wedding

The 2020 Catering + Event Trend Report for the 502

February 5, 2020 by icehouse Leave a Comment

The teams of Ice House and Crushed Ice Catering are in high gear for a year of fantastic events in Louisville, Kentucky and beyond. Continue reading below to learn how they are planning for 12 months of successful catering and special events:

The world of event planning and catering is one with many moving parts and is consistently influenced by the surrounding culture. At the pace of today’s culture, a key characteristic necessary of any business looking to succeed is their ability to anticipate their client’s needs and wants. For the Ice House and Crushed Ice Catering teams, their ability to intuitively anticipate their client’s needs is what sets them apart from the competition.

As we move further into 2020, while dutifully working for our corporate clients and brides, we are anticipating what this year will hold and what details and trends that you can expect to see in the coming months. Read below to find the 11 catering and event trends that we anticipate making a big splash in 2020.

REACHING BEYOND THE SOUTHERN COMFORT ZONE

“I am expecting to see people more and more choose menus filled with flavors from the eastern hemisphere. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing like digging into the comfort of classic southern dishes, but I certainly am anticipating the opportunities to showcase Middle Eastern and Asian cuisine for our 2020 clients. We already have a handful of weddings and events that we are creating Indian menus for. It’s a lot of fun.” – Laurence Agnew, Executive Chef

MEATLESS BEYOND MONDAY

I predict that as meatless meals are gaining popularity in daily food culture, menu designers will have the opportunity to explore options that not only provide alternatives for vegetarian and vegan guests but also shine as brightly as meat-centered dishes. Ingredients like jackfruit and parsnips can create the heft of meat in a dish with an entirely new flavor profile, I love that. – Darci Stuhlman, Client Experience Manager

CHARCUTERIE FOR EVERY TIME + EVERYONE

2019 proved that the charcuterie board is here to stay, which I am personally very excited about. But for 2020, we will certainly see a creative expansion on this crowd favorite, both literally and figuratively. I am excited to see the physical evolution as well. Rather than solely building the charcuterie out we’re going to see more boards featuring height varying elements to shake it up a bit! Expect to see charcuterie boards that cater to various dietary needs such as vegan boards with tons of veggies, crackers, meatless protein options, and vegan cheeses. Along with this, there certainly will be an expansion in the offering of sweet charcuterie boards such as a waffle board and fondue as well! – Lindsay Brough, Director of Catering Sales

CBD INFUSED COCKTAILS

Thanks to the legalization of CBD, Louisville saw a large spike in the consumption of CBD food and beverage products in 2019. Because of this, I am looking forward to seeing clients and couples wanting to feature CBD in their 2020 bar menus. With wide variations of cannabis flavor to use, the combinations are endless. – Laurence Agnew, Executive Chef

COMPLEX MIXOLOGY

I am excited to watch adventurous culinary energy inspire bartenders to develop cocktails with more complex profiles. This winter, I had a cocktail that was more bitters than spirit or juice (The Sawyer, a brainchild of Don Lee at WD-50 in NYC), and it was so refreshing to not be able to put my finger on what I was tasting! I would like to see more of that. – Darci Stuhlman, Client Experience Manager

HEALTHFUL OPTIONS TO SIP

Clients and couples who prefer serving more healthful options to their guests will have plenty of options to choose from. At this point in time, almost everyone is aware of the health benefits of kombucha, so why not treat your guest to a healthful hard kombucha such as June Shine? Between the 6% ABV and bubbling probiotics, you’re sure to have a good time. – Laurence Agnew, Executive Chef

DRINKS FOR ALL

I’m anticipating seeing clients looking to feature more non-alcoholic beverages like Phocus water for example! Infused teas and creative mocktails that incorporate local, in-season ingredients will be a great addition to any bar package. – Spencer Freeman, Catering Sales Manager

PEARL ACCENTS

If diamonds are a girl’s best friend, can we suggest that pearls are a bride’s bestie? This soft and timeless gemstone gives a dose of nostalgia when incorporated into modern designs. I predict that we will be seeing these little beauties more and more, from delicate embroidery details on wedding dresses to brides donning striking hairpieces solely made of the gemstone. – Morgan Blake, Brand Manager

ALTERED FLORALS: SPRAY PAINTED, DRIED, + DYED. OH MY!

