’s mom had a memorial arrangement and his stepmother had a bouquet. Her suggestions on table settings were so appreciated! I have never witnessed more detail oriented! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts! We treasure you so much. 💗💗💗
Jaime
5.0
1/16/2024
Harvest Moon was amazing! Kylie and her team were with us every step of the way, the food was exactly what we wanted and delicious! I would highly recommend them to anyone!
Taylor W
5.0
10/04/2023
We were so impressed with Harvest Moon and Kylie's whole team! The table setups were beautiful and guests kept raving about how good the food was (which I feel is quite an accomplishment since generally my expectations for wedding food are low). I can't throw enough of an endorsement behind the mashed potatoes and mac n cheese! The tasting process was also fun. We also did an open bar package and the drinks were tasty (our specialty cocktails were a hit) and the bartenders kept the party going! All in all, it was a great experience!
Grace R
5.0
5/30/2023
Planning a menu for a backyard wedding in rural Virginia is no easy feat, but Harvest Moon certainly makes it look easy. The food is so incredible, and tasted just as delicious and fresh on our wedding day as it did during our tasting nearly a year earlier. We loved all of the optionality in creating our menu, and their ability to cater to certain dietary restrictions. We still crave some of our wedding day menu, that's how good the food is. In close partnership with their beverage director, we loved picking out local beers and wines that paired perfectly with our menu. We also engaged Harvest Moon for day-of coordination services, which was the biggest relief in our day. Kylie is a lifesaver, and her tip-top organization and wonderful spirit made our pre-planning and day-of a total breeze. We always knew she had our backs. Especially in coordinating vendors to a rural area, which can come with its own challenges, Kylie and the whole Harvest Moon team never lost sight of a single detail. With curveballs like rain and last-minute tent calls, Kylie and the whole Harvest Moon crew were utterly professional and unflappable. We would have been lost without them! Our wedding day remains one of the happiest in our lives, in large part due to Harvest Moon's professionalism, care, and excellent service. If I had to do our wedding all over again, I would pick Harvest Moon again and again!
Bri P
5.0
11/21/2022
Our family and friends raved about the food from Harvest Moon!
We aren't very traditional and we wanted to eat our favorite foods and loved the ideas Harvest Moon came up with. We had a flatbread station and a quesadilla station with pie and macarons for dessert!
Harvest Moon also created our signature cocktails and they were a smash hit through the night.
Couldn't have asked for a better experience. The staff from consultation to tasting to wedding night were all amazing and friendly. Some of my family tried to tell us that people don't really remember the food at a wedding... but when you have great food people take notice and we definitely did!
Olivia G
5.0
11/11/2022
I had such an amazing experience with Harvest Moon. The food and drinks were a highlight of our wedding, and the staff was fantastic! Wedding planning can be stressful, but I truly felt supported the whole way through.
Kelli R
5.0
10/22/2022
Anne and her staff were amazing! The dinner stations were great, and our guests raved about the variety. Anne was super patient and helpful throughout the planning process and appreciated her valuable input. We were so pleased with Harvest Moon, and would recommend them to anyone planning a wedding!
Allison H
5.0
10/01/2022
We had a great experience with Harvest Moon! For starters, the food was fabulous and all of our guests told us so. They set aside a platter of the passed appetizers for us from our cocktail hour, which we so appreciated, and we were well attended by the staff all night. They were incredibly easy to work with even after a postponement on our part and staff changes on theirs, and we are so happy that we chose them. We'd recommend them to any couple in the area looking for more upscale food for their wedding!
Sarah S
5.0
7/21/2022
Loved working with Harvest Moon. We received some many compliments on the food. The staff also delivered top notch service. Huge bonus that Harvest Moon takes care of the cleanup. Highly recommend Harvest Moon!
Shobhana M
5.0
5/04/2022
We chose Harvest Moon to cater our daughter’s wedding because their passion for not only food, but the overall dining experience came through when we did the tastings. For the wedding, they were able to create the atmosphere we wanted and the food was even better at the wedding than during the tastings! It was a pleasure working with them. The one small criticism I have is that they could be more timely with contracts. I know COVID as created a new normal so I am hoping the the delay in contracts was just an anomaly.
Mike Worley, the beverage director at Harvest Moon was an absolute pleasure to work with. from the first tastings to the final wedding events. He made the tasting experience so memorable and fun for us and his passion for his work came through in each encounter. Mike was integral in giving my daughter and son-in-law a wedding celebration they will not forget.
