NBA superstar Dwyane Wade hosted a bash at 5226 to kick off All-Star weekend. The very stylish Mr. Wade set the tone when he arrived wearing a plaid 3-piece suit and solid gold bow tie. When asked about the tie, Dwayne paraphrased Oscar de la Renta, “Fashion is about dressing in what is in fashion. Style is about being true to yourself.”  Easy for him to say! Not everyone can pull-off wearing a solid gold tie. 5226 was full of celebs (you know who you are) and surrounded by paparazzi. Cocktails, a private chef, music… only the best for Mr. Style.

Stress-Free Zone
The staff at fifty-two-twenty-six will help you make an informed decision about your reception. We offer a number of dining options to suit a range of budgets and food preferences. Our list of preferred vendors will help you plan and execute a fabulous event in the style you want – within your budget. All you need to do is have a general idea about what you want and these creative professionals will provide you with additional ideas and help you make it a reality. Tables, chairs, linens, décor, food, beverages… you can rely on their years of experience to help you remain stress-free and happy!

Cocktail Buffet (Stations)
The cocktail buffet is a great way to give your guests a variety of food options at different stations. I think many brides have the idea that their guests are not being fed “dinner”, but in actuality they are; it just does not require them to wait in one or two long lines for food (boring!). I personally would rather not eat, than wait in line. Cocktail buffets generally consist of three to four stations for guests to approach, with different dining options at each. Most guests will take a new plate and fork at each station; this is not a dinner size plate, but a slightly smaller 8” or 9” plate and a salad size fork. This keeps the lines down and guests moving around. This style is also very beneficial in reception halls that have multiple rooms for the reception. It is great to incorporate a station and seating in each space, to keep guests mingling and make use of the entire venue. This also allows for a more interesting variety in the menu options, because you are not limited to meat, starch, vegetable and salad on a dinner plate. The stations can be a mix of themes like Asian, Italian and Mexican, or something more traditional. Fifty-two-twenty-six is one of the few Houston wedding venues that has multiple rooms in which guest can mingle… including a great back studio overlooking the pool and beautiful gardens, in addition to the foyer and large studio. This is ideal setup for food stations and will help maintain a high level of energy amongst your guests.

Traditional Buffet Dinner
The buffet dinner is the more traditional buffet option that you see at most receptions. Guests will generally go to the buffet line, pick up a dinner plate and make their selections. This style is generally more limited to one type of food, usually with two meat options, but not always, either rice or potatoes, a vegetable or two, salad and bread. This is not bad, but it does tend to create a long line of guests waiting for food. The line will move even slower if there are not attendants helping serve or enough attendants replenishing the buffet.

Seated Dinner
The seated dinner is the most expensive of the three options, because it requires much more staff to execute efficiently and it requires wine service at the table. The standard seated dinner consists of three courses, generally soup or salad for the first course, the entrée and dessert which is usually the wedding cake. This really limits the options you are able to serve to your guests, unless you do a duo entrée. Choices tableside is not effective and generally cost even more because you don’t know what guests will select to eat, causing the caterer to provide extra of each selection. And don’t forget the vegetarians! Now let’s discuss the staffing issue. To be properly staffed for a seated dinner, the service charges should be 2 -3 times the cost of service for a buffet. This increase in service charges is due to the number of staff in the kitchen needed to plate for this many guests and in the dining staff to serve the food, wine and replenish water. I have seen plenty of seated dinners understaffed and dinner taking two hours instead of one and some guests not even getting all of the courses. The last this you want are hungry, unhappy guests, so it is especially important to hire an experienced caterer for this option.

HINT:
Let fifty-two-twenty-six handle your catering (and leave your cares at home!)

• pick a great event venue (like fifty-two-twenty-six)
• select an event date
• call a turnkey caterer to handle all of the details
• then, sit back, relax and write a check…

…unfortunately, these days we are all watching our budgets, so we have to do a little more work…

A Simple and Stress-Free Event
The whole event planning process may seem a little daunting at first, especially if you have never done it before. Who wants to to run around town interviewing potential vendors for weeks. Fifty-two-twenty-six staff can simplify the planning for you. We have a list of preferred vendors with whom we have worked for years. Each is the best at what they do. They are creative, reliable and perhaps most important of all – they will save you time and money – so you can relax and enjoy a stress-free event.

