Whether you’re part of a committee in charge of planning a corporate event or preparing to host a birthday party or other celebration, choosing just the right menu will be foremost in your mind. There are so many details to take care of when hosting an event, so you may also want to hire special event and catering services that can take care of other details, such as decor and table arrangements.

When you’re looking for event catering ideas, much will depend on the venue where it’s going to be held as well as how many guests you’ll be having. If this is a corporate event, then you’ll want to hire a corporate catering company because they specialize in creating corporate menus. If you’re planning to have your celebration in an outdoor venue, then you’ll want to hire a company that specializes in outside catering services.

It’s important to know if your guests have any dietary restrictions or food allergies when considering event catering ideas. Some of your guests may have specific religious dietary requirements or preferences, so that is also something to keep in mind. Be sure to let your caterer know when you discuss menu options so that they can make adjustments accordingly.

Are you thinking about a morning brunch complete with Mimosas and Bloody Mary’s? A late afternoon or early evening with hors d’oeuvres and cocktails? Or perhaps you’re planning a light dinner followed by dessert?

If you’re planning a brunch, you may want to have an omelet station with a variety of fillings. You could also have fresh fruit, croissants, and other pastries. Salad bars are also popular, especially when there is such lovely organic produce available.

Have you considered having a food bar or station? There are so many choices here as well. You could have a taco bar complete with guacamole and different types of salsa as well as beans and rice. Another idea for a food bar is sliders, which are very popular. You could also add a vegetarian slider for those who prefer not to eat meat.

If you’re planning to just have dessert, then having a sundae bar is a great idea. You can serve several different types of ice cream and frozen yogurt–even gelato. And of course there would be chocolate fudge and caramel sauce with whipped cream, nuts, and assorted fruit toppings. You could also have another food station with assorted cupcakes, cake pops, chocolate fudge cookies, butter cookies, and macaroons.

For an afternoon or early evening event, such as a cocktail party, you may want to consider serving antipasto skewers. These flavorful appetizers might have a grape tomato, a small ball of mozzarella, and a pimento or garlic-stuffed olive. You could also have skewers of barbecued chicken with a variety of dipping sauces or lettuce wraps with chicken in a savory Thai peanut sauce.

After you consider these and other event catering ideas, you’ll want to find the best special event catering services available to ensure this occasion is a success. When you work with a caterer to learn about your menu options, remember they can also make recommendations.