Makayla D
5.0
11/18/2021
I had a long road with Harvest Moon and I am thankful for the hard work the entire team put in to make it a happy ending. I worked with them starting in Jan 2021 after my original catering company went out of business due to covid. My first contact was great, even spectacular and we had a wonderful time through to the first tasting. A few months after the first tasting, we were notified that our contact person left the company (not uncommon) and we would be handled by another person we meet before (totally okay). I would say here is where the communication breakdown began. Our second contact person never really engaged us and seemed to not have followed up on enough areas before they too left the company. We were then given to a duo (I thought at least) of BK and Kristi. I really enjoyed the walkthrough that I had with them and felt comforted again in the event. Email communication slowed down, which I thought was natural as it was October and the busiest month for weddings. There was a large misunderstanding of who I and my coordinator needed to be in contact with which caused a lot of confusion the week before. Thankfully, we were able to get it sorted. The internal communication because of the strain of covid definitely impacted the service I received and I hope they can get things flowing well again because they provide an amazing service. Everyone I encountered on the wedding day loved the food and the service - and multiple people told me to shout out the bartenders! My picky family loved the food and the passed canapes and there were NO complaints! In the end, BK, Kristi (who showed up when she was not required to check on things!), and Gale did a wonderful job and I really appreciate the care they put into this event. At the end of the day, I would recommend them! (But make sure you pay attention to their timeline!)
Loryn W
5.0
10/21/2021
HMC was wonderful to work with. There was some staff turnover which affected communication, but everything turned out well in the end. At the beginning, we had several phone calls to talk through all aspects of my “vision.” In the final weeks before the wedding, they were very helpful in cutting out unnecessary items in order to highlight the items that were most important to us and also most cost effective. Our only disappointment was that our “VIP liaison” who was supposed to attend to us at the wedding was not especially attentive. However this would not prevent us from recommending HMC.
Leah S
3.0
10/18/2021
We initially loved our experience with HMC- the tasting was wonderful and they did a great job of managing the details of our wedding. Unfortunately, they clearly suffered from serious staff turnover and so did our service. We had four different event managers assigned to us at various points (two of whom left the company) and communication got very messy and details lost in some of the change overs. If it had not been for our planner, I would have felt very, very uncomfortable. The day of, things mostly went fine but it wasn’t fully smooth. The bartending team was top notch and really lovely but several guests were not served the right meals (including us). Two at our head table had allergy / religious food restrictions that weren’t noted (and ended up getting served the wrong food) and one of the three main dishes on guests' plates was massively undercooked (the vegetable pave). We also heard our families had to ask for cake to be served several times in order to receive any. It was a real departure from what we were expecting from the initial experience.
Kathleen C
5.0
10/09/2021
HMC made our wedding day AMAZING. Everything from the communication, planning, my random emails with questions about things we wanted to add…. It was ALL taken care of perfectly, with understanding and care. The team that was with us on our wedding day were unbelievable, the best service ever. All the guests were raving about how delicious the food was, and they had options for all our guests with dietary restrictions, too. They handled everything so amazingly. I would recommend them to every single person I meet if I could. From the tasting to our big day, they were nothing short of spectacular. THANK YOU HARVEST MOON!!!!!
Kate M
5.0
7/27/2021
Harvest Moon Catering was so great to work with from start to finish! Mark & Mike were super attentive & happily answered all of our questions. Their food was amazing & we had guests complementing it all night long. Kristi Kruse was our day of coordinator & I would 100% recommend her to any future brides!! She helped me think through all of my decisions & when I made a last minute rain plan change she went above and beyond and drew up multiple options & worked with my rental vendor to get quotes super fast to help me make a final decision. On the day she was cool as a cucumber & the day couldn't have ran more smoothly. She also was great about grabbing Joey & I to do things like use our photo booth (honestly we would have forgotten)! Overall, we couldn't have asked for a better team!
Liz H
5.0
7/20/2021
We cannot say enough good things about Harvest Moon! They were so helpful and patient in answering all of our questions while planning (thank you Charlee!) They were quick to make suggestions and worked with us to stay on budget. We really loved working with them, they made the planning process as stress-free as possible. The tasting was great and the food at our wedding was amazing- all of our guests loved it. We would highly recommend Harvest Moon to anyone looking for a caterer for their wedding!
Kimberly M
5.0
6/24/2021
HMC and Charlee delivered the vision of our wedding! From food to rentals, they had us covered. Charlee beyond professional and responsive throughout the planning process. They offer an incredible selection of food that our guests raved about!
Melissa S
5.0
6/22/2021
Hiring Harvest Moon was one of the best decisions we made for our wedding. From our first tasting to the wedding itself, they were fabulous to work with every step of the way. Their professionalism and kindness made a stressful planning process a whole lot easier, and on top of it all their food is DELICIOUS. Our guests still are saying that the food was some of the best they’ve ever had at a wedding!! My parents are also big into wine, so Harvest Moon connected us directly with their wine provider, who worked with my dad to select bottles that they were both excited about. Above and beyond!!
In addition to wonderful food, Harvest Moon was just spectacular to work with as well. When my husband and I had to postpone our wedding due to COVID concerns, the Harvest Moon team was so kind and understanding that it almost made me cry from gratitude (instead of from panic, which was a nice change of pace at that moment in time). And Mia in particular deserves a huge shout out. At our 30-day walkthrough she asked all sorts of questions I never would have thought of, and projected such confidence that she put me immediately at ease. On the wedding day itself she made sure my husband and I both got to eat plenty (a miracle!) and that our champagne glasses were always topped off. The HMC staff also sent us home with extra servings of each appetizer, entrée, and cake in the trunk of our getaway car.
