Don’t shoot the messenger! Now that we have our gorgeous spring weather, of course we have to remind you to plan for your Christmas party.

Event planning. Say those two words and see how fast your coworkers run for the door. But you’re game. And fortunately, you’ve come to the right place. We are award-winning, event
planning experts. We plan all aspects of any kind of event, no matter the size or circumstance. From extremely small to a cast of thousands, we’ll keep our eye on the details so you don’t have
to. Simply Elegant – Event planning that makes you look good.

Party Planning
You’re thinking: great friends, great time, great party. We’re thinking: great parties come out of great party planning. It’s hard to believe that something as fun as a party can take so much work. But it does… Always. Of course, great hosts make it look easy. Great hosts rely on great people. We’re your people. Your party planning people. We’ll do the planning. You have the fun.

The rewards of a successful Christmas party will carry on throughout the year. There are many steps to planning leaving it to the demands and challenges of the holiday season is a recipe for headaches. Here are some tips to lighten the burden in planning this years parties:

Things to think about in planning this year’s Christmas party:

Use task lists and schedule deadlines to complete all your planning on time. If it’s an office party, then the location, budget, and date all three are usually determined by management so you’re working within limits already. Be mindful of your corporate culture in planning on food and entertainment. (IE food restrictions due to religion)

It is never too early to start organizing. In fact, numerous 500 guests or more companies have completed this planning already. Many of the large facilities are pre-booked on an annual basis with first come first served for the smaller ones.

Book your facility now. The larger the number of guests, the less number of local facilities are available. Why not look at unique locations such as a museum, garden or cultural centre. The environment in these locations create the base decor and give a refreshing feel to the festivities.

Re-think your theme. Successful parties create a common thread that tie everything together using the budget as your guide. Coordinating the entire Christmas program with the menu, decor and entertainment allows for a memorable celebration. An example of this is an international Christmas theme with world food/action stations with matching decor and entertainment.

Poll your employees as to what type of theme and entertainment they would like this year? You could make it a competition! Instead of the comedy show, perhaps they would like to experience a cirque show or a Christmas themed murder mystery? Focus the opportunity for an engaging and interactive party this year.

Guests love to take the dinner table centrepiece home. Why not set up a centrepiece creation competition between departments where the pieces are raffled off to generate money for your favourite charity. Remember to make a note in the invitation that there will be a prize for the department that decks out the most ingenious Christmas centrepiece.

Promote the designated driver concept and these alternative forms of transportation in your invitations. Let’s face it – drinking and driving never mix. Offer a variety of non-alcoholic beverages for the designated driver and others who prefer not to drink alcohol. If preparing an alcoholic punch, use a non-carbonated base like fruit juice. Alcohol is absorbed into the blood stream faster with a carbonated base. Provide for for alternative modes of transportation for guests range from shuttle, limousine service or passenger vans taxi fare for the end of the evening. Don’t forget to budget for this!

Save a tree and go green e-invites for your event.

Planning a party is a lot like buying a house. You do the research, crunch the numbers, think ahead – and you put the best possible team around yourself to help you achieve your goals. When party disasters happen, it usually comes down to poor planning. And many smart, capable social committees just plain and simple don’t think through some of the basic details that will make or break their party. That’s what a planner is for.

Call Simply Elegant if you need support with some or all of your Christmas event. It’s what we do best. From planning, to decor, to entertainment, to catering, we work hard to ensure that every facet of your corporate event says what you want it to say. After all, this isn’t just some corporate event. It’s yours. It reflects back on your Company — and on you. Every detail has to be on message. You wouldn’t let an email go out that didn’t look good on the Company. You’re sure not going to let your company look bad through a poorly thought out or executed event.

Ultimately here are the Top Ten Signs You’re at a Bad Office Christmas Party according to CBS
– Late Show with David Letterman

10. Eggnog smells suspiciously like Liquid Paper.
9. Anyone caught under mistletoe gets choked by Latrell Sprewell.
8. Because of corporate downsizing, Santa is only 120 pounds.
7. Only food available is something called reindeer kebabs.
6. Last time you saw this much sucking up was on the Tommy Lee-Pamela Anderson videotape.
5. Christmas tree is just a fat intern in a green sweater.
4. For the 16th year in a row, the Canadian band leader has passed out in the eggnog.
3. Thanks to the alcohol-free punch, not a single butt gets photocopied.
2. Boss offers to give you a raise, and hes not talking about money.
1. Its held every year on July 23rd.