Reception Halls in Houston
The first item on the list for planning a successful corporate event is selecting an event site. There are a number of reception halls in Houston, but most are fairly boring. So, when you are looking for banquet halls in Houston, start at fifty-two-twenty-six. We are the only contemporary event venue in Houston. After you settle on a location, then select a date. It is helpful if you have a couple of alternative dates in mind just in case your preferred date is already booked. Now, it is time to set your budget and get to work on the details.

Food and Beverages
Food and beverages will be a large part of the budget, so next on the list is to determine your guest count and call the caterer. Selecting the right caterer is critical to the success of your event. There are a large number of caterers in Houston. Some are great (some not so great!). Call us – we will point you in the right direction. It is always helpful to have a general idea of what you want before contacting a caterer. Passed hors d’oeuvre, cocktail buffet, buffet dinner or seated served dinner? Beef, seafood or chicken? Beer and wine or open bar? Ask your caterer to make suggestions if you are not sure.

Party Rentals
Rentals are another big part of the budget. Do you need tables, chairs and linens? Lighting and décor? It is more cost effective to book these items directly instead going through the caterer because they will usually take a markup to make money for “handling”. Coordinate delivery with the caterer so there is ample time to set up prior to the event starting. Have the caterer handle china, glassware, flatware and other serving items.

Entertainment
Entertainment is best booked through an agency. They can provide a wide selection of musicians and DJ’s that are able to play any genre of music to compliment your event. Booking through an agency insures that the musicians show up, are on time and dressed appropriately.

Flowers and Table Décor
Flower arrangements make beautiful table décor and change the look and feel of the entire room. Be sure and call a reputable florist or someone you have previously done business with in the past. Use of seasonal flowers will give you the most for your money. Have the florist coordinate the flower colors with your linens to obtain the best effect. Set up delivery a few hours before guests start arriving so in the event that they are running late it will not compromise the event and cause you stress.

Valet and Security
Valet and security are a must at most event venues. Check with the venue to see what they require and provide. It is important to hire reputable valet company. They will be responsible for the safety of your guests’ cars. The worst thing that could happen would be for a guest to get ticketed or towed because an inexperienced or under staffed valet company does not do the job you are paying them for. Remember to always ask for a copy of their insurance. Security can be booked through your local police department, but it is a good idea to see if the venue has a police contact who has worked past events and who is familiar with the venue.

Gifts
Take away gifts are not required for most events, but if you want to send your guests home with a thoughtful reminder of the evening, I recommend giving high quality chocolates or baked goods that are beautifully packaged. Who needs one more trinket in their house collecting dust?

When you are planning your wedding, start by choosing where you want to have the wedding and reception. Professional planners consider 5226 to be amongst the  most beautiful wedding venues in Houston. If you have toured other Houston wedding venues, you will be especially pleased with our modern architecture and reasonable prices. So, after you choose a great venue in which to wear the dress, then move on to the task of finding a great dress.

There are so many great dress and wedding reality shows on television, that it is easy to develop unrealistic ideas about your dress budget, like buying a five thousand dollar dress, when your total budget is ten-twelve thousand for the wedding and reception combined. That is not a good balance.

Unfortunately, food and alcohol are not cheap, especially when you would like to wine and dine a hundred of your closest friends. There are many costs associated with weddings and receptions that you should take into consideration before you make a decision regarding your dress budget. 5226 provides a Budget Checklist complete with sample pricing for items you will need to consider when planning your wedding and reception.

When working your budget, ask yourself, “What can I actually afford?” I have heard so many brides say “no one cares about the food, no one is going to eat anyway…” this is not the case. Most guests are ready to eat when they get to the ceremony, so this is not an area where you can save much money. The bar is another large expense associated with receptions that is not always considered when planning and setting the budget. Cash bar is not an option in my opinion. I would rather have a brunch or lunch without alcohol or only offer wine and beer as a less expensive option*.

When you settled on what your dress budget is, set appointments with the salons you would like to visit, go prepared with pictures of gowns that you like and be honest with the consultant about what you would like to spend. She in turn can show you dresses in the styles you are interested in and the price range you can afford. There are thousands of dresses in every price range to fall in love with… When you go shopping for your dress and you know exactly what your budget is, you will find something you love without wasting a lot of time.

*To be discussed further in upcoming articles.