We are so, so happy with our decision to hire Harvest Moon. And you should 100% hire them as well! They are, quite simply, the best.
* Update 2022 - We had the pleasure of working with Harvest Moon again for our large reception (thanks, Covid) and were once again beyond impressed. Anne was our day-of coordinator and handled everything with poise and expertise. The food was once again amazing, the drinks were wonderful, and our day was simply perfect. I would not hesitate to hire Harvest Moon again in the future!!
Danielle H
5.0
6/19/2021
We had the best food ever at our wedding thanks to Harvest Moon! Everything was absolutely delicious and plated beautifully and the staff was just phenomenal. You can’t go wrong when it comes to their food service experience and expertise. As a vegan bride and groom, we were nervous, but the vegan meal was incredible! However, I will say that despite their many years of experience, communication was often lacking throughout this process with emails that were not answered for weeks (if at all), but it was all worth it for the food in the end.
BriAnn D
4.0
4/06/2021
Updating from my previous 1 star review--
I received a phone call today (4.16.21) from Mark, the owner at Harvest Moon. He extended a heartfelt apology and a legitimate explanation as to what happened with my previous experience.
It seems to be that this was an unfortunate, but pretty atypical experience and it is not an indicator of the kind of company Harvest Moon really is. You can scroll through the reviews yourself and see there a couple others that reference poor communication, but overall they have amazing reviews! This has been a really tough year for this industry and everyone makes mistakes and drops a ball every now and again. I appreciate their efforts to reach out and provide additional insight!
As I mentioned before, we had to move on and are working with another caterer but I would consider working with Harvest Moon again in the future!
I spoke with Cristina Weber, the Senior Event Producer at Harvest Moon on February 27 and had a fantastic phone call-- she was extremely encouraging, creative, and helped guide me through so many options that would work for our guest count and budget. Following our phone call I sent her a very thorough email with tons of details about our venue, other vendors, etc. and even included lots of pictures and videos, pinterest board links, etc. as she requested before sending me a proposal. Since I never heard anything, I reached out again on March 3 to ask when I might receive the proposal. I didn't get a response to that email either so I reached out one last time on March 8 to ask if Harvest Moon was still interested in working with us. I did get a response to that email from Cristina apologizing for the delay and promising to send our proposal over later that afternoon and then never heard anything ever again. Never got a proposal or another response. It was a huge bummer because I had such a great phone call with Cristina and she seems to be extremely experienced and good at what she does! I know COVID has been hard on this industry but I don't really know what happened here. I really couldn't recommend Harvest Moon to anyone because they just went totally MIA and literally ghosted me. I ended up finding another caterer but it's really disappointing and frustrating to have to basically beg businesses to let you pay them for their services. I'd avoid Harvest Moon if you're looking for reliable communication or any type of follow through. :(
Alexandra T
5.0
12/22/2020
Harvest Moon was FANTASTIC. I truly can’t say enough good things about them. My mom and I planned my 12/12/20 wedding in Greenwood, VA from out of state and Mark was so easy to communicate with. Covid threw us a few curveballs but Mark and his team handled it with kindness and grace. As for the food, my family and friends are still talking about it! We did brunch and it was honestly some of the best food I’ve ever eaten. Even the coffee was incredible. The presentation of it all was as if we were having brunch in a 5 star hotel, not a small church parish hall. The staff was incredibly helpful and kind. I would recommend Mark and Harvest Moon to anyone for literally any event.
Christy A
5.0
11/22/2020
While I lived in C'ville for 3 years, I planned our wedding from Arizona, where I am from. This made searching out vendors a bit more complicated. I heard only fabulous things about HMC and so figured it would be the safest bet to go with this most established & vetted caterer for our day. I am so glad I did. We were dreaming up a southern menu for what was essentially a destination wedding. HMC really delivered: Sally & Charlee helped me craft an *incredible* menu of southern style offerings, provided helpful suggestions and were amenable to all my desires and comments, and served some really delicious food. In fact, after our tasting (which seriously blew me away), when people would ask what I was most looking forward to at my wedding, I would say "honestly, aside from marrying Matt, the FOOD!" Everything was fresh and absolutely delicious. I've received so many comments saying how great the food was. Also, the staff member assigned to take care of my husband and I at the wedding, Gail, was phenomenal. She ensured we had the food we wanted, when we wanted it, that our drinks were always full, etc. etc. She really made the night easy and extra special and I can't say enough wonderful things about her.
Additionally, HMC provided our salad and dinner plates which were just perfect for our day, set everything up, and provided bar tenders as well. 10's all around. We are so grateful HMC played such a big role in our day. Allow them to do the same for you and you won't regret it.
response 11/24/2020
Good morning Christy!
It was such a pleasure to collaborate and partner with you on your ...