Ever wonder how you can create a great party that is fun and safe for your children for less than $60 including gas?

Considerations for age appropriate parties:

1. Invite a maximum of children to match the age of the child. An easy guideline is to invite only as many children as your child’s age, plus one. This keeps the party small with young children reducing the opportunity for them to be overwhelmed. Each year your child learns to emotionally handle a larger group of children.
2. Have the child choose a theme. It makes your job easy (a favorite book, sport, movie, or a TV show. Then they can further help with the planning plus make decorations.
3. Keep the party simple.
4. Focus on structured group activities. Individual games focuses on a winner which leaves children out – maybe even the birthday child.
5. Always ask parents about food allergies.

Ways to cut birthday party costs without cutting the party experience:

1. Hold the party in your home
2. Avoid traditional meal times by holding the party between 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. and serve snacks & dessert.
3. Bake your own cupcakes and let the kids decorate their own cupcake for a fun activity.
4. Make and hand deliver your own invitations, or “be green” and send e-vites with an RSVP date.
5. Resist hiring an entertainer or bouncy castle! Kids only remember the fun activities and birthday cake.
6. Make it a family affair and ask family members plus the guests parents to assist with activities.
7. Source theme decor from your own home first, then purchase the rest of supplies from economy stores.

ACTIVITIES FOR A BEACH PARTY (GEARED TO 5 YEAR OLDS)

We chose a beach theme to counter against our snowy Calgary weather. Collect all your colourful beach towels to cover your
party table and inflate all beach air mattresses and balls to decorate the party room.
Welcome each guest at the door with a lei and a tropical sun visor (can be part of their take home goody bag).
Encourage everyone to dress the theme (beach shorts, T shirts, flip flops, sun glasses and visors)

Simple party activity starters:

1. Decorate the birthday cupcakes (while the children are calm) using an assortment of frostings and toppings.
2. Do simple crafts (stickers, buttons with yarn, straw crafts, using little sea shells with beads and pebbles etc. Glue these onto mini frames or juice-cans. You can even use lids and add a magnet on the back.
3. Save time and purchase simple craft kits for only $1-$2 at the numerous economy stores.

Games for children with energy:

1. Fill balloons with small treasure based on your theme before you blow them up. For beach we used mini fish, wiggly worms, costume jewelry. The children then pop several balloons and gather their treasures. You can hang, hide or put them in a large garbage bag or box.
2. Group hunting games (same as Easter egg hunts) This can be treats, treasure chest items or even a puzzle piece to a treasure map that all the children work collectively to put together.
3. A circle dance of ”Hokey Pokey” works great and is completely non competitive.

Move into quiet games:

1. Hand make Lei Necklaces made from yarn, drinking straws, and colored crinkled tissue paper.
2. Simple relay races such as potato-on-spoon using a beach water toy.
3. Pin the “crab on the beach”. No winner needed here too!

Holding the party mid afternoon reduces the cost on food. Create a mock tail with juice and give it a beach name. Snacks can
include vegetable sticks and dip, seasonal fruit kabobs, mini pita pockets or bagels and finish with the individually decorated
cupcakes.

BEACH THEMED GOODIE BAGS

For less than $9, our goodie beach pail was equipped with a shovel had a snorkel face mask strapped to the outside of the pail
and was filled with a house safe beach sponge ball, squiggly florescent worm, a motorized bathtub sail boat plus a colourful
slinky. The children go home in their colourful foam visors (we collected a mixture sharks, butterflies, monkeys and pink
flamingos) Always make a few more in case extra guests arrive – yes this often happens!

THANK YOU NOTES

It is never too soon to teach etiquette to children. Create a list of the guests’ names before the party, and then jot down each gift
beside the giver’s name as they are opened for thank you cards.
Take photos of the children dressed in theme or put them in front of a prop. Download the photo onto your computer and
colour print them into thank you cards.

The party is a quick two hours, organized with a logical rhythm for child interest and safety and it was super inexpensive. Plus
why not forget our Calgary snow for awhile and transport yourself to the beach? Happy Birthday!

