FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Classic Catering & Events is a full-service catering and rental company proudly serving southwest Michigan and northwest Indiana. We are in Bridgman, Michigan, just 43 miles from South Haven, 35 miles from South Bend, and 85 miles outside of Chicago. Services for catering and rental are available to geographic locations within 1 hour’s travel distance from our production facility in Bridgman, MI. There are no better venue spaces in the area than those that are near the beautiful shore of Lake Michigan.

We strongly encourage you to book your event with our team at your first comfort and convenience. Your original proposal is valid for 10 days following the date of being created and sent to you by email. During this time, your event is on a priority hold within our calendar.

However, no event is official until both a non-refundable 30% deposit and a signed copy of the contract agreement are received. Should your 10-day hold expire, and you have yet to book with our team, then all components of your prior proposal are subject to reassessment based upon remaining availability for the menu, service staff method, and any rental inventory. Events and later rental items are reserved first come first serve. Classic Catering limits the number of events per day to ensure each special occasion is prepared for, and executed, as flawlessly as possible.

You may contact our offices via the Contact Info form on our website or call our offices (269) 465-4420 to speak with one of our Event Specialists. From here you will work together to plan a preliminary quote unique for your event. Should you want to reserve your party with us, we kindly request a deposit of 30% of the total balance to secure any rental items from our inventory and/or the necessary staffing to execute the event. Additionally, a signed and dated copy of the contract must be returned to your Event Specialist to complete the reservation. Final guest count and balance payment will be due three weeks prior to the event. No further changes are permitted after this date.

Deposits can be made through a secure payment link emailed to your inbox, by debit or credit card over the phone, check in the mail, or hand delivered payment to our offices during business hours. Our accountant will then send you an electronic paid invoice to the email provided on file to keep for your records.

No, deposits are non-refundable but can be transferred to a later date available in our calendar if needed.

Final guest counts and contract details are to be finalized by the personalized date in RED listed in your contract. Your event specialist will revise the contract before this date with any last updates and submit this copy to you for final event approval. Then, no further changes are permitted to your contract, floor plan, or any applicable meal sheets as we begin to diligently prepare for your event. The final copy of the contract is to be signed by you no later than this personalized date to complete the planning process and then final payment is to be called into the office 9 am – 4 pm EST, Monday-Friday, at 269-465-4420 with card over the phone, submitted through a secure digital payment link emailed to you, or you may choose to send a check in the mail.

Yes, menus have a reduced rate for children who are 10 years of age and younger. Your event specialist will work with you to coordinate this option for your upcoming event.

Except tents, rental items may be cancelled without penalty until 3 weeks before the event date. Similarly, rental items can be modified in style or quantity per available inventory. Weather dependent items, such as sidewalls and heaters, etc. may be cancelled up to the Monday prior to the event for a refund of 50% of the cost of those items. No refund is issued for rental items wishing to be cancelled after the Monday of your event week. Items specifically purchased for your event by Classic Catering & Events, or sub-rented from another source, are unable to be cancelled.

When planning an outdoor event, it is always wise to take weather into consideration. Just because the forecast predicts showers, doesn’t mean you can’t still have an event outside! At the beginning of the planning process for an outdoor event, you will want to think about securing a tent for the space and then sidewalls to enclose it as a precautionary item. Be watching the weather closely leading up to your event to determine your final needs for sidewalls. Our Event Specialists will work together with you to better advise each unique situation and how to best plan for inclement conditions based upon the time of the year.

• Saturdays, May-October: minimum of 50 for orders and service staff on-site
• Fridays and Sundays, year-round: minimum of 20 guests for orders, minimum of 50 for service staff on-site
• Monday – Thursday, year-round: minimum of 15 for orders, minimum of 30 for service on-site

Yes, we do offer tasting opportunities for your event so that you may experience a “taste” of Classic Catering! Classic Catering provides the option for clients to either attend a group tasting event or schedule a private tasting appointment.

Group tastings are complimentary for up to 4 people, $20 per person for each additional guest. Limit 6 total guests per party. Our expert and attentive Event Specialists will be present to speak with you about your wedding as you enjoy hand-crafted culinary creations. We will have a variety of inspiration tables showcasing our tabletop décor and specialty rental items. You can discuss timing and floor plan details for your event and are welcome to ask your event specialist any questions about the planning process. The event is available to all prospective or booked clients of Classic’s who have yet to attend a tasting with our team, regardless of wedding venue.

