Category: Weddings

If you haven’t heard the news, in-person events are back! After years of socially distanced gatherings, virtual happy hours and postponed weddings it’s finally time to grab our loved ones and celebrate. As we take on the post-pandemics ‘new normal,’ the event industry, like many others, has had to be resilient and learn how to adapt. People’s attitudes have shifted – “The pandemic has introduced a new concept to our thought-matrix: Is this essential? In other words, is it worth it?” Says  Teeg Stouffer, Co-founder of the American Association of Event Professionals. To address this concern, event planners across the world are shifting their focus and ‘experience-forward events’ are widely becoming the norm (pulling those newly defined introverts out of their houses!)

Most of us have probably forgotten how to throw a party. So, whether you’re planning a wedding, birthday party, corporate gathering, etc….we’ve put together 5 party planning tips for your next event to elevate the experience and throw a celebration your guests are sure to rave about for years to come.

• Food Anywhere and Any Way You Want It…

How many weddings have you gone to where it’s the same basic choice of chicken or steak? I think we can all agree that the traditional, catered dinner we all know (and dislike) is one trend we should be leaving behind in 2022. With the wide variety of food trucks and cuisines they serve, why wouldn’t you choose something different. Mix and match cuisines to amplify variety, stick with strictly savory or forgo your traditional wedding or birthday cake for something exciting like churros. Food trucks for parties are totally unique and will provide your guests with an experience they’re not likely to forget.

Photo Credit- Truckster

BONUS! Aside from the obvious delicious food and unlimited options… utilizing a food truck to cater your next event ALSO allows you to support local businesses! 

• Let’s Be Real

Traditional photo booths might be a thing of the past, but that doesn’t mean people have stopped snapping pics. In fact, more than ever, people are looking for that perfect, instagrammable spot to strike a pose and flash a smile. According to many event planners, “creating a space that uses bright colors, textures, and/or florals, where guests can take selfies, is in”. An open space installation is great – this will allow guests to move around more naturally and interact to get those beloved candids.

People haven’t just changed how they want to take a picture, but also the type of picture they’re taking. All across social media people are dropping filters and their carefully curated feeds for a more ‘authentic’ version of them. There’s been a societal shift for us to all be more real online. Consider providing disposable cameras and allowing your guests to capture your event in the moment. You’ll be revisiting those classic instagram ‘photo dumps’ for years to come. 

• Cheers & Hold the Alcohol Please!

As more and more people are ‘sober curious’ it’s becoming clear that you don’t need alcohol to have fun at an event. We’re expecting crafted mocktails to be a staple at all 2023 events. Instead of offering the usual boring substitutes like soda or water (yawn!) – cater to all of your guests and request your bartender or mixologist whip up a few non-alcoholic options that fit the vibe of your event. This small, but thoughtful, addition is sure to elevate any cocktail hour!

Photo Credit- Bridgesward

Your curated cocktails and mocktails can also serve as decoration at your event. Champagne towers can still exist sans champagne… swap out the bubbly for a martini or spritz tower. Another trend we’re expecting to pop up more in 2023 is specialty cocktail walls. This party planning tip is the perfect way to pair form with function. 

• Jammin’ to Live Music

Finding the right music and entertainment for your event is one of the biggest decisions! This will determine the vibe of your event. Do you want people to be up on the dancefloor and rocking out? Or are you hosting a more intimate gathering and want something soft in the background? A live solo musician can fit any and all of your needs. Event experts are expecting an increase in the number of solo performers to be booked for events in 2023. Providing the perfect combination of live music and a personalized setlist of your favorite tunes… we can understand the hype!

• The Classics are Getting a Color Makeover

If you’re attending a wedding in 2023, the bride’s dress might be the only white you see. According to Alexandra Denniston, Owner & Lead Planner, Eventlightenment Planning “The traditional blushes and neutrals of the past are fading into the background and all things color are taking a front seat in a lot of wedding decor, floral, and complimenting elements like stationery and rentals”. We can expect to see a lot of brides and event planners having a greater enthusiasm for vibrant, rich colors and textures. 

Don’t shy away from incorporating color in more creative ways as well. Swapping out your glassware for an eclectic mix of hues adds a personal touch and elevates your tablescape. 

