Michaelis Events & Catering offers comprehensive event services including catering, bar services, event management, floral and decor, event rentals, and destination management. We cater to various events such as weddings, corporate functions, private parties, and non-profit events.
We recommend booking as early as possible, especially for peak seasons (6-12 months in advance) to ensure availability. For other events, please contact us to discuss availability.
No, we do not have guest minimums or minimum spends for special event catering. We can customize any menu to suit your event, regardless of size.
Absolutely! Our chefs are experts at accommodating food allergies and dietary restrictions. Please inform your Event Coordinator about any specific needs.
Yes, we have a full-service rental division that can provide tables, chairs, tents, tablecloths, and more. We offer a variety of options to suit your event’s style.
All of our deposits are non-refundable. Our cancellation policies are clearly outlined in our contracts. Depending on how far out you cancel your event before the date, a sliding scale of fees will be assessed.
We primarily serve Louisville, Lexington, Bardstown, and Southern Indiana, but are happy to discuss catering options for events in other parts of Kentucky and surrounding areas.
Yes, we deliver for any group that places an order for 20 or more people. Delivery fees will vary based upon event date, location, and event size.
Yes, we offer private tastings by appointment. This allows you to sample exactly what you’ll have on your special day and discuss any adjustments with our team.
We cater various events, including weddings, corporate functions, private parties, and non-profit events. Our team can handle events of various sizes and styles.
To reserve a date, we require a 20% deposit on the catering, bar, and rental bill (if applicable), along with a signed contract.
Absolutely! We provide professional on-site staff to ensure your event runs smoothly.
That depends on the size of the order. For drop-off service, we typically require 72 hours’ notice. For larger events, we ask for as much notice as possible.
For a box lunch or corporate catering order, we typically require a final guest count 48 hours prior to the event. For special event catering, we require a final count one to two weeks prior to the event.
Yes, we provide comprehensive bar services. We have the necessary liquor liability insurance and can customize drink options for your event.
If you are ordering off our Box Lunch Menu or Corporate Catering Menu, we provide any necessary plateware, eating utensils, serving utensils, and napkins. We can provide cups, ice, drinks, tablecloths, chafing dishes, and sterno upon request.
Yes, we provide licensed bartenders for events where alcohol is served.
We will do our best to accommodate last-minute menu changes, depending on availability.
Yes, we can customize menus to fit the theme and preferences of your private event.
Our pricing varies based on the type of event, menu selection, and services required. We’re happy to provide a custom quote for your specific event.
*Prices are always subject to change. Below is a general guideline of what typical wedding pricing would look like. That depends. From a budgetary standpoint, everyone seems to define “catering budget” differently.
Different caterers tend to include different services, equipment, and “catering items” from their competitors, which can make budgeting very confusing. Click here to see a sample contract for a Wedding.
We, at Michaelis Events, tend to include the following items in our “catering contracts”. However, we can add/remove items as needed based on the client’s needs.
1. Service Staff – our “service staff” always includes two hours of event set up and one hour of clean up. (See below for “Service Responsibilities” for further explanation on what our servers are responsible for on-site events) Our typical server ratio is as follows:
Buffet Style Dinner: 1 server per 30 guests
Family Style Dinner: 1 server per 15 guests
Plated Meal: 1 Server per 12 guests
Service Cost – Will range depending upon service type, venue, event logistics, etc. Speak with one of our Event Specialist to get an accurate service cost quote.
2. Hors d’ Oeuvres (per client’s request). A lot of our weddings choose to have hors d’ oeuvres (or appetizers) for cocktail hour. “Cocktail hour” can be anywhere between 30 minutes to an hour for most events. This is typically right after the ceremony when the couple is taking photos. We typically recommend passed hors d’ oeuvres, because they are more cost effective, and most people think it looks nicer.
Hors d’ Oeuvres Cost – can range from $4/guest and up depending upon number and type of items selected.
3. Dinner Menu – The dinner menu is typically the highest portion of the catering bill, and therefore, is the place where you can make the most adjustments to ensure that you stay within budget. The number of offerings varies slightly depending on service style. Our recommended number of selections is below:
Buffet Style Meal: 1-3 Entrees, 2-4 Sides, Salad, Bread
Plated Meal: There are two styles of a plated meal.
– Single Plated Meal: Every guest is served the same meal (or every type of guest is served the same meal), i.e. Adults get the “adult meal”, kids get the “kids meal. Guests do not have to RSVP with this option.
