Nellie's Catering

Made my wedding a dream come true!

For someone who unfortunately didn't have her mother to help her plan her wedding, Nellie's provided the love, security and service that all brides want. I can start off by saying that they are the most flexible company I have ever worked with. For our first meeting, we met with... Read More Fredda Pohl. She was kind enough to meet with us after hours since we were only in town that weekend. My husband and I live in Tallahassee but we are both from Sarasota. We were 30 minutes late for our appointment due to horrible traffic and she still was so kind enough to meet us. We talked and talked about everything that she could make happen and even gave me ideas for ways to incorporate both my mom and grandma who passed away last year. I was so indecisive about everything but she reassured me that would take care of everything. From there we decided that they would be the company to cater our wedding. We were assigned to Brie Barstow, our Catering Manager, who made everything so stress free and organized that sometimes I didn't know if I had to be worrying about anything. My husband and I are huge procrastinators so a lot of things were done last minute but they were there for us the whole way. Brie helped me figure out how to decorate everywhere with a few DIY projects and a lot of props that they have in stock. Her and Fredda understood my vision when I didn't. We also had a ceremony coordinator. I only met her the day before the wedding but she we were sure that everything would run smoothly and that we didnt have to worry about having every little detail in mind. Our wedding day was so carefree and wonderful. My husband and I didnt worry about a thing the whole time. Everything was decorated beautifully and exactly the way I had planned it. The food was incredible and everyone was talking about it afterwards. Nellie's was able to make a special sauce that was a staple of my mom's cooking and they replicated it to a T. My whole was reminded of my mom that night. I would recommend Nellie's deli above any other catering service in the Sarasota area. We met with a few vendors that didn't even give us as many options and choices as Nellie's Catering did. And for that I thank them with all of my heart and soul for making my wedding day a day to remember!

Nellie's Catering does great weddings!

I asked around before choosing a caterer and got several references for Nellie's Deli and Catering. I was familiar with them as a restaurant, but had never used them as a caterer. Best decision we have ever made! We met with the owner and she took a lot of time describing all of... Read More our options and helping us to think about and plan a long list of details. Our catering manager, who worked with us when we got closer to the big day, was just wonderful, too. They recommend five different meetings, but they would have met with us more than that if we had needed to. They took care of so much the day of the event (they helped set up the centerpieces and the tables and chairs) that we were able to relax and have a great time. The food was delicious, too, and all of our guests loved it. Nellie's does great weddings!

Quality Service...

Nellie’s was all that we ever could have asked for and MORE in a catering company! We had some bumps along the way, but Nellie’s was always ready to amend any issues that came to light. Let me just say that I am not the most easy-going or easily pleased girl around, so for them... Read More for surpass my expectations says a lot about the quality of service they offer. Constant emails, phone calls and meetings prior to our big day ensured that everyone involved was on the same page at all times. Our Catering Manager, Cheryl, did a fabulous job of staying in touch and keeping in contact with me to make sure things were on the right track. Fredda, the owner, also played a tremendously helpful role in guaranteeing our day was a success. Everyone we worked with was wonderful and always there to lend a helping hand if we needed anything. We had a wedding planner and Nellie’s was also great about working with our other vendors to ensure things functioned properly. If you are looking for a prepared, experienced and detail-oriented catering company…Nellie’s is your answer without a doubt. Aside from service, the food was absolutely magnificent! All our guests were raving about how delicious the food was at our wedding, and this was all thanks to Nellie’s and their extraordinary team. They offer a wide variety of options so that you can make the day all your own, right down to the appetizers. We did stations with a variety of tacos, hamburger sliders, a hummus display and many other tasty options. I can assure you….everything was utterly mouthwatering…even the crab cakes…and I don’t even like crab! Their team made sure my husband, and I both ate, and we were greeted with cocktails right after the ceremony! Seriously, what more could you ask for?!?!? I genuinely can’t say enough…Nellie’s is absolutely the way to go…we are so over joyed that we chose them to cater our wedding….and you will be too. Brian & Andrea Wilcome xoxoxoxo

Nellie's went above and beyond every step of the way. The food was fantastic and the service was exactly what you'd want after planning out every detail for the past year.