Couples who are looking to tie the knot are likely to bring a bit more color to their floral pieces this year. Rather than choosing the classic winding greenery that beautifully accented the beloved neutral palettes of past wedding seasons, we are anticipating to see brighter fauna in the future. The possibilities are endless with various bleaching, dying, and drying techniques. – Erica Outlaw, Director of Business Development

A COOL 2020

We’re feeling blue but in the best way! The sleek look of a black suit just may be fading into cooler blue hues in the coming 2020 wedding season. While grey and black suits may be getting the pause, we see cobalt, navy, and Pantone’s 2020 Color of the Year, Classic Blue, taking center stage at the end of the wedding aisle. – Lindsay Brough, Director of Catering Sales

OFFICE MORAL

Corporate Events are shifting outside of the traditional holiday party and annual meeting, and with good reason: studies show that gathering your teams outside of the office encourages them to think outside of the box. The benefits do not end there: Off-site celebrations are perceived as more validating, while off-site team-building exercises boost employee engagement. For these reasons, corporations are seeing the financial rewards of events and are hosting more creative functions to recharge and reward their teams. – Darci Stuhlman, Client Experience Manager

2019 Wedding and Catering Trends To Bet On

February 7, 2019 by icehouse Leave a Comment

The dawning of a new year is exciting and an opportunity for transformation. The time to narrow down what we can expect from 2019 is now and we have asked our Event Stylist, Spencer Freeman, to give us the shakedown for this year’s event trends. Additionally, we have asked a few of our sister company, Crushed Ice Catering’s, team members to share their thoughts on the coming catering trends. Will your favorite 2018 trends hold their own and continue to make a name for themselves in 2019? What fresh ideas will 2019 bring to the table?

Continue reading below to learn what our team members believe Ice House and Crushed Ice Catering will be serving for the coming year and what trends you can expect to see across Louisville, Kentucky in 2019.

Spencer Freeman/ Event Stylist for The Ice House

“For 2019, we definitely will see couples continuing to favor a clean and more neutral palate, but adding pops of color and textured florals. Incorporating florals in event signage, in full floral walls, and in photo booths as well. Pampas grass, the Butterfly Ranunculus, and King Proteas will be choice florals to incorporate into a arrangements and bouquets.

Similar to what we’ve seen in previous years, you can bet that brides will continue choosing to dress their maids in a color palette with a unique dress for each rather than choosing a uniform style. Variety will be the key to 2019 weddings. Rich textures such as velvet and pure linen will make their way to tablescapes as table linens, napkins, and dresses.

What we are most excited to see is the incorporation of metallic accents! Against monochromatic and neutral palettes, metallic surfaces really pop. You can expect to see shimmery silvers and golds through mixed metal centerpieces and even disco balls. Seeing gold foiling on invitations is certainly here to stay.

Lastly, we believe more couples will begin to choose a signature touch for their wedding. Whether it be a monogram, custom logo, or color scheme, this option will appeal to clients looking to set a branding aspect for their event or wedding.”

Chef Agnew, Executive Chef for Crushed Ice Catering

“One trend we can be sure to see carry over from 2018 in to 2019 is the continuing interest in using local produce with more of a focus on plant based proteins served in fast and casual concepts. Similarly, I expect clients who are already focused on sourcing foods locally to also look for humane food experiences that promote sustainability. Think pasture-fed meats, farm-raised eggs, and supporting smaller producers who adhere to the ethical treatment of livestock. We expect floral flavors seeing more palate time by extracting flavor from teas, edible flowers, and ancient herbs like Moringa Leaves.

Another 2018 trend that will gain more traction is the request for clean eating menus and new diets like Ketogenic, Ayurvedic, and Pegan. Introducing healthful choices like fermented foods with vinegars and kombucha will incorporate more probiotics to promote improved digestion, boost immunity, and help maintain a healthy weight.

Grazing tables will make a more prominent stand for events. Presenting guests with beautiful grazing tables comprised of a large variety of foods ranging from cheeses, fruits, meats, and spreads will make a statement. Hummus is in for a makeover with new recipes such as Red Velvet, Chocolate, Pumpkin Pie, and Snickerdoodle.”