– Guest Selected Meal: Guests get 2-3 options to select from and must select their meal when they RSVP to the event.
Menu Cost – Can range from $15.00/guest and up depending on food selections. Most dinner menus range between $20-$55/guest.
4. Table Linens – Most caterers do not include table cloths (or table linens) in their quotes. A lot of people will either assume these are included, when they’re not, or they will include this in their rental budget. We typically include these in our quotes. We only offer floor length linens. We also will handle putting the linens on the table for you and removing them after the event.
Table linens (floor length) – range from $16.00- $45.00 dependent upon color and fabric selections.
5. Plate ware – This is another item that a lot of caterers will not include in their pricing. Plate ware pricing can vary widely depending on type of plate ware. Below are some ballpark prices of what our items cost. However, we always allow the client the option to provide their own plate ware should they choose.
Plate ware Pricing – Clear Plastic Disposable Plate Ware – dinner plate, silver plastic fork/knife, disposable napkin – $3.99/guest
Compostable Bamboo Plate Ware – Plate, fork/knife, napkin – $6.00/guest
China Ware – Dinner Plate, Silver Fork/Knife, Water Goblet, Cloth Napkin – $7.00+/guest
6. Delivery – Delivery is a flat fee based upon the size of truck we need to haul all items to your event, along with the distance of your event from our commissary. For standard events (30 miles from our commissary) most deliveries are between $199-$499.
7. Equipment – This encompasses all of the items that we need to properly prep, store, and serve your food on-site per health code. Most clients assume that the venues provide all of the caterer’s needs, and this is rarely true. Most venues provide the caterer with a small “prep kitchen” that only includes a couple of tables and sometimes running water. For most events, we have to bring “everything but the kitchen sink” and sometimes even the kitchen sink (aka – water. We often bring in water for our events!)
This fee varies from event to event depending on guest count, venue prep space, and access to necessary equipment. Most equipment charges range from $200-$450 total.
8. Facility Fee – What is the “facility fee” or catering surcharge”? Most venues in Louisville require their caterer(s) to charge a percentage of the food and bar bill back to the client. This percentage is itemized on your contract with the caterer and paid to the caterer. However, this amount goes back to the venue in full. Most facility fees range from 10-18% on food and beverage items. Any applicable facilities fees will be listed in your venue contract, as well.
We have fabulous chefs that can not only accommodate a variety of food types and service styles, but they are also experts in making sure all guests have food they are comfortable with eating. Almost all of our events have a small group of guests that need to be catered to (pun intended!) a little more than the rest. We can easily accommodate food allergies and dietary restrictions. Just let your Event Coordinator know about any questions/concerns you may have and we’ll make sure each guest is taken care of.
In order to reserve a date with us, we require a 20% deposit on the catering, bar, and rental bill (if applicable), along with a signed copy of the contract.
Yes, we do. The number of events we take is dependent on size, location, and intricacies of the events. We will never take more events than we feel comfortable handling. Each client’s event is as important to us as our own family events are. We truly strive to make each client feel special and well taken care of throughout their event.
For catering and bar events, our staff shows up two hours prior to handle all catering and bar related set up. That typically includes:
All of our servers and bartenders are employed by our sister company, Event Staffers. What that means is that we recruit, hire, and train all of our event staffing. We never source individuals that have not been trained, drug screened, and vetted by us. We have a fantastic and well-trained team!
All our service staff wear fitted black dress pants, black chef coat (short sleeve), and black service shoes.
Absolutely! Michaelis Events has a full service rental division that can handle just your rental needs, whether you choose to use our other services or not. We have a variety of options in each rental category and we are happy to help you find the right items for your event.
Absolutely! Unlike some of our competitors, we do private tastings that are by appointment only. Why, you ask? This is to ensure that you get to try exactly what you will have on your special day and it gives us some more one-on-one time with you to make sure we can discuss any tweaks or adjustments you would like to make. We want to make sure that everything is perfect for you.
We do charge $25/person (on average) for a tasting. Tastings fees will vary depending upon what type of food you have selected for your menu. This fee covers a small portion of the cost necessary for our chef to be dedicated to your tasting, along with the food items themselves. Most tastings last 1-1.5 hours to ensure that we have the proper time to confirm all necessary details.
