How to Plan a Holiday Party in the Bay Area: A Step-by-Step Catering & Event Guide

Jennine Grigsby
5 days ago
5 min read

Bay Area Holiday Catering: Choose the Right Style for Your Party

The holidays are supposed to be a time to celebrate—not a time to spend the entire party worrying about whether there's enough food, who is bringing the ice, or whether someone remembered the vegetarian guests.

Whether you're planning a corporate holiday party, an employee appreciation event, a family celebration, or a festive gathering with friends, a little planning can make the difference between a stressful event and one you actually get to enjoy.

At A Plus Catering, we've spent decades catering events throughout Oakland, San Francisco, the East Bay, and the greater Bay Area. Here are some of the things we've learned about putting together a successful holiday celebration.

1. Put Together a Small Planning Team

For company holiday parties and larger celebrations, don't try to do everything yourself.

Create a small planning team and divide the responsibilities. One person might handle the venue, another the catering, another decorations and entertainment, and someone else invitations and RSVPs.

For example:

Food & Beverage: Catering, bar service and dietary restrictions
Venue & Logistics: Location, rentals, parking and setup
Entertainment: DJ, music, games or activities
Decorations: Theme, centerpieces and holiday décor
Guest Management: Invitations, RSVPs and final guest count

Even a team of two or three people can make planning much easier.

2. Set Your Budget Before Choosing the Menu

Before choosing food, decide what you're comfortable spending for the entire event.

Remember that your event budget may include more than food. Depending on the type of celebration, you may also need to account for:

Catering
Servers and bartenders
Beverages
Rentals
Venue fees
Entertainment
Decorations
Delivery and setup

Once you have a realistic budget, your caterer can help you choose a menu and service style that makes sense.

3. Choose the Right Style of Holiday Party

Not every holiday celebration needs a traditional sit-down dinner.

For an office party where people will be networking and moving around, appetizers and cocktail-style food may work beautifully.

For a family gathering or larger company celebration, a buffet can give guests more choices while creating a relaxed atmosphere.

Other options include food stations, grazing displays, brunches, BBQs and more formal dinners.

Think about how you want your guests to interact. The food service should complement the party—not interrupt it.

4. Plan Your Menu Around Your Guests

One of the biggest mistakes in event planning is choosing food based only on what the host likes.

Think about your guests.

Will there be vegetarians? Vegans? Guests who don't eat pork? Gluten-free guests? Children? Older guests who may prefer more traditional dishes?

You don't necessarily need an entirely separate menu for every dietary preference. A thoughtfully designed menu can provide enough variety for most guests to find something they'll enjoy.

A good holiday menu often combines familiar favorites with one or two dishes that make the event feel special.

EXPLORE OUR HOLIDAY MENU

Link “Explore Our Holiday Menu” to your Holiday Menu page.

5. Don't Overlook the Appetizers

Appetizers can set the tone for the entire event.

For cocktail receptions and company parties, they may even become the centerpiece of the menu.

Consider offering a combination of selections so guests have variety—perhaps something vegetarian, something familiar and one or two premium appetizers.

Beautifully presented hors d'oeuvres also give guests something to enjoy immediately while everyone arrives and settles into the celebration.

VIEW OUR APPETIZERS

Link “View Our Appetizers” to your Appetizers page.

6. Get an Accurate Guest Count

You don't need your exact final count when you first contact a caterer, but you should have a realistic estimate.

There is a significant difference between planning food and staffing for 40 people and planning for 100.

As the event gets closer, collect RSVPs and confirm your final guest count by the deadline established by your caterer.

And don't forget to include vendors or event staff who may need meals.

7. Think About the Bar Early

If you're serving alcohol, decide whether you want:

Beer and wine
A full bar
Signature cocktails
Champagne
Mocktails and other non-alcoholic beverages

For corporate events especially, make sure there are attractive non-alcoholic choices available as well.

You'll also need to determine who is providing the alcohol, ice, mixers, glassware and bartender.

These details are much easier to handle several weeks ahead than the day before your party.

8. Consider the Venue Before Finalizing the Menu

A beautiful menu still has to work in the space where it will be served.

Ask questions such as:

Is there a kitchen?
Is there adequate electrical power?
Where can the caterer load in?
Is there an elevator?
Are there stairs?
Is parking available?
Where will the buffet or food stations go?
Is there enough room for guests to move comfortably?
What time can vendors enter for setup?

For Bay Area events, parking, elevators and building access can have a major impact on setup time, particularly in San Francisco and downtown locations.

Sharing those details with your caterer early helps prevent surprises on event day.

9. Give Your Caterer a Timeline

Your caterer should know more than what time dinner starts.

A useful three-hour corporate holiday party timeline might include:

4:00 PM – Catering team arrives for setup5:00 PM – Guests arrive; appetizers and beverages begin5:45 PM – Buffet opens6:30 PM – Speeches, awards or company recognition7:00 PM – Dessert7:15 PM – Music, mingling or entertainment8:00 PM – Event concludes

Your actual schedule will vary, but having a timeline helps the catering and event teams work together.

10. Book Holiday Catering Early

November and December can become extremely busy for caterers, venues, bartenders, DJs and rental companies.

Friday and Saturday dates are particularly popular.

If your company has flexibility, consider a Thursday evening, Sunday event, holiday luncheon or weekday celebration. Sometimes choosing a different day gives you more options for venues and vendors.

The earlier you begin planning, the more choices you'll have.

When Should You Start Planning?

For a larger corporate holiday party, beginning four or five months ahead is a good goal.

For smaller gatherings, you may not need quite as much time, but waiting until the last minute can limit your menu, staffing and date options.

Start by establishing:

Approximate guest count
Budget
Preferred date
Location
Type of food and service
Beverage needs
Entertainment
Dietary requirements

You don't have to have every answer before speaking with your caterer. That's part of what the consultation is for.

Planning a Holiday Party in the Bay Area?

A Plus Catering provides holiday catering for corporate events, private parties and celebrations throughout Oakland, San Francisco, the East Bay and surrounding Bay Area communities.

From festive appetizers and buffets to staffing and beverage service, we can help you put together an event that works for your guests, your venue and your budget.