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Occasions Caterers
Elevating events with exquisite cuisine and impeccable service in Washington, DC.
4.8(5 reviews)
$$$
Business
catering
event-planning-and-services
Tailored culinary creations with options for dietary restrictions, including vegan and gluten-free, inspired by client themes.
Comprehensive catering for weddings, corporate