At a normal tasting, we will allow clients to try up to four entrees, four sides, and four hors d’ oeuvres. We only taste clients on salad and bread by request. We also do not taste clients on simple items such as fruit/vegetable/cheese displays, or other similar items.
All of our deposits are non-refundable. All of our cancellation policies are clearly outlined in our contracts that you will get to review before ever booking a date with us. Depending upon how far out you cancel your event before the date, a sliding scale of fees will be assessed.
After we receive your signed contract and deposit (and assuming you have already completed your tasting) you will not hear much from us until approximately six weeks prior to your event. Around six weeks before the event, your Project Manager will reach out to schedule your Final Details Meeting. Your final details meeting typically occurs about four weeks before your event and this is where we ask you to make all final decisions, with the exception of your final count. We will ask for final decisions on things such as:
At ME, we work in teams! We know that each person on our team cannot be an expert in every area, so depending upon the scale of your event, we may pull in different experts for different parts of your planning process. With that being said, you will have one or two main contacts for your event. For most weddings, you will begin your planning process with one of our Event Consultants. Your event consultant will help you with budgeting, menu selection, quotes, contracts, and sometimes your tasting. Your Event Consultant will also introduce you to your Project Manager when the time is right, based on the needs of your event. Most brides will meet their Project Manager at or shortly after the tasting. Your Project Manager is ultimately responsible for your event once you have booked your date with us. Your Project Manager will coordinate with other relevant vendors, conduct your Final Details Meeting, and work with you on final guest count and payment. Your Project Manager will also be the person responsible for communicating all of your event details to your staff on-site to ensure that everyone knows when and where things are supposed to happen!
Yes, we deliver for any group that places an order for 20 or more people. We do not have any set delivery hours, as we try our best to accommodate our clients. Our “typical” delivery hours are 8-6pm seven days a week. These hours do not apply to events with on-site staffing.
For drop off only events, we typically charge a 10% delivery fee. The delivery fee minimum is a minimum of $25 and a maximum of $75 within a 20 mile radius of our commissary. Additional fees may apply for longer distances or large deliveries that require more than one driver.
Yes, we have an extensive box lunch menu that offers sandwiches, wraps, and salads. You can check out our selections or place your order at the link below.
You can order a variety of ways. You can email us, call us, or place an order online through our ordering platform.
Call us: 502.243.0000
Order On-Line: Click Here
Depending upon what type of catering you are looking for, we can accommodate your special dietary requests in a variety of ways. Usually the easiest way is for us to do an individually packaged meal for the guests you need to accommodate. Please feel free to ask one of our Event Specialists about how we can make this happen for you!
Absolutely! Please ask one of our Event Specialists or request a quote on-line so that we can help to accommodate your needs.
Michaelis Events Louisville services all cities within a two hour radius of Louisville for catering related needs. Our other services, such as Event Management, Destination Management, Floral and Decor, can be utilized throughout the United States. Feel free to ask our Event Specialist about any event needs you may have.
Yes! Depending upon the scale of your event(s) we can do a “tasting” in a variety of ways. If you are doing a large scale event with a specific menu, we usually recommend that you come to our office to do an in-person tasting with our Executive Chef.
If you are looking to try options from our Box Lunch Menu or Corporate Catering Menu, we are happy to deliver a sample to your office for you to try. Please ask one of our Event Specialists for more details!
That depends on the size of the order. If you are looking for drop off service, we typically only require 72 hours notice. If you are looking to place a series of repeat orders or a large scale event, we ask for as much notice as possible.
For a box lunch Menu or Corporate Catering order, we typically require a “final guest”count 48 hours prior to the event. For special event catering, we require a final count one week prior to the event.
Michaelis Events is typically closed on Memorial Day, Labor Day, July 4th, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Years Day. Other than that, we are open every other day of the year!
Michaelis Events offers a variety of services including Event Management & Design, Catering & Bar Services, Floral, Decor, Event Rentals, and Destination Management. We work with clients on a variety of events from small groups of 20 people up to large scale events for 5,000. Reach out to us today to get more information on your event needs or just to ask a question! Click here to tell us a little more about your event!
Yes, Michaelis Events is regulated by the Health Department, and holds all necessary licenses and insurance. Michaelis Events can also provide a copy of all documents upon request to both clients and event venues. Michaelis Events also carries a liquor license in the State of Kentucky along with Liquor Liability Insurance.
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