Simply Elegant / Bayer CropScience

Bayer CropScience really knows how to take care of their key clients! From a fabulous spousal program of art classes and spa retreats to a beautiful Valentine’s Gala – this event was magical for all.
Special thanks to Faby Martin for the lovely photographs!

Your holiday office party planning starts with great food and drink.  Usually the hardest part of planning a party is what to serve.  Some parties feature appetizers, some offer full sit-down meals, and others will have a buffet that could include separate stations for each food type i.e. a salad, meat, seafood or dessert stations.

While you’re in the office party planning stage, keep in mind that the time you schedule your party for  will directly affect the type of service and quantity of food required and staff expectations.  But…the most important factor that will determine the style of catering you choose is your budget.

Holding your Christmas party in the office means space is a consideration.  A sit down dinner requires room for tables and chairs.  Before you plan on it, be certain your budget will accommodate this style because you will need to hire serving staff.

A buffet style gathering will require tables for catering equipment, and if you choose to have traditional turkey or roast beef, space for the chef carving station is a must. Presentation tables for an appetizer party are needed unless you decide to have wait staff serve guests as they mingle.

You will still require a preparation area. Your staff kitchen could do the trick for this choice.

If your holiday office  party planning budget is very small,  opt to have the caterer drop off your menu choices. Then all you’ll need is a table to set up the presentation.

Here are a few more tips as you finalize your Christmas office party planning:

-       Know your office party food etiquette. If yours is an office of women, serve food that is pretty and always add chocolate something.   Perhaps you are a construction company; you will want to fill the gap with delicious home-style portions.

-       Be sensitive. Keep in mind the ethnic and religious requirements of your colleagues.

-       How much food is needed will depend on how many people will attend and the time of your party. Luncheons typically require less food then evening parties.

Office Party Planning For a cocktail style party:

• Light: 3 to 5 pieces
• Medium cocktail party: 5 to 8 pieces
• Full meal cocktail party: 8 to 15 pieces.
• Dinner style cocktail parties require 15 to 20 pieces per person.

-       Renting China, Glassware, Cutlery will make any party planners life much easier and is eco-friendly. You should be able to rent them from your caterer.  If you want disposable, choose a caterer that has eco-friendly items available. Have the order delivered the day before to ensure you are ready for the set up the day of the event.  If you are missing items, early delivery gives you time to make wrongs into rights.

-       Double up on everything if you can. People tend to leave their glasses, plates, and cutlery wherever they wander.  Plan on having as much as twice the amount as the number of guests.

-       Serving. If you are not hiring serving staff, a buffet is the way to go. Stack plates at the start of the buffet line, and place cutlery and napkins at the end. Guests will then have less to balance while they serve themselves.

-       Consider setting up the food in several spots if you have the space. That way everyone won’t be crowding around the same buffet table at once. Make sure there are plenty of napkins and plates at each station.

-       Choose a theme.  You can theme any party from décor to food to menus.  How about a Winter Wonderland with an elegant colour theme of purple and gold.

Fire & Ice: think ice sculptures and icicles combined with fire torches (fake of course!) or candles and a red Christmas tree.  Or choose a Victorian Christmas to add warmth and charm to your office gathering.  Themed parties add great value that will provide your office with an unforgettable experience.

-       The wow factor. If you have the budget go with butler service and provide your staff with an elegant experience that says they are the best.

Now that we’re right in the middle of the dog days of summer, we thought it might be a fun idea to offer some suggestion on how to throw a dog party. 

Yes, a party for your pooch. And why not?  After all, our pets are part of the family. And more and more, people are celebrating the tail-wagging member of the household.

Like all events, dog parties can range from down-home casual to upscale. The choice is yours. But one thing is for certain, if you want your dog party to be a howling success (sorry), you’ll need to do some planning…

- Put some thought into your guest list. You want to make sure that you and your dog are friendly with the other party animals. Make sure the dogs get along. A party can be soured by quarrelling canines. (Jack Russell Terriers tend to be aggressive with larger dogs and they like to get all the dogs barking.)  

- Keep in mind that some dogs are frightened by loud noises and might not do well at parties.

- Make sure that the dogs are up to date on all vaccinations and rabies shots and treated for internal and external parasites.

- Have plenty of toys and distractions for the dogs to make sure they don’t get restless.  