Hiring Nellie's was the BEST decision we made while planning our wedding. We live in Tampa, but our wedding and reception were in Anna Maria and Bradenton, respectively. They made planning everything so easy. You have multiple phone calls and meetings and they take care of... Read More all of the logistics, and that was huge for us, since we were out of town (even though we weren't THAT far away). By the time the wedding arrived, everything was set, and I had zero stress at all. The food was great, they let us provide our own sodas and alcohol (which saved us a ton of money), and all the rentals were handled seamlessly. You will not regret hiring Nellie's!

Nellie's was a true pleasure to work with! They were all so friendly and especially helpful in the wedding planning process! They went above and beyond to ensure our wedding day was a success! We know we made the right decision and would highly recommend them! The food was also... Read More great! Our guests commented on food and service! Five Stars!

They did a great job with my wedding! Food was amazing!!

The entire Nellies team is truly fabulous! Kathy is absolutely amazing to work with!! She and Fredda are an awesome team. They go over every aspect of your day in a very detailed outline. They strive to ensure you have THE BEST DAY EVER!! They did not disappoint! In fact, they... Read More truly exceeded our expectations. The food is so good and the desserts are beautiful and also delicious. Our wedding day could not have been more perfect!! Thank you, Nellies team!! Kathy went way above and beyond for our Big Day. She is very attentive to every tiny detail and extremely hardworking. When we would walk into the office, we felt like family. She has a huge heart and genuinely cares for her clients. You will feel like friends pretty much immediately. Kathy was onsite, ensuring our day went smoothly and all the vendors are on time and placed where we had talked about. She took care of everything. I entrusted Kathy with making our day special and she completely exceeded all expectations. Our guests raved about Kathy and the Nellies catering staff! And of course about the food! Much Love, Kim & Kyle

NELLIES MADE A FAIRYTALE COME TRUE! Nellies hit it out of the park! Fredda, Mary Kay, Cheryl and the entire staff at Nellies beautifully orchestrated and executed the "Fairytale Wedding" for our daughters wedding on November 12, 2016. Fredda's assistance at the church was... Read More perfect (and necessary). The reception at Selby's was flawless, from cocktail hour until dessert and everything in between. From the first meeting til the last, every little detail is jotted down to form a timeline of your special day and make everything run smoothly, which it did! We could not be more grateful for the exceptional service provided through Nellies.

We knew the minute we first met Fredda and Kathy at Nellie's, that it was going to be an incredible experience. They were there working with us every step of the way. We didn't have to worry about a thing, especially on the day of our wedding. Fredda was there for us for... Read More rehearsal, and for the day of the wedding, putting us at ease, and making sure everything went smoothly. Mary Kay, our catering manager, was a true blessing. From dealing with the vendors and all of my changes, to setting up the day of the wedding...it was beautiful. Everything was just how I wanted it. We didn't have to worry about a thing. The guests were very pleased with the food, we received any compliments. Many said it was the best food they've ever had at a wedding. Everything was delicious. We strongly recommend Nellie's for your event, you won't be sorry...they go above and beyond. Thank you Fredda, Mary Kay, and Kathy for everything you did for us! You played a big part in making our day special! Much love, Jennifer & Bill Tyson

Our day was more magical than we could have ever imagined! Fredda is one of a kind, we immediately felt comfortable and trusted her from the get go...nothing"typical" about this one stop business. Fredda is extremely organized, and met with us after hours and really gave us the... Read More personal feeling a mom would give. All the staff have so much experience, if you haven't thought of it, they will suggest it. Cheryl was very attentive and creative. The food was unbelievable, our guests still keep talking about it. Aside from a caterer, Nelli'es is a personal wedding planner/coordinator, and decorator! We used many of their props and helped us create a vision without having to buy a lot of extras.I would definitely recommend Nellie's!

I would not have made it through the planning process and wedding day if it were not for Nellie's! My husband is not into planning, so I did almost all of it myself, and Nellie's guided me every step of the way. Fredda, my wedding director Kathy, and catering manager Mary Kay... Read More helped me organize everything just the way I wanted, and by the time the day came, I felt confident with everything and was able to just relax and have a good time. Huge thanks to Nellie's!!