Southern Style menu and of course celebrate with you, and Matt, and your friends and family! Oysters on the half-shell, Chicken & Waffles, and of course Mac n' Cheese! Wishing you both all the best and thank you for choosing Harvest Moon Catering!
Sincerely,
Sally
Lauren S
5.0
11/05/2020
After our tasting, my husband and I knew we had to hire Harvest Moon between how delicious the food was and how professional they were. My husband was so impressed that the entire time up until our wedding he kept saying "I can't wait for the food!" Our guests were just as impressed as we were. From the hors d'oeuvres to dinner, everything was perfect. Our guests raved about our food to us during the wedding and even after the wedding we keep hearing how great the food was. One of my bridesmaid is a vegetarian and when she saw that the vegetarian dish had brussels sprouts she told the staff member it was her favorite vegetable and they brought her more brussels sprouts. It's the small details like that that go above and beyond.
We also loved how Harvest Moon went above and beyond to take care of us during the wedding. Right after our ceremony, my husband and I took a moment alone in the bridal quite and they brought us drinks and the appetizers. That was one of our favorite moments of the day. There was always a member of their staff making sure we had what we needed during dinner.
Harvest Moon also made our cake and cupcakes. Our cake was beautiful and exactly like the picture I sent.
Besides the food, Harvest Moon is professional, responsive and makes sure your day goes smoothly. Your event coordinators blur the line between caterer and planner which is really nice. They have a venue walk through with you to plan every detail and help you make your layout/seating chart for dinner. Anne and Mia were constantly dealing with my constant emails and ever-changing details because of the pandemic and I was so grateful for their guidance. Harvest Moon is way more than a caterer.
Kristina R
5.0
10/05/2020
We found Harvest Moon in the middle of the pandemic when we had to reschedule and downsize our wedding. I worked with Allison from the beginning and she was amazing - she was responsive, flexible, offered a ton of suggestions and worked with their Chef to create a personalized menu based on food selections that we loved. Harvest Moon allowed us to have a complimentary tasting BEFORE we booked them, which a lot of other caterers don't do. The tasting was amazing and helped to solidify our choice that they were going to be a perfect choice for our wedding. Allison helped us with equipment as well - which made our rentals so easy. They do tables, chairs, linens, plates and silverware. It was truly a one-stop-shop!!! On our wedding day, the staff all showed up on time, they were so professional and kind to our guests, and the service was perfectly on time. We were so happy with Harvest Moon and so happy that we found them for our wedding!!
MEREDITH P
5.0
9/29/2020
Planning a wedding during a pandemic was nothing short of stressful, however, the Team at Harvest Moon Catering could not have executed a more perfect wedding reception. From beginning to end, the planning and execution was seamless. I can't say enough positive things about the quality of the food and drink, but most importantly, their attention to detail and the health and safety of our guests and their staff. We have been contacted by so many of our guests commenting on how amazing the food was and we couldn't agree more. Thanks to the HMC team for creating the perfect wedding.
Morgane Z
5.0
9/16/2020
Booking Harvest Moon was the best decision we could have ever made. We booked pretty much everything pre-covid and decided to go forward with our wedding. We also decided to go with Harvest Moon & Alison Young for day-of-event planning and I couldn’t be happier. If you are struggling about whether to have your wedding despite the current climate, or considering about postponing because of COVID, I’d strongly suggest hiring Harvest Moon or at least speaking to them about your concerns. They were amazing and so on top of everything. Everyone on staff wore face masks, there were shields, everything well thought out and planned, and yet still very classy and elegant. The food was delicious, elegant, and I received compliments from everyone. I think one of my guests was contemplating hunting down the chef to figure out how they cooked the beef. The appetizers were mouthwatering... I honestly could go on for ages. The people who work in this company are the kindest, most thoughtful people I have ever encountered and truly made the evening memorable. Allison managed to wrangle my 7 year old daughter who was low on sleep, and hyped up on sugar and emotion. She brought her a stress ball, gave her bubbles to play with... she treated my family with so much kindness and generosity, I don’t think I could ever express my gratitude properly. The evening was magical. The reality is that COVID isn’t going anywhere but Harvest Moon discovered a way to make my wedding day beautiful in spite of it all. I have no doubt they could do the same for any one who hired them too.
Chelsea B
5.0
9/08/2020
Excellent service and delicious food! We hired this catering service for a bachelorette party and would absolutely recommend for any event.
Abby K
5.0
8/21/2020
We planned to work with Harvest Moon for our 2020 wedding. Covid threw a wrench into our plans as it did for so many couples. Harvest Moon worked with us as we changed our plan over and over again as hosting our event in 2020 didn’t feel right for us. Sally, Charlee, and all those we worked with were so kind, accommodating, and professional.
Prior to Covid, Harvest Moon hosted us for a delicious tasting that truly blew us away. The food and service stands out from other catering teams we considered. We are so disappointed we weren’t able to work with them in 2020 but could not recommend them more highly!
