Food, music and photos

Three questions for every food vendor

Food is where most of your budget goes and where most day-of hiccups happen. Ask every food vendor three things: how much space they need, how long setup takes and whether they bring their own serving gear. Then get the answers in writing.

• Space: a food truck may need a flat spot about 30 feet long plus room for a line.
• Setup: caterers often need 30 to 60 minutes before service.
• Gear: chafing dishes, serving utensils, plates, napkins and trash bags.

Food truck or caterer

Many hosts mix the two: a food truck for the main meal and a local bakery or dessert table for the sweets. That spreads the load and keeps the line at the truck shorter.

How much food to plan

• Main dishes: about 1 pound of food per adult for a dinner.
• Appetizers only: plan 6 to 8 bites per guest per hour.
• Kids: count them as about half an adult.
• Dessert: one slice of cake per guest, plus a small extra tray if the party runs long.
• Dessert tables: keep them out of direct sun in summer.

Plan to run a little over, not under. Running out of food is the thing guests remember. Leftovers are easy: bring to-go containers and send them home with family at the end of the night.

A non-alcoholic drink menu

Pick two or three signatures and serve them in big dispensers so guests help themselves. A hibiscus agua fresca, a sparkling lemonade and a mocktail named after the guest of honor cover most tastes. Add sparkling water and iced tea, and plan about three drinks per guest for a four hour party.

1. Hibiscus agua fresca: steep dried hibiscus, sweeten, chill and add lime.
2. Sparkling lemonade: half lemonade, half sparkling water, mint on top.
3. Signature mocktail: grapefruit, rosemary syrup and soda, named for the birthday.
4. Label each dispenser with a small card so nobody has to ask.

About alcohol. The Gallery never sells, provides or stores alcohol and has no bar. Hosts may bring their own alcohol, served by a TABC-certified bartender they hire, with service ending by midnight.

Music that fits the room

A DJ handles a dance crowd, but a good speaker and a four hour playlist works for most dinners. Build the playlist in three parts: easy background songs for arrivals and dinner, a short set for the big moment and a louder hour for dancing.

• Ask your DJ for a do not play list as well as a must-play list.
• Agree on a volume for dinner and a volume for dancing.
• Bring a backup playlist on your phone in case of a tech problem.

Before the party, walk the space with your playlist running and check the volume in every room. Music that fills the yard can drown out conversation at the dinner table. A DJ for 3 to 4 hours typically runs $400 to $1,000 in San Antonio.

A photo plan

For photos, pick two spots before the party: one for portraits of the guest of honor and one for group shots. Take the group photo early, before anyone leaves. A friend with a phone and a short shot list beats a pro with no plan.

• The guest of honor alone, in good light.
• The guest of honor with family.
• The full group photo, about 30 minutes in.
• The cake moment, from the front.
• A wide shot of the room full of people.

Get it in writing

Send each vendor one message with the address, arrival time, service window, your day-of contact and what they are bringing. Ask them to reply to confirm. That message is your backup if anything goes sideways.

Keep all those confirmations in one thread or note so your timekeeper can find any vendor number in seconds on the day.

Tip: Shot list on paper. Write the five photos you cannot live without on a card and hand it to your photo person at the start. Phones die, but paper does not.

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