Sisi Bright, Bar Manager for Crushed Ice Catering

“For 2019, we expect clients to be inclined to choose beverages that are experiential creations including natural, wellness minded ingredients. Something in particular that our bar is excited to mix up is color changing cocktails. Ingredients, such as Butterfly Pea Powder, can be mixed with various other ingredients which create a mesmerizing visual while enjoying the cocktail! Clients are looking for healthful minded ingredients to serve guests signature cocktails. Ingredients like grapefruit, fig, thyme, and rosemary will find their way into the glasses of event attendees.

A fresh choice we see coming for liquor choice is the inclusion of cocktails made of Mezcal. Mezcal can confuse people, but the thing to remember is: All Tequila is Mezcal, but not all Mezcal is Tequila. The difference is that Tequila must be made from Agave Tequilana, but Mezcal can be made from any agave plant. Lastly, you can be sure to see cocktails finished off with charred cuts of citrus and other toppers.

But this is Louisville, Kentucky. The word going around is that we being recare ‘The Napa Valley of Bourbon‘. That is only going to increase the already steady demand of bourbon cocktails. In a similar vein, I am predicting that we will see a rise in Japanese Whiskey being used in cocktails around town. Especially so for the Brown Formanproduct Suntory Toki. “

Kelsey Powell, Senior Catering and Event Manager for Crushed Ice Catering

“People are foregoing the traditional buffet and gravitating towards experience based designs when it comes to the dinner portion of the event. The serving and displaying of food is becoming more interactive with more moving parts. Just in the past few years, the focus on food has grown tremendously. The dinner of an event and wedding was another step on the event timeline, but we have seen clients choose for food to be more of a focal point of events, and more of an experience.

The request to customize menus to adhere to Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Vegan, and Food Allergy restricted diets is also growing. For our team, this is not a new request, but it is one that we see growing in popularity and we are happy to cater to! Other trends we foresee making an appearance this year is Tapas with signature drink pairings that compliment one another.

The phrase ‘It’s all in the details.’ will ring true for this new year. The attention to detail, not just in a design aspect, but in bar service and food service will gain a greater focus and demand. We see a movement of clients wanting to provide an experience to their guests that feels personal and specific. We can expect to see clients looking to provide a larger variety of options to give a VIP experience to their guests.”

Happy 2019 and event planning,

Morgan Blake

Styled for Romance: An In Depth Look into our Winter Styled Shoot

November 29, 2018 by icehouse Leave a Comment

As winter seems to be making an early appearance in the Louisville area and given us proper dusting of snow, our sights are set on the upcoming winter bridal season. And even more so are we looking forward to the winter weddings celebrations taking place here at the Ice House. To stoke the fire of our team’s imagination, our Event Decor and Design Coordinator, Spencer Freeman, conjured up a dreamy matrimonial vision and brought it to life. Showcased in our winter wedding styled shoot are some of our favorite hues, textures, and local Louisville vendors for this coming season.

A list of our treasured vendors:

Venue: The Ice House

Calligraphy & Florals- Lauren Wilhite Art

Hair & Makeup- Siera Phillips

Furniture Rentals- Southern Classic Rentals

Catering & Cocktails- Crushed Ice Catering

Dress- Rebecca’s Wedding Boutique

Photography- Drake and Eliza Photography

Stylist- Spencer Freeman

Well wishes to you and your inspiration,

Morgan Blake

A Guide For the Benevolent Bride: 5 Steps to a More Socially Conscious Wedding

September 4, 2018 by icehouse Leave a Comment

It’s all too easy to become overwhelmed and blindsided by the constant focus surrounding you and your partner during your wedding season. Luckily, there are ways to consciously decide to focus on others to alleviate the load of being the center of attention. For the benevolent bride, it is imperative to make these decisions in ways that align with her socially conscious values. Our team, situated at the Ice House in downtown Louisville, has compiled a list of five ways you can walk down the aisle knowing your future, and the future of others, will be brighter.