- You can make your own dog party invitations. If you’re feeling creative, you can make your own cards by stamping a paw print with a paw print stamp , and then writing your own personal message. (We’re rather fond of the “humans optional” gag.)

- Have the party outdoors so that the dogs can run around.

- Set up treats and party favours for both dogs and people. Purchase, or make some doggie treats for all your dog’s canine friends. Make bone shaped sugar cookies for the 2 legged party goers.

- Create your dog party theme with cut out paw prints that stick on everything; hang some streamers; cut out some dog bones from construction paper to dangle from the streamers.

- Make sure that dietary restrictions or food concerns are known before the dogs eat anything.

- Keep chocolate, strawberries and raisins away from dogs and make sure there is plenty of fresh water. On hot days, dogs need two to three times more water than they usually drink.

- If the dogs wear costumes, they should be made from breathable fabric and shouldn’t restrict an animal’s mouth or nose.

- Make sure the party environment is pet friendly by removing anything they can chew on, or, um, anything else on…

- On that subject: Designate a “pooper scooper” area for the dogs.

- Let neighbors know about your party (when it comes to a backyard filled with dogs, sometimes things can get pretty loud). Try and keep the excited howling to a minimum. (Yours and the dogs.)

- Make sure that the guests are all in agreement about your “house rules.” Some owners like to think their dogs are model houseguests and so they don’t always pay attention to their dog’s behavior.

Don’t forget the games at your dog party.  A few simple party games are fun for both your 2-legged and 4-legged guests.  Here are a few suggestions…

- Treasure Hunt: You can lead your canine guests and their owners on a hunt for a hidden treasure (let’s say, a bone). Divide your guests into three or four teams. Have hidden clues set up around the backyard for each team. The teams will follow the clues to a secret map, which leads them to the “treasure.”

- Obstacle Course Relay: Have dogs and their owners maneuver through an obstacle course. You can borrow, buy or make obstacles such as jumps, tunnels and ramps. There can be prizes for the pup that completes the course in the shortest time, the most creative interpretation of obstacles, the happiest competitor etc.  

- Best Trick Competition:  Pick three judges. (Human ones, that is.)  Then get the dogs to perform their best trick. 

We’re all social creatures and a dog party is a fun excuse for people (and pets) to get together.  Yap (sorry), it‘s all about having a good time. Oh, and one last thing, don’t forget to make sure all your guests leave with a doggie bag.

Every four years, Canada embraces cultures from around the world in one massive, month-long World Cup Party.   Because, whether you like soccer or not, there’s something about the World Cup tournament that gets people excited.  Really excited.

It might be because of the country vs. country competition. Or maybe it’s the fact that even the smallest of countries are in the same league with the big ones. Whatever the reason, there’s no denying that the world’s biggest sports tournament (a month-long phenomenon) is sweeping across workplaces and homes. 

And why not?  It’s fun. It brings old and young together to celebrate the cultures that raised them. And it gives everyone a chance to join together and cheer on their teams. Everywhere, people are wearing the colours of countries that they’re rooting for, and all in a frenzy of football. For the more than a billion soccer fans worldwide, “the beautiful game” borders on religion.  Cities come alive as people pack into restaurants and bars to watch their teams and celebrate.

But if spending time with dozens or hundreds of strangers isn’t your idea of a laugh riot, don’t be shy about throwing a World Cup party on your own terms – even right in your own home. How? Oh, we were hoping you would ask.

First off, decide what you want out of it. Do you want to use the occasion to visit with friends and families? Bond with co-workers? Impress the boss? Or blow off some steam?  Set your intentions and your budget. If the goal is to spend quality time with your guests, book a caterer ASAP. It’s party season and it will get harder to find a caterer as the month goes on.   

Regardless of whether you hire a caterer or do it all yourself, here are a few ideas to kick around that will let you really embrace the World Cup party spirit. 

- Send out stadium ticket-like invitations.  Make sure your guests know they need the tickets for entrance! Throw some confetti in the envelope for an extra festive touch.

-Ask each of your guests to come as their favourite competing country. Or draw country names out of a hat and assign each person a country to represent at the party. Have fun with it.

-Flags. Lots of ‘em. And from everywhere. You can buy them at various sporting shops or you can go all Martha Stewart and make mini flags for participating countries out of construction paper and popsicle sticks. Because let’s face it. When you think World Cup, it’s hard not to think of Martha Stewart.