Alternatively, booked events with Classic Catering will receive a complimentary private tasting of up to eight menu items for four total guests. To schedule a private tasting before booking your event, a $20 per person fee will be charged. This will be credited to your account upon placing a deposit within 10 days of your tasting. Availability varies throughout the year due to the heightened number of events being done during the summer and fall. The chefs kindly request final tasting menu selections at least three weeks prior to the scheduled tasting date.

Couples can attend either a group tasting or a private appointment, limiting one per party.

Our service staff takes care of full setup of the meal you have carefully planned with your Event Specialist, maintenance of food and/or non-alcoholic beverage stations for the duration the event, replenishing water service table-side, and the cleanup of each table or any stations after eating.

The Classic Catering & Events team can assist with delivery, setup and teardown of the rental items ordered within your contract with our company. The catering staff assigned to your event will set up, serve, and maintain any food or non-alcoholic beverage tables provided by Classic Catering. If you choose to rent water goblets and carafes from Classic, the staff will then provide water service to guest dining tables during dinner and dessert. Classic Catering may assist in cutting the cake and setting it out at a self-serve dessert table for guests to enjoy. Any other form of dessert provided by a client from an outside source is to be set up, maintained, and cleaned up by a member of the client’s party. Classic Catering is not responsible for setting up or taking down personal décor provided by clients, other rental items provided by another company, place cards for plated service, or bartender items.

No, our company does not offer bartending services but can offer excellent recommendations based upon the location of your event.

No, our trained service staff members will serve your guests as they walk through the buffet line. This helps maintain portion control and sanitation so that your service is as pristine as possible.

At a traditional buffet, our service team will serve you and your guests with preselected dishes from one location on-site. In comparison, food stations feature an interactive dining experience offering multiple styles of cuisine and are dispersed throughout the event space. Whether you are craving pizza fresh out of the wood-fired oven, perch pan-fried just for you, tacos topped your way, or BBQ brushed with your favorite sauce, this menu allows for your guests to choose exactly what they have a craving for in the moment.

Of course, we are here to help you create your custom menu for your event and accommodate your special requests to the best of our ability!

Yes! We take allergies and special dietary needs very seriously without our production facility. Classic Catering can accommodate gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, vegan, nut or shellfish allergies. Dietary modifications to a menu may be made for a $5 charge per person, as needed. Please notify your Event Specialists early on while working together so that proper modifications or recommendations may be implemented prior to a tasting or event. All requests for dietary modifications are to be submitted by the personalized 3 weeks prior due date within your contract agreement with Classic Catering.

Per your contract agreement, any unused food and/or beverages from any function provided by Classic Catering & Events, Inc., remain its property and will be removed from the site by our staff at the end of the meal. This promotes high food safety and prevents potential food mishandling that could result in illness. If all guests go through the buffet for the first time, they would be welcome to return for a second go if the opportunity arises. It is recommended to submit your final guest count as accurately as possible so that our team prepares for this amount. Our team will also then send a little extra to a buffet to cover any surprise guest or plus one to the event and to include portions for our staff to eat later at the event. These extra portions of your contracted amount are at no additional charge to you as the client.

Unfortunately, the only outside food we permit on-site alongside our catered services is dessert. We understand that dessert can have personal connections from a family member or relative and is a sentimental detail of your big event. Additionally, desserts do not usually require specific temperature-controlled regulations and are OK to have sitting out on a table at a venue or location. However, side items such as appetizers, salads, starches, and vegetables or main entrees from another caterer, restaurant, or food truck may not be supplemented with Classic Catering product. We uphold this policy to ensure that the highest level of food safety is maintained from a food-safe and certified kitchen, to prevent any ill preparation practices, lack of sanitation in product distribution, or improper temperature control to take place.

We advise you to check with each of your vendors to confirm if they require a meal on-site the day of your wedding. This information is typically stated within your contract with them, yet reaching out to each one as needed can help provide any necessary clarification. You do not need to include Classic Catering service staff within your final guest counts for meal service.