Jennifer K
5.0
3/03/2020
Harvest Moon went above and beyond to accommodate all of our requests. We were VERY happy with how everything tasted and how generous the portion sizes were. Many guests told us that the food at our wedding was the best food they'd ever had at a wedding. We highly recommend them!
Laura D
5.0
2/01/2020
We hired Harvest Moon for our Charlottesville wedding in January 2020, and it could not have been a better experience. Sally was a pleasure to work with, and the food was absolutely amazing! Many of our guests came up to us during the wedding to comment on how great the food was. Harvest Moon was also incredibly attentive to details, and made every effort to ensure allergies and food sensitivities would be taken care of. We couldn't have asked for better catering!
Max F
5.0
11/27/2019
Delicious, delightful, unique, and seamless! We were hooked after the first tasting and cancelled all other trials. Everything from drinks to locally sourced and seasonal appetizers to dinner was perfect. Sally is a true artist and professional. Thank you, Sally and team!
Payam P
5.0
10/13/2019
A review will follow, so if you are just scanning through reviews, know that you should stop your search for a caterer and hire Harvest moon. They are absolutely the best.
Living in Charlottesville, I had been to many events that had been catered by Harvest Moon such as the CBIC Gala. When it came time to choose a caterer for our wedding, our wedding planner suggested Harvest Moon. Fortunately, that same day, I was at a Cville Climate Council meeting and sat next to Mark Hahn, President of Harvest Moon. It was a great first impression, seeing that they are passionate about better climate practices. We briefly chatted about how I would like to include traditional Persian dishes at my wedding, an option that many Charlottesville caterers would be unable to provide. Mark directed me to planner, Cristina and chef, Bryan, two of the most wonderful people you will ever meet. Cristina knew everything about everything and Bryan is not only a chef, but also a wizard. They held multiple tastings for my family to make sure the Persian food was just right. My mom went back and forth from northern VA to Cville, driving down Persian food for them to try. She also sent videos of her cooking. Bryan welcomed all feedback. The wedding day could not have gone any better. Cristina made sure the setup was perfect at the ceremony area and under the tent for dinner. The food was outstanding. Many attendants talked about how it is the best food they have ever had at a wedding! Even the Persian guests mentioned that Bryan’s Ghormeh Sabzi is some of the best they have ever had! The bartenders did a great job making sure everybody’s glass was full. Our signature drinks were the Kentucky Wildcat and the Bee’s Knees, both very popular among our guests. It was such a special night for us and a big part of it was thanks to the spectacular service provided by Harvest Moon.
Sam Z
5.0
9/24/2019
My wife and I were extremely happy with Harvest Moon! The food was really tasty, which was confirmed by countless compliments from guests. Every step of the way they were responsive, flexible, and detail-oriented. They worked well with us on some slightly unusual dietary requests we had. It is on the pricier side, but of course with catering you very much get what you pay for. We were impressed by how well the quality taste we enjoyed at the tasting carried over to a feast for 150 people. And on the day of our wedding, the staff were wonderful and highly accommodating.
We only had a couple minor complaints; one is that we didn't realize that the end price would be higher than the original quote because of the addition of rentals (linens, etc). That oversight may have been on us due to our inexperience planning big events. The other is that we wanted to save some money by providing our own alcohol in bulk, i.e. handles of liquor from Costco; however the caterer required us to buy smaller size bottles. Again this may be common practice. And for these to be the only issues speaks quite highly of Harvest Moon.
Overall: amazing food, extremely professional staff both before and during the event, and more than worth the price if this is the price range for you.
Mary S
1.0
9/19/2019
Very nice staff, they just do not have their act together. They focus so much on the next wedding they are serving, it does not feel like they have the staff to take care of any inquiries or clients.
Mary Claire C
4.0
8/14/2019
Overall, we had a great experience with Harvest Moon Catering. They were great at creating a custom menu that worked for our family and guests. The service at the wedding was outstanding - the plated meals and table service were fantastic, and we got rave-reviews of the bar tenders. The presentation of the meals was also beautiful.
I wish we could give five stars - but day of and following the event, there were a few things that disappointed us, primarily because of a poor switch in coordinators during our engagement, which led to miscommunications and misunderstandings about how the day-of would be. We were told that we would have personal day-of service for the bride (me), groom and families of the bride and groom with a waiter/server available for drinks, waters, appetizers, etc. throughout the day. But my parents did not get any appetizers during the cocktail hour as promised, nor did the groom and I get any special treatment - our family members and our wedding coordinator had to request waters and drinks for us, and our wedding coordinator was the only one who made sure that we had any of the appetizers. On top of that, the salmon meal was notably different from what we had at our taste test (which was delicious). My parents had both ordered this meal and were very disappointed with the changes made that were never discussed or agreed on.
After the wedding, the catering coordinator never asked us how our experience was, she just asked us for a review. My parents asked for follow up call after the wedding, and never got a call back or a chance to speak with the coordinator about our experience despite follow up (and it's now over 2 months after the wedding).