-Decorate with soccer ball balloons.  You can put them anywhere and they’ll spice up your party room. Batch them with black and white balloons.

-Hand out the vuvuzela horns. And the ear plugs. You’d better invite the neighbours – and maybe take away the horns as the night wares on.

-Serve drinks that represent the countries whose teams you’re watching. A little research can go a long way. For example, Caipirinha is Brazil’s national cocktail (you can substitutes vodka for cachaça), Limoncello is now considered the national drink of Italy. Both drinks are easy to prepare.

-Use soccer themed tablecloths, piñatas, banners, flags, jerseys, candy, cups, and bowls/serving trays. You may even be able to find some miniature soccer balls to keep your guests or their children entertained.

-Create your own world cup decorations.

-Have foods that people can munch on throughout the event … the most important part is being able to watch the game.

-Use the food to complement your party’s theme. In honour of the colours in a soccer ball, try making desserts – like brownies – out of both dark and white chocolate.

-Have soccer themed door prizes. Inflatable soccer balls, soccer jerseys, soccer ball maracas, are just a few ideas…

-Plan an international potluck.  This is a great opportunity to sample and taste all the spectacular flavours of the world. Frikkadels are like South African meat balls – and they’re delicious!  Or how about trying some Korean fried kimchi rice with beef? Or why not sample some authentic Argentinean chorizo?

-Hire a face painter.  For the football fan that really goes all out to support his or her nation, wearing the flag of their country on his or her face during a world cup match is a fun way to demonstrate their love of their country and the game.  

-What about an “indoor-outdoor” theme? People love being outdoors in the summer. Depending on your set up, you may be able to move your TV out into a shady spot in your yard.

Now that you’ve got all that sorted out, you can sit back and enjoy the game. Because, when all is said and done, isn’t that really the goooooooooooaaaaaaaallllllll!

It’s tough out there, we know. Everyone is trying to do more with less – and no one wants to sacrifice quality. But we at Simply Elegant have some news we think will make your summer easier: Simply Elegant All Inclusive Packages.

Ever tried to price an event and then watched the price sky rocket when you tried to add the most basic of things? Our All Inclusive Packages cover most or all of what you’ll need, offering fabulous value for three of our most popular seasonal events:

Stampede 

Weddings

Cocktail parties

So let’s start with Stampede – because truthfully, it will be here before you know it! And while there may be many things your company can do around Stampede, the one thing you can’t do is ignore it. So embrace it, Calgary, make it your own and turn it into the event you want it to be. And we can help.    

 Our All Inclusive Stampede Packages  offer food discounts ranging from 5% to 10%, depending on the number of people you’ll be hosting, starting at 100 people. And events for more than 200 people aren’t a problem. Not only do we make fabulous pancakes, we’ll even bring the griddle.

Also, all of our meals include a huge variety of delicious and reasonably priced add-on selections. So you can start with a value package – and turn it into anything you want!

And we can provide site managers, station cooks, servers, bartenders and anything else you’ll need — even the Barbecue Broiler.

You bring the people, and we’ll bring the party.   

Speaking of party, maybe you were thinking more bridal party than Stampede. Don’t worry, we’ve got your back too. Because when it comes to weddings, there’s just so much to do. More often than not, people forget to factor in the rental costs of well, lots of things. 

But with our All Inclusive Wedding Package, you can keep a lid on your spending because we’ve already included most everything you will absolutely need. And like everything we do, for an additional fee you can customize it exactly how you’d like. Our wedding packages are so good, however, you can even leave the one you like just as is.  

Our wedding buffet includes a wide range of sumptuous foods as well as extensive, and mouth-watering, buffet add-on selections. And our elegant and affordable sit down meals are so special, everyone will think you’ve blown the budget! Only you have to know how little you actually spent.

For not that much more, we can also provide our full service staff, bar service, equipment rentals, and even your décor and floral arrangements.

And finally, there’s our All Inclusive Cocktail Party Package.  There are so many details in pulling together the perfect cocktail party. We know — we’ve been throwing them for years!

Choose from one of our included fabulous cocktail menus, designed for every palette – or talk to us about creating a package just for you.  Either way, you’ll save a bundle on rentals, staffing and other expenses that you’d otherwise have to outsource.