There are not enough words in the English language to say how amazing Nellie's is. Not only do they provide the catering for your wedding, but they also help you with the planning. Nellie's is there every step of the way to make sure you are staying on schedule, not forgetting... Read More anything, and enjoying the planning process. We don't know what we would have done without them. They took all the stress out of wedding planning. I swear. From the moment we walked through the door, Fredda the owner greeted us with a smile and a hug. We knew we were in good hands. She and her team helped us navigate food, rental items, table design, table decor, time schedule for the day of rehearsal and day of the wedding, and so much more. I should mention that the food is beyond delicious. A week after the wedding and people are still commenting on how good the food was. I have an aunt and uncle with special dietary needs, and Nellie's was able to work with us to create special plates for them so they could enjoy the reception like everyone else. I was never worried or stressed when it came to planning, because I knew we were in good hands. Fredda made us feel like family. The day of the wedding, because of how thorough and wonderful Nellie's is, I was able to just enjoy myself, because I knew Nellie's was taking care of everything else. That is no price you can put on that kind of peace of mind. If you are planning your wedding, do yourself a favor and go with Nellie's. They are the best in the business with quality, friendliness, professionalism, flexibility, and service.

I have been using Nellie's Catering for many years for my business functions, and they have always been great to work with...so I decided to use them for my own wedding. The catering staff at Nellie's were outstanding, from the personal details they gave to make my event... Read More special. All of my guests loved the food, the bartender was great, and the whole process was stress free...they handled everything. I will continue to use Nellie's for all my events and would recommend them to anyone who wants to work with a great catering company.

You won't find a better caterer and wedding planner!

Nellie's Catering provides an outstanding service. When my wife and her mother first met with Fredda, she knew that we had found our caterer. We planned our wedding over the span of a year and a half, and Nellie's was a dream to work with from start to finish. Fredda's attention... Read More to detail kept us on track with our planning, and we thoroughly enjoyed each of our meetings with her. We were thrilled that Nellie's offered a day-of wedding planner, and we were comforted to know that Fredda would be there on our special day to direct the events. From helping us design a signature cocktail to choosing linens together, Mary Kay was an outstanding catering manager. Both Mary Kay and Fredda were extremely prompt in our email correspondence, and provided us with the best advice during our planning process. On the day before our wedding when the weather looked foreboding, we stopped by Nellie's to discuss our options with Mary Kay and Fredda, and we decided to change the site of our ceremony at the last minute. Immediately, Mary Kay called all of our vendors and took care of the change. On our wedding day, Fredda and Mary Kay made us feel at ease and we were so comforted by their professionalism and care. The food was absolutely outstanding! Our decision to work with Nellie's Catering was the best decision that we made for our wedding.

They made our dream become reality!

Nellie's made our dreams come true. From the dinner to our table settings, everything just fell into place. I didn't have to worry about a thing because they were always on top of it all and so trustworthy. They really try to make everything stress free and perfect. I recommend... Read More them for any occasion; especially a wedding! Thank you Nellie's for all you've done. Daniel and Hali Heasley

Absolutely wonderful experience! Nellies was very accommodating. I was a bride that didn't have specific direction but ideas of what I wanted. They made my dreams come true. Everyone at the wedding complimented on how the whole experience was beautiful and effortless. I... Read More can't thank the staff at Nellies enough for making it happen. I recommend this caterer always a good investment for your money!

Utilizing Nellie's Catering was such a great decision for our family. Our daughter was finishing up her thesis at an out of state university, and was planning a Sarasota wedding in less than six months. We met with Fredda, the owner, along with her chef husband, Craig, just... Read More before my daughter returned to school from the holiday break. Fredda got us started right away with a very detailed time line that encouraged us to think about every little detail and start the entire wedding planning process. She had lots of fabulous ideas and worked with our budget, to create a delicious but affordable menu. Our catering manager, Stephanie, assisted us in designing a beautiful reception by utilizing decorating ideas from the magical "prop" room, ordering the many rental items that we needed for our venue, printing lovely place cards and signs, and collaborating with us via countless phone, e-mail, and one on one meetings. Our daughter's wedding reception was beautiful and classy, and the food was yummy. We owe that to the wonderful owners and staff at Nellie's, and their truly, Full Service catering.

All of the staff at Nellie's were incredibly helpful and planned a beautiful event in our home for our 50th wedding anniversary. The food was wonderful and we received many compliments from out guests. Every detail was taken care of and many helpful hints helped us keep the... Read More price reasonable without sacrificing elegance! We are looking forward to having Fredda and her crew do my daughter's wedding in December!