For what we had expected day-of based on our discussions with Harvest Moon during the planning process, some details and main selling points for their catering services fell short. But, it wasn't anything the guests would notice which was good. And, as I mentioned at the beginning, overall, we did have a great experience working with them and the servers at the wedding were excellent. And most importantly, we would still recommend others work with them in the future!
Nora N
5.0
8/07/2019
From the tasting to the wedding, the staff at Harvest Moon were a pleasure to work with! Oh, and I did I mention that the food was divine? Their attention to detail and culinary vision made the cocktail hour, dinner, and desserts a feast to remember. Above all, I praise them for accommodating and embracing a cross-cultural wedding and palette (in my case, Indian and American) that featured Southern fried chicken and saag paneer, side by side, in an elegant and seamless way. In fact, upon tasting the various chutneys, rice, and veggies, my mother-in-law had assumed we had hired an Indian chef! I can't recommend them highly enough.
Cailin S
5.0
7/16/2019
Harvest Moon was amazing! The food was out of this world, and they were super professional and easy to work with. I have nothing but good things to say, and I would recommend them to everyone. I am biased, but I think it was the best meal I've ever had at a wedding.
Sarah T
5.0
7/10/2019
Working with Sally and Harvest Moon was one of the best decisions we made! We met with several caterers and knew immediately after our tasting with Harvest Moon that they were the best choice for us. All of the food was amazing, and Sally was attentive to our requests and worked with us to pick a menu with variety that worked well for a spring wedding.
The day-of staff were incredibly professional, helpful, and friendly to us and all of our guests. Dinner was moved up at the very last minute due to incoming weather, and Sally and the team were able to handle it seamlessly. The food was served promptly and tasted just as good as it did during our tasting. The plating of each dish was nicely done as well, and they really took care to ensure that each guest received the best dish possible.
Sally is the most organized person you will ever meet. She made the entire process so easy to plan, and was always available whenever we had a question or needed advice. During our venue walkthrough, Sally was on top off all of the details and worked with our planner to make sure everything was covered. We had some last minute meal changes for a few guests and Sally was on top of it without any problem.
Having Sally and Harvest Moon as part of our team was fantastic. Highly recommend them to anyone looking for a caterer!
Justin N
5.0
7/05/2019
My fiance and I had an incredible experience at Harvest Moon Catering. They agreed to do a tasting with us, especially since we had very specific dietary needs. They provided a quote and a sample menu; I made some modifications to it. They agreed to make modifications. We went in for a tasting and the food was delicious. Like mind-blowing delicious, especially given our specific dietary needs.
We asked if we could take pictures of the food; they already had someone doing it for us. They anticipated our needs before we did. During the tasting, Sara Renee took notes the whole time and recorded what we liked and what we did not like. I was surprised to find my future father-in-law (a sometimes discriminating eater) loving some of the more adventurous dishes that we selected. They communicated with us every step of the way and asked us what we wanted.
I cannot say enough how impressed we were with their professionalism and accommodating nature. The Executive Chef came out and consulted with us on ideas for food. He was very agreeable and saw our feedback as helping to feed his creativity, which has not been our experience with other catering chefs.
We decided on a venue that was outside the service area for Harvest Moon, and for that we are very sad. They would have been our #1 choice. They were incredible the entire way through. They even provided catering references for us. We felt like they cared about us more than just getting our business -- a rare find today.
We have found very few caterers that live up to their level of service, and I have a feeling that will be the case during our catering search. Thank you Harvest Moon for setting the bar high.
Debbie C
5.0
6/03/2019
I am still hearing comments about how great the food was at my daughter's wedding. It was as good as any fine dining restaurant. Sally Juliano and her staff did an amazing job. They were very knowledgeable, helpful and extremely professional. I would recommend Harvest Moon to anyone and would certainly use them again!
Casey S
4.0
5/08/2019
This team is incredible! So grateful for Sally's patience and expertise as I modified our vision multiple times. She was sweet and receptive the entire way through. The food was AMAZING - we received many comments on how awesome it was with quality just the same, if not better, as the tasting for the big day. Sally and her team even cooked a late night snack my sister had brought in from my hometown - a late night tradition that was very special to me. Time and time again, this team accommodated all of our requests to make our vision perfect. Aside from phenomenal food, I think I am most grateful for the extreme organization and responsiveness of Sally and her team. Planning a wedding can be stressful and waiting on vendors to respond to questions and to do so completely can wear on you. With HMC, I had answers to all my emails almost immediately. Somehow they managed to keep so many details in such magnificent order, everything went off without a hitch! If you want a team that is super experienced, offers exceptional service and will work tirelessly to make your dream a reality, I could not recommend HMC any more highly! Thanks Sally and the entire HMC team!
Annie S
5.0
3/19/2019
Harvest Moon Catering was a pleasure to work with. Their food and desserts were delicious, and they were highly flexible with and responsive to any suggestions we made to the menu, including vegan and vegetarian options. They were familiar with our wedding venue, Shenandoah Woods, which made set up and clean up seamless. We highly recommend Harvest Moon for your wedding catering or any event.
