National Association of Catering Executives

Do you belong to a professional association of any kind?  Out of the blue, I find myself a member of a fabulous one!  The Tacoma and Seattle chapters of NACE - the National Association of Catering Executives.  This Spring NACE's membership drive gave me $100 off, so I jumped in!!

(Huge thanks to Nems Scarim of Three Chicks Catering, and Monica Newby of A Grand Affaire Catering for inspiring me to join.  Plus the many members I've come to love in the meantime.)

Although not a caterer in the traditional sense, as a floral designer, I "cater" to brides.  I cater flowers, custom-designed for their special day, using fresh ingredients (flowers & foliages), and creative recipes to blend those ingredients (designs), all in a deadline-oriented environment. 

Consequently, of the many wedding pros I've known over the years, caterers are my best "front desk" people, because we identify with each other.  When we do our jobs well, it's all about the love.

Caterers work SOOOO hard for their brides!!  Every wedding setup I see, these people are working diligently, to earn every penny of their freight.  So when they recommend me, I take it as a sacred trust.  Caterers could risk their hard-earned reputations referring me.  And I don't have the freedom to damage anyone's professional image.

I created these designs for the Tacoma NACE chapter meeting, May 18, 2010, at Indian Summer Golf & Country Club in Olympia, and shot the images with my purse camera. 
All I knew in advance was that the tables seated 8, and would be draped in white & light green linens. I brought 3 vases per table, plus the glass blocks & all the gems & marbles.

The "covered porch" room at Indian Summer Golf & Country Club is delightful, inviting and open to lovely views.  Erin's Linens provided the icy celedon diamond pleated table covers & accents.  In the background left to right are Grady, rockstar server (bending to put finishing touches on the buffet), Christina, awesome server & bartender, Adam Tiegs, Adam's DJ Service and Tacoma NACE Membership Chair, and Susan Aaron, catering manager at Indian Summer and Tacoma NACE First Vice President.

Glass cubes, glass blocks and lime green gel-marbles, mix with a cool, fun blend of Polo and Jade roses, bupleurum, mini green hydrangea, hanging amaranthus, yellow limonium and aspidistra leaves.