I am so happy that we chose to go with Nellie's Catering. Right from the beginning, we worked with Fredda and she always made sure we felt like we were #1. She helped us both thru the whole wedding process by guiding us and giving us helpful advice! Cheryl, our day of... Read More coordinator was so great in keeping everything in order according to plan, she kept our timeline together and we could not have been happier with entire day. Thank you for all your hard work and help, we really appreciate it!!

Absolutely Amazing !!!!!

From the moment I met with the owner of Nellie's Catering, Fredda Pohl, I/We were treated like Royalty. Fredda spent so much time with me over my 9 month time-frame, not only making sure that she knew what we wanted for our special day but also to give me suggestions and ideas... Read More that would help make things perfect. We were also blessed with having Cheryl as our Catering Manager. I first met Cheryl the day I picked her up from Nellie's to take her to see our venue. Cheryl spent hours with me, listening to my ideas and giving me her suggestions. I felt like I had just spent the day with a very good friend. Fredda and Cheryl never made me feel like I was calling, emailing, or changing things too much. Actually the opposite, they always made me feel like I was their only concern. We were also lucky enough to have Susan as our "Day of" Coordinator. Susan was not only professional, but she was able to corral our family into doing what needed to be done. Everything went so smoothly thanks to her. On the day of our wedding, Cheryl and our event staff came several hours early to help set up everything. Now I don't mean just putting on some table cloths and arranging tables and chairs. They did everything for me, from placing the table cloths and overlays on the tables, to setting the tables with our antique china and glass water pitchers to the rented silverware and glasses. Plus they decorated the tables with all of my centerpieces and many candleholders and bud vases. Then they decorated our dessert table with all of the desserts that they placed on my dessert trays along with candles and flowers. Everything looked AMAZING, and I could not have done all of this without them. They were wonderful ! And the food was the BEST that I have ever had at an event. We received so many wonderful compliments on the food and on the incredible service that Cheryl and her staff gave everyone. Choosing Nellie's was the BEST decision that we made when planning our incredible wedding !!!!!

Caterer & Wedding Planners!!!

What a welcoming caring business. We could reach out to them for any and all questions we may have. We not only hired them as our Caterer, but also our Day Of The Wedding Planner. They went into detail about everything. I had no idea how much actually went into putting... Read More together a wedding, and holey moley it is a lot! They helped us build timelines for the day before and the day of the wedding. Really cool to see the vision of the wedding before it was there. Even with a few glitches (rain & transformer went out at venue) they made me feel at ease. They always kept me in the loop.. Communication is key and they did a great job! The food was delicious. They have a wide variety on their menu allowing for endless options. I highly recommend this business!!

A beautiful, magical and perfect day-with great food and service!

From my husband and I’s very first meeting with Fredda, the owner of Nellie’s, we knew that Nellie’s catering was the one for us. She immediately made us feel like the most important couple she was dealing with, even though I know they are popular and therefore dealing with many... Read More other clients. Additionally, the food was delicious they were very well priced! Once we signed on with them, every step in the planning process was laid out before us and we were given the freedom to move through them as slowly or as quickly as we’d like. Since we picked a venue where all the details and planning were left to us, it was great to have someone guiding us the entire time and being able to offer many options. We went from the vague idea of how we wanted our wedding to be, to planning out the finest details and Fredda and Cheryl were there the whole time guiding us through. It was such a wonderful and enjoyable experience! We were introduced to our catering manager, Cheryl, at the site visit, and she was knowledgeable, efficient, fast and friendly. She was always very prompt in her responses to subsequent emails and phone calls following the visit and very patient with us changing things, sometimes more than once! Every time we met with Fredda or Cheryl they were well prepared and willing to work with our schedule to meet with us whether in person or over the phone and always able to answer any questions and calm any concerns. I loved that throughout the entire time Fredda kept reminding us this is our story to tell, no one else’s. I think you need that reminder because you tend to get caught up in the details and sometimes lose focus on what this is all about. Susan, the wedding coordinator, was great! It isn’t easy corralling and organizing my family but she did it with grace and ease. It was great having her there to run the show because we could just sit back and follow her lead which eased the stress of the both the rehearsal and the big day. Additionally, on our wedding day my niece, the flower girl, had a meltdown right before walking down the aisle and Susan was right there to comfort her, which meant a lot to us. Overall the Nellie’s staff grew to feel like a family to us. We worked with them for so long (over a year!) and the entire experience was one we will never forget. All of our guests kept raving about how delicious the food was, how organized everything was and how smoothly the events went-all thanks to Nellie’s! Even my mom, who usually only eats food she makes, said how tasty all the food was-she stuffed herself full! When I got my entire security deposit back from the venue (the Philippi Creek estate), the very particular venue manager specifically told me that Nellie’s did an excellent clean up job and she was very pleased. They are truly a full service catering company but also something more-they are family! Cheryl was there before I walked down the aisle to tell me I looked beautiful and give me a reassuring smile. Fredda stopped by later in the night by to see how the things were going and ended up helping my husband and I with the cake cutting (we felt a little lost on how to proceed-silly but true-but she made us feel at ease with her instruction).Little touches like these are what make you see just how much the staff at Nellie’s truly care about you as a person and want this to be the most memorable and special day of your life-which it was! I highly recommend them to help create the wedding of your dreams!