Lindsay A
4.0
2/18/2019
Harvest Moon did an amazing job! From the appetizers to the late night snack everything tasted amazing. They did a great job keeping the guest happy with drinks and food the entire night. They were able to take our ideas and help create our dream day. We are so happy we used them for the wedding. Thanks again!
Kate J
5.0
12/14/2018
My husband and I planned an elopement wedding in just under 6 weeks. As you can imagine, we were scrambling to get vendors booked on short notice and pull everything together in time for our special day. The staff at Harvest Moon Catering were absolutely phenomenal. They were so kind and accommodating. They helped us finesse the perfect menu and event. They came to the venue the morning of our wedding to meet with the host and view the lay of they land. They showed up on time as promised and set everything up during our ceremony. At this point, I had talked to them enough to know that I had nothing to worry about. When we came in for dinner with our guests, everything was laid out BEAUTIFULLY! The service was 5 star and the food was out of this world. Everyone went back for seconds and the guests were literally fighting over leftovers. We provided our own alcohol, but they suppled a bartender and he was top notch. We cannot recommend this company enough!!!! Thank you Harvest Moon for helping to make our day so special!!!
Graham W
5.0
12/13/2018
Sally and the rest of the Harvest Moon catering team did an outstanding job from the moment we met them at our tasting. They worked with us to create a menu that was unique to our tastes (no bland chicken), and the result was met with universal approval from our guests. They were also easy to work with in terms of logistical questions (rentals, the seating chart, etc.) and accommodated the dietary restrictions of our guests with no problem. We strongly recommend them!
Nicole E
5.0
11/12/2018
Harvest Moon Catering, especially Christina and Allison, were such a blessing for our wedding planning process and on our wedding day. From the moment we met Christina for our tasting, we knew we were in good hands. Bursting with energy, kind, thoughtful, and filled with years of experience, Christina put us at ease. Our tasting was such a unique experience—being served mimosas, lemonade, and a full dinner before lunch time! We had the chance not only to eat the incredible food but also to talk about the vision for our event, chat with the head and sous chefs, and take a tour of the facilities. The most impressive thing to us about the tasting was that the chefs tried two new recipes that morning—duck kimchi samosas and fall vegetable streusel. They added them to our tasting impromptu, and since they were both amazing, we ended up adding them to our menu. We were so impressed with Harvest Moon’s ability to innovate so frequently and that the first tries were so tasty. After signing on with HM, Christina was so helpful to talk through every detail of the menu, dietary restrictions, bar options, linens and rentals, and more. We also chose to book our day of coordinator through HM; while our venue required us to have one, it was completely worth it (and necessary!) to have one, and having our whole day-of team integrated through HM was perfect. Unfortunately the person being groomed for our event moved out of town, so HM had to find someone else quickly. While they did, we had a really scary time when she was not very responsive to communication and did not show up at our final walk-through at the venue. When HM heard about this disaster, the owner and staff did everything they possibly could to make it right. The blessing in disguise of the whole ordeal was that Christina stepped in to be our day-of-coordinator with Allison being her right-hand woman. Within the last 3 weeks before our wedding, the three of us emailed, texted, called, and Christina even stopped by in person one evening to help me visualize final details. Christina left no detail unaccounted for, planned our timeline by the minute, and provided expertise and guidance to ensure a good flow to the event and no mishaps. She and Alison flawlessly executed the plan from the order of everything, to making sure our decor was setup how we wanted, to keeping us on time for photos, and to making sure we had a VIPL (VIP Liason) assigned to us to ensure we had time together before our introduction, ate, and were always hydrated. Christina and Alison has a special way of making sure all the details of our wedding were polished although they had a million things going on, all the while checking in with us to make sure we were happy and having fun (they also checked in with our parents, MOH, and best man to do the same). I cannot recommend HM enough for the food, beverage, and first-class service, but mostly I hope that you all have the pleasure of working with Christina and Alison.
Jennifer F
5.0
11/08/2018
We had such a great experience with Harvest Moon! Sally and Natalie were really responsive, helped us get a great menu that everyone could eat and worked with us on all our requests for changes. The day of staff was amazing, keeping everyone happy and really on point. Our waitress made sure to bring us our favorite drinks all night. The food was amazing, everyone loved it and we were able to accommodate everyone’s dietary needs, including severe allergies which was extremely important to us. They even packed us some desserts which we had been to busy dancing to eat so we got a great treat afterwards!
Justin V
5.0
11/03/2018
We had the greatest time planning our menu and tablescape with Natalie O. and the Harvest Moon team. We had a very short engagement and a small wedding (22 total). We were excited to wine and dine our guests and the team at Harvest Moon was excited to share ideas, get creative, and really go above and beyond. We were thrilled with the planning process, we felt heard the whole time, communications were timely and friendly, and the event staff were 100! We never second guessed our choice. We were always happy with their recommendations. And I'm still drooling over the menu.