It’s summertime and the living should be easy. If it’s not, you’re using the wrong catering and events company. Whether you’re thinking Stampede, wedding or cocktail party, talk to us about how we can make your event fabulous and affordable with one of our Simply Elegant All Inclusive Packages.

So from all of us to all of you, here’s to the start of a summer filled with great fun, great food, and great events. Salut!

It’s National Barbecue Month. Yes, it’s time to fire up the barbecue and enjoy cooking in the great outdoors. And grilling isn’t just for hotdogs and burgers either. You can use your barbecue to cook vegetables, fish, pizza, corn on the cob and even certain fruits. 

And we here at Simply Elegant have some helpful grilling tips and barbecue event ideas that we’d like to share with you to help you celebrate National Barbecue Month. 

Planning on having a big time barbecue event? A good caterer can handle most of this for you letting you enjoy your barbecue as opposed to spending all your time over the grill.

Here are a few suggestions to help make your barbecue event the best it can possibly be:  

- make sure your guests know what to wear: proper shoes, warmer clothes for evening – you may get four seasons in one hour. Make sure your guests know that, and have back up sweaters, blankets, etc. for those who don’t come prepared.

-have a back up plan in case it rains. You may need to move your party indoors or under some kind of shelter very quickly. Be prepared and have your move rehearsed or at the very least planned.

-only have food out for a maximum of 2 hours – no more no matter what.

-keep food out of the sun.

-keep food platters on top of ice.

-serve clean ice for drinks (don’t have guests scoop ice out of containers cooling cans of coke, beer, etc.).

-don’t serve seafood. It’s an accident waiting to happen.

-don’t serve anything mayo based. Make you potato salad with oil not mayo. It’s safer and much more savoury.

-make sure your bar and bartender are in the shade. It not only makes your ice last longer, but more importantly, your bartender won’t collapse from heatstroke.  

-make sure your guests have shade as well.

-think about your power sources. Outdoor lights don’t require much power, cappuccino machines do. Will you need a generator? There are quiet ones out there. But they rent/sell quickly. So plan ahead.

-can you borrow additional power from a neighbor (again, only for sources that don’t need much power)?

-invite your neighbours regardless of the type of party. They will be more forgiving of noise, etc.

-make sure you know your neighbourhood rules and laws when it comes to noise, lights and cutoff times etc. 11pm is often the cutoff time – but not for everywhere.

-think ahead to any transportation needs, particularly if hosting it somewhere remote or if you are serving alcohol.

-offer taxi chits as necessary or have a plan to reunite those who wish to over indulge with their cars the next day (and/or a place for them to stay).

-make sure you also serve lots of fun non alcoholic drinks.

-have a bartender who knows how to appropriately deal with problem drinkers (there is always at least one).

-for alcohol, theme it and do something fun and momentous. Have a martini luge or something through an ice sculpture. It is decorous, practical and fun.

-bugs. Fact of life. Hardware stores offer eco friendly, non or little-smelling tiki torches to ward off mosquitoes.

-do a test of your planned site to check for wasps. Have a little picnic and see how many bees and wasps you attract. It may just be a fact of life.

-know who has allergies to nuts, bees, etc. and avoid allergens where you can. Ask guests who you’ve identified as allergic to bring whatever medications they may need to deal with an allergy exposure. And know how to work an Epipen.

Now that you’ve taken care of that, it’s time to celebrate National Barbecue Month. So let’s get grilling!

Careers can literally be made or broken by working lunch etiquette. So many do’s and don’ts, we could literally write a book. Maybe we will. But until then, here are a few additional tips to help you polish your all important working lunch etiquette.