Photo Credit- Rachel Claire

Whether your style is bold and eclectic or traditional and timeless… we can’t wait to see how you’ll celebrate this year with these 5 party planning tips!

Interested in learning more about food trucks for parties and how you can bring a food truck to your next event? Browse our directory of local food trucks in your city. Get a quote using our catering cost calculator and read more on what goes into food truck pricing. 

You booked a food truck to cater your event, yay! But now you’re concerned that people may be stuck in line instead of mingling, dancing, enjoying overall merriment. Fear not! We have several tips on how to feed your guests faster and avoid lines at food truck catered events!

Limit the menu options

Limiting the menu can drastically reduce ticket times. Choose your favorite 2-5 menu items (or ask the truck which items they suggest) to cut down on the decision factor and help trucks expedite food faster. 

Buffet setup

Instead of a typical ordering service, have your truck set up a partial or full buffet of food options. This ensures fast service and also puts some of the work on the guests, which makes the time going through the buffet more entertaining than simply waiting to be served. If you’re looking for extra speedy service, you can consider a double-sided buffet as well.

Chellise Michael Photography

Individually pre-packaged meals

This has become more common to adhere with various COVID restrictions and allows trucks to quickly pass out meals to guests. We recommend ordering a certain amount of each meal, or be prepared to purchase a few extra meals than number of guests attending so that one option doesn’t run out.

Control the flow of people

Send people for food in intervals to avoid a crowd overwhelming your truck all at once. 

Bonus tip : Use songs as table numbers and have guests approach the truck when their song is played! 

Add another truck

This will increase the cost, but could make the event run more smoothly and provide a variety of options to your guests.

Other questions about how to avoid lines at food truck catered events or other food trucks related questions? This is what we do. Contact us directly or submit a general catering request to get started.

The number of guests attending, the amount of time for food service, the style of service, the cuisines you choose, your catering budget and the atmosphere you want to create all have an impact on how many trucks you should hire. If you have a large guest list, consider hiring an additional food truck to ensure no one is waiting for too long to eat. Read on for some other points to consider.

Service Considerations

Multiple trucks will provide food choices and dietary options for everyone!
If you want everyone served at the same time, multiple trucks will be able to serve simultaneously to a large party. If your wedding isn’t a seated dinner and people can order and eat at will, then one truck can handle more guests.

Buffet service can be prepared in advance and one truck will be able to feed a larger group of people faster.

For a seated dinner, one or multiple trucks could be an option, however not all trucks offer this service style.

Cuisines

What type of food are you looking for? Certain cuisines are faster to serve than others. A burger that is grilled to order will take longer than a pulled pork sandwich that was smoked earlier that day.

Cost

Each food truck will have its own rental costs in addition to food service. You will have to pay a premium for each truck, however this is similar to other catering services when you want additional options. Multiple food trucks may cost a little more, but are still likely to be more affordable than a formal catering option (Plus way more fun + memorable!)

Truckster tip : Consider booking a truck for each course! We suggest tapas for an appetizer truck, burgers or pizza for a main course and of course a sweets truck for dessert!

Don’t worry about tracking down trucks that complement each other or negotiating several proposals. Truckster makes it all easy! Fill out our catering inquiry form to get started!

Wyn Wiley Photography

You’re getting married, yay! You’ve started planning your big day and are already overwhelmed with the costs adding up. The biggest wedding day costs are the venue, the attire, the photographer, the decor, and ……the catering.

Tanner Burge Photo

You’ve decided on a nontraditional, laid-back event, celebrating the best way you know how – with really great food! But how much will indulging your guests (and yourselves!) with amazing eats cost? 

Olivia Strohm Photography

The contributing factors when determining how much food truck catering will cost are :

• • Date (Are you getting married on a Saturday evening during the busy season of June? Or on a Sunday afternoon in March?)
  • Number of Attendees
  • Type of Catering Service (Is it a drop off buffet or plated course meal?)
  • Type of Food

Use our Food Truck Cost Calculator for a budget estimate of your day and to get started booking your favorite food trucks! You don’t have to sacrifice your favorite burgers for rice pilaf!

Angela Ruscheinski

For more about the dollars and cents behind hiring food trucks, check out our blog on What Goes into Food Truck Pricing. Ready to get started? Submit your catering request on Truckster to easily book for your wedding weekend festivities!