Monica P
5.0
10/20/2018
Harvest Moon Catering met and exceeded our expectations. Natalie, who was our main point of contact and coordinator for our wedding, was absolutely wonderful. She was easy to communicate with, answered any and all of our questions, and has so much experience in event planning that she was able to take the lead on many aspects of our wedding that we weren’t even expecting. Natalie was so good at making the whole planning process as stress-free as possible. The food was incredible, from the cocktail hour to dinner to late-night, everything was delicious. All of our guests raved about the food. We were blown away by the presentation of our food, as well as the attention to detail. Harvest Moon even worked with us to develop signature cocktails that incorporated the cider from our venue and they were so good! The day-of staff was very professional and friendly. We were even assigned a staff member to just us (bride and groom) for the reception, and she was excellent and really made sure we had enough to eat and drink that night. We have so many great things to say about Harvest Moon. They are more than just a catering company. They truly care about their clients and invest their time and effort into making sure that your wedding is the best day.
Carrie C
5.0
10/19/2018
OMG!! Best food ever!! The people were fantastic and everyone seemed truly concerned if we were happy and needed anything. Our guests couldn’t stop talking about how they loved the food....especially the macaroni and cheese :) I truly cannot thank everyone enough. It was truly better than I thought it would be.
Steph G
5.0
9/28/2018
Harvest Moon Catering was the best decision we made for our wedding. From our first tasting getting top notch service and meeting the chef and our coordinator we knew that these people will go to the ends of the Earth to give you the wedding of your dreams. The attentive service and dedication to delivering our vision beyond our wildest expectations will always be one of the reasons our wedding was the stuff that dreams are made of. Story time: In the craziness of our reception I suddenly realized as we were leaving that I didn’t get to try all of our desserts. As I hastily tried to stuff a ziplock with treats on my way out, our lovely coordinator informed us that there were bags of food and desserts and champagne waiting for us already packed in the getaway car. I had already cried a lot that day but I definitely teared up again when I heard that. Seriously- you will never regret the decision to work with Harvest Moon!! :)
William H
5.0
9/20/2018
Harvest Moon literally produced our wedding. We were looking for a good caterer and ended up relying on them for so much more and we just couldn't have done it without them. All of our guests gave their food and service over the top reviews and my wife and I were so pleased with everything. I highly recommend HMC- you are in good hands with their team... friendly, professional, and very experienced.
Jessica D
5.0
6/29/2018
My first word to describe HM = YUM! Picking a caterer for our wedding was a tough choice -- it was one of the first vendors we had to choose. Getting married at King Family Vineyards required us to pick a caterer so once we picked the venue the caterer choice was next. HM staff is friendly, extremely knowledgeable, and their positive reputation in the C'ville area is no joke...not to mention that the food is SO GOOD! My husband wanted the food to be our deciding factor -- don't get me wrong that's a huge part...but what I came to learn through the planning process is that the caterer actually does a lot more of the logistics than we thought! We got the most bang for our buck -- amazing food AND great staff that made the night flow seamlessly. We worked with Shelby :) Pick HM for your wedding you will not be disappointed!
Ashleigh R
5.0
6/28/2018
We highly recommend Harvest Moon Catering! The food is delicious gourmet and the staff is professional, attentive, and very kind. Harvest Moon decorated the tables with beautiful linens and plateware. The staff made the planning extremely easy too!
and
5.0
6/22/2018
Sally with Harvest Moon is absolutely amazing! She helped me throughout our one year engagement choose and finalize the perfect menu for our guests for our wedding at Trump Winery. I changed my mind several times and she was always so patient and sweet. She was also so prompt to respond to my emails! On the wedding day, the food and beverages turned out amazing. Guests were raving about the food! Everything was presented beautifully and cooked perfect. Huge thank you to Sally and her team at Harvest Moon. I HIGHLY recommend them!
Kahtra K
5.0
6/13/2018
Every aspect from creating a menu, to venue set up, and execution of impeccable service before, during & after our daughter's wedding was spectacular!
The displays for cocktail hour were inviting and artful as well as elegant hors d'oeuvres passed on silver trays by smiling, friendly servers. Our family style dinner was abundantly & artfully presented on platters that were easy to pass. And they even saw to the creative arrangement of popcorn as a late night snack!
I truly trusted and appreciated their ability to make some "game-time" decisions. Having the utmost confidence in the team, I felt that I could be fully present in the moments and savor the joy of the wedding! The whole experience with Harvest Moon Catering was phenomenal!
Mindy S
5.0
5/05/2018
Harvest Moon catered our daughter's wedding in February at King Family Vineyards. They are true hospitality experts and their food is delicious. From our initial consultation to the very last detail on the wedding day, Sally was wonderful to work with!! She was incredibly responsive, organized, thoughtful, and flexible - providing us with helpful suggestions and professional advice along the way. We really enjoyed our entire experience working with her. Our tasting was so fun and relaxing and I had complete confidence in her ability to execute all of the details going into the wedding day. We all were truly able to relax and enjoy our friends and family. A big thank you to Sally and her team. Bravo - I wish we could do it all over again!
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