• Once you’ve confirmed for an event, don’t cancel. And certainly don’t cancel at the last minute. Only an extreme emergency should keep you away.
• Don’t be late. It’s rude, plain and simple.
• Remember to keep the topic of conversation clean, appropriate and tasteful no matter who else is doing or saying what. In a room filled with people with poor working lunch etiquette, you will stand out – and in a good way.
• Do not text or talk on the phone in the event room or dining table. If you must remain connected to the outside world, excuse yourself at an appropriate time to step away and check messages, etc.
• If there is table side wine service, have the host order and/or pour the wine.  He or she likely has determined roughly how much they’d like to serve over the course of the event.
• The water goblet and/or drinking glass to the right are yours.
• The bread plate to the left is yours. Use the butter knife to put a butter pat on your bread plate and then use your own knife to butter the bread.
• Even if the event is casual, remember it is still a working lunch. Always be professional. Never say anything you wouldn’t want getting back to anyone else, especially your boss.
• Try to re-use your cocktail napkin and glass to some degree to help your guest have a more green event, and also to help your host ensure they do not run out of clean glassware
• Be polite to the servers. Remember: If you are rude to the service staff, your hosts and other guests will think you are rude to your clients and colleagues. Rude behavior to serving staff over a working lunch with a prospective employer have cost more than one job candidate a promising opportunity.
• Be up to speed on current events. Read the paper or surf the internet beforehand to have current events topics in mind for small talk. But try not to get too political or passionate about any contentious subject.
• Once you have decided what to order, close your menu. It’s a signal to the wait staff that you’re ready to order.
• Wait until everyone is served before beginning to eat – even if there are delays in bringing out some of the food.
• Keep it simple when ordering. Don’t try to show off by ordering the most expensive thing on the menu. Business lunches are not the best place to try something exotic, new or messy.
• Take small bites so you can converse easily without a full mouth. Relax, but remember you’re still in a business setting.
• If you ordered it, eat it.
• Bring any problem with the food discreetly to the attention of the wait staff.
• For the men – ladies first! Not everyone will agree in this day and age but it is a courtesy that many still appreciate and it is a sign of good upbringing.
• For the men – offer to seat the lady and always open the door for her.
• For the women – let the man open the door for you. It is a sign of respect, not belittlement.
• Always offer the last hors d’ oeuvre or glass of wine to the people at your table. If no one wants it, then, and only then, you can take it.
• Even if you are single, never flirt with someone in the room who is married or obviously in a relationship.
• Never flirt or fool around with your boss. Those who cross boundaries with their boss can do untold damage both with the person with whom they flirt and also with colleagues and clients who will assume they did not get their job based on merit.

Working lunch etiquette is a must in today’s competitive business world. Its proper use will not only garner you the respect of your co-workers and bosses, it will also help build your self confidence. And a confident you is bound to knock the socks off of anyone you meet in a professional setting.

More and more, catered company lunches are replacing dinners, and catered in-office events are replacing hotel bashes. While the location and time may be different, it’s important to always use your best working lunch etiquette.

One false step could possibly tarnish your reputation and damage your career. Remember: Even though this is a catered affair, it’s also a business event. Following appropriate working lunch etiquette can help you make a great impression.

A few things to keep in mind when it comes to working lunch etiquette:

-Have fun, but be sure to do it in moderation.

-Dress appropriately for the occasion.

-Don’t be pushy or overly aggressive. Remember people are here to have fun too. You can talk business when you’ve finished eating.

-Order food that’s easy to eat and avoid finger foods. Good choices are always a simple baked or grilled chicken dish or mixed salads that you can eat without needing to cut them up too much.

-Use your cutlery from outside in.  Utensils placed horizontally across the top of the place setting are for dessert.

-Pass bread, butter, cream, sugar, salad dressings and salt and pepper to the right. Always pass the salt and pepper together.

-Once a piece of cutlery has touched food, it does not touch the table again, so keep it on the edge of your plate or balance it on another piece of cutlery if you need it for a future course.

-If drinking wine, drink white wine as opposed to red in order to avoid red wine stains on your lips and teeth. 

-It’s okay to put documents or your laptop on the table but never your briefcase. Cell phones and beepers should be turned to silent mode or off during lunch.

Other working lunch etiquette tips include:

-If the catered lunch is a buffet, don’t heap your plate with food.  

-Pay attention to the two drink limit.

-Don’t eat too fast or too slow.

-To signal the server that you are finished, place your utensils in the 4:20 position on your plate. Never push the plates back or stack them.

-When you are ready to leave, place your loosely folded napkin on the table.

-Make a good final impression and thank the party coordinators.

Good working lunch etiquette isn’t that hard to achieve. It just comes down to following these basic do’s and don’ts of dining politeness. Learn them once, remember them forever. In a world of declining politeness, you’ll stand out. And for all the right reasons.