Simply the BEST!!!

Being an event planner myself, I had to choose a caterer that provided a complete package. Fredda Pohl & the Nellie's Catering Staff handled my daughter's wedding with professionalism and creativity. The wedding was on July 4th, 2014, in keeping with a family tradition, and... Read More Nellie's was open to cater our wedding reception on a national holiday! Priceless! Nellie's owners, Craig & Fredda Pohl, treat your child's wedding as if they were their own child's wedding...making sure that their vision is captured for their wedding day. We were asked multiple times what our vision was and Nellie's nailed it! The Nellie's staff helped us plan every detail, and documented every change that occurred in the process of planning our event. At the end of our meetings, we were given a printed detailed agenda, that the Nellie’s Wedding Coordinator brought to the rehearsal, and reviewed it with the wedding party so that that everyone was on the same page. EVERYONE knew what to expect the day of the wedding. The agenda assured us that the events of the ceremony and reception fit together seamlessly. Having a wedding coordinator is PRICELESS! I LOVE Nellie's prop room! Nellie's props are offered complimentary, AND Nellie’s will work with your florist to create the centerpieces or let you DIY. The catering managers are dedicated to making sure that every item that is needed for the reception, is collected, inventoried and delivered without a hitch. (Thanks MK) Nellie's coordinates with the rental companies, making sure that the proper number is given for each item rented...from chairs to chargers, teaspoons and tablecloths, they calculate each item and make changes as your guest count increases or wanes. Every member of the team works hard to make sure you feel like the special guest, at the reception you are throwing for YOUR GUESTS. (Thanks to Cheryl, Judy, Ali, Jared, Olga and….) Because they have such a great working relationship with many area vendors, Nellie's is able to refer you to just the right people to help you with everything from videography & photography, to hair & make-up designers, rental companies, DJ's, Bands or Stringed quartets, florists, cake makers and much much more! If you need it for your special day, they will make sure they help you find it! Nellie's created a customized menu to meet our exact needs. Our guests loved the food and the presentation was fabulous!. Because Nellie's took such good care of us, we were able to enjoy our guests and not carry the burden of making sure everything was accomplished. Nellie's made our wedding day dreams become a reality...on OUR BUDGET!!! We were so impressed with their services that we booked them for our son's wedding in November of this year!!! Nellie's is SIMPLY THE BEST!

The Best Day of My Life

I have known Fredda and Craig (the owners of Nellie's) for years, so when it came time to choose a caterer the choice was simple. I had witnessed Fredda assist other friends of mine but still was not sure what to expect, I didn't know if because I knew them they would skimp on... Read More any of the meetings. Not a single detail was spared! The whole Nellies team was so helpful from start to end, they make sure that you truly do have the best catering experience possible. My catering manager was Mary Kay and I could not have been more glad. She is so creative, caring, and sweet. I was able to have my dream menu for my reception, complete with special designed dishes. If I suggested anything they found a way to make sure it happened, and with excellence. I am so incredibly thankful for the support that was given to me throughout the whole process. I really couldn't say one bad thing. Nellie's and their staff went above and beyond to make sure that I truly did have the best day of my life!