Brunch Wedding, Charitable Wedding, Crushed Ice Catering, cupcakes, DIY, Do it Yourself, Engagement Ring, Ethical Wedding, Event Planning, Exclusive Caterer, Louisville Catering, Louisville events, Louisville Wedding, Nonprofit Event, Philanthropic Wedding, RoofTop Wedding, Uncategorized, Wedding Ceremony, wedding dress, Wedding gift donation, Wedding Trends — **Featuring an ethically sourced engagement ring from Trumpet & Horn.**

1. Conflict Free Engagement Rings

A bride’s engagement ring tells the story of her and her partner’s love story. Choosing various combinations of stone settings, jewel stones, and band style can communicate a love that is one of a kind. For brides who are socially conscious, choosing an engagement ring is not only making a choice of a beautiful ring, but also a stand for fair wages and safe working environments. In the past, the selection of ethically sourced engagement rings was slim and did not appeal to the everyday bride. But thankfully, many jewelry companies have taken the challenge to create beautiful pieces that are made with care and compassion. The Good Trade has compiled a list of 12 jewelers that produce stunning engagement pieces that brides can feel confident investing in.

2. Ethically Sourced Wedding Dresses

It is no secret that the wedding dress industry is chalk full of stunning gowns that will please most any bride. The choices are endless. But at what expense, or whose? Thanks to fast fashion there are distributors and retailers with the resources to create bridal gowns that keep up with the trends of every season, but the manufacturing morals are an ugly sight to behold. To avoid sewing into a designer who relies on unsafe working environments and paying deplorable wages to their employees, make the choice to select your wedding dress from a mindful designer whose vision is to design gorgeous gowns while doing their part to positively impact the world. Visit The Good Trade to find an extensive list of reputable designers.

3. Donate Remaining Food

In the past few years, many catering companies have stepped up their game in regards to serving local and sustainable options for events. Doing this boosts local economy as well as cuts down on a company’s carbon footprint. Today, it is important to continue to take conscious steps in the direction of the well-being of others and our Earth. Brides, choose a caterer that will honor your decision to have leftover food donated to local halfway houses or homeless shelters. We are pleased to say that this is an active practice that our exclusive in-house caterer, Crushed Ice Catering, participates in. For Louisville locals looking to incorporate this into their own wedding, Wayside Christian Mission, The Healing Place, and many other non-profits will gratefully accept food donations from your events.

4. Donate Wedding Day Blooms

Much consideration goes into choosing bouquets and floral centerpieces to give a personal touch to a couple’s wedding day, but when the last guest leaves those botanic beauties most likely to be tossed to the trash with plenty of life in their petals. Instead of letting those blossoms go to waste, consider donating your florals to a local assisted living center or nursing home. Many of these centers are thrilled to accept your donations and share them with their residents to brighten their day. Arrangements to donate can be made personally by you and your future spouse, or you can coordinate with locally run The Flower Buds to bring joy to someone’s day.

5. Gifts that Give Back

Naturally you will want to give a token of thanks to your bridal party and wedding guests, and giving the gift that keeps on giving has never been easier. If you and your soon-to-be spouse would rather bypass the tradition of receiving gifts from your guest The Good Beginning is the wedding registry for you. Instead of making the difficult choice between gifting an elegant wine decanter or statement making vase, guest will make donations to charities selected by you and your partner. Likewise, the gesture can be reflected and guest can receive a certificate of a donation made in their name as a wedding favor. Lastly, if the idea of letting guest leave without a token to remember your day by is unbearable, purchase a favor that empowers. For those local to Louisville, purchasing take away treats for your guest from Scarlet’s Bakery not only satisfies a guest sweet tooth but supports a non-profit which pours 100% of their proceeds back into their community.

Making the most of your wedding day means more than choosing the perfect dress and most beautiful bouquet, it means making socially conscious planning decisions that will beautify both your wedding day and the world around you.

Happy planning!

Morgan Blake

Brunch Weddings

August 15, 2016 by icehouse Leave a Comment

Are you a brunch lover? That’s a silly thing to ask because everybody loves brunch. Now here’s a real question: Do you think you’d have a brunch wedding? You may be thinking “no” right away, but I bet by the end of this week’s post you’ll be considering it for your Louisville Wedding!

Before I go into specifics, let me give you a general run-down about why brunch weddings are the best.

First off, hosting in the early hours of the day means that the heat hasn’t hit just yet. This gives you a few extra hours not having to worry about sweating off your fresh makeup and being able to enjoy being outside a bit longer.
You can also host on a Saturday or Sunday and many venues, like The Ice House, offer discounts for booking on a Sunday since it’s less popular. That means less money spent on your part. Plus, we have an awesome rooftop garden that would be perfect for a brunch reception!
Speaking of saving money, brunch events also tend to lean more on the casual side. This means the decor can be playful and even your dress, groomsmen suits, and bridesmaids dresses can match the event and keep it a little less formal. Your menu can also be on the lighter side, and there’s no need to pay for an expensive lighting package or a full bar!

Let’s break it down a little more:

DRINKS

Like I said, we don’t need a full bar at 10AM, but it’s nice to have a little somethin’ for your guests to sip on. I’m sure you already know what I’m talking about too- Mimosas. Ahhhhh yes, everyone loves a little bubbly in their OJ! But have you thought about a mimosa bar? Grab your favorite varieties of juice, put out some bowls of fresh fruit and let the guests be their own bartender. The combinations are endless and make for a fun and refreshing morning drink.

If mimosas aren’t your thing (Gasp!) then maybe you’d like to try a Bloody Mary bar. Have your bartender serve up spicy or sweet Bloody Marys and have your guests load up a skewer of their favorites! Pickles, bacon, celery, peppers, spices and more, are sure to add a fun twist to a morning cocktail.

Get creative with your drinks! — Bloody Mary and Mimosa Bars are Perfect for Brunch

As a former Barista, there’s one beverage that a brunch wedding would not be complete without: Coffee. Not only is it a “thank you” for those guests who struggled to put themselves together this early for you, but it’s an excuse to create the most adorable coffee bar or cart. Serve a cup to your friends and family as they walk in to the ceremony and keep it going throughout the reception. Personalize cardboard cup and/or sleeves to add a fun touch, and a fancy mocha will keep those under-agers happy even though they can’t have a mimosa.

Coffee bars are a MUST for brunch. — Keep those early risers happy with a special coffee bar.

FOOD

Your Food choices also offer you a chance for you to stray from the ordinary. Find a caterer like Crushed Ice Catering that has an awesome breakfast menu and go to town. Omelets, frittata, muffins, quiche, waffles (yes please!), fresh fruit. I could go on forever with all of the awesome options.

Even though “brunch” and “cake” aren’t usually two words we put together, having a small cake for your dessert can still be a great idea. Ditch the heavy icing and 5-tiers and try something simple and sweet like a naked cake. Many bakers are trying these lately and they are really a beautiful and delicious way to keep with tradition. You can even pair your small cake with donuts or pastries to stick with the morning theme.

Try a waffle cake for something unexpected and delicious! — Feeling like you want to try something new? How about a waffle cake!

RECEPTION

Receptions during the day may not require the same “entertainment” as an evening affair. A band or a DJ could be a great idea as far as music goes, but chances are, grandma isn’t going to want to cut a rug on the dance floor at 11am. This is a great time to socialize and have some yard games out for guests to just enjoy their time with their family and friends. Cornhole, ladder golf, giant Jenga, and even board games will be sure to make everyone feel like a kid again and have fun celebrating with you.

Personalize your Corn Hole Boards! — Add a personal touch to your reception activities.

DECOR

This may be my favorite point of all. Your decor can be simple yet make an impact at the same time. Focus on plants and pops of color instead of lighting and candles. Paper garland or bunting banners look so cute and bring more color and height. Your buffets or stations are bound to be delicious so play up how good they look set up! Chalk signs, menu tags and greenery will make them stand out and look as beautiful as they are yummy.

Love you a Brunch! — Chalk walls and menu tags look awesome on your buffet set up.

Liking the idea but still feeling that a brunch wedding isn’t for you? Take these ideas and pass them along to your family or bridal party and turn them into a shower or day-after party for a smaller crowd. You can’t go wrong with brunch!

Cheers,

Madeleine

The 2020 Catering + Event Trend Report for the 502

Styled for Romance: An In Depth Look into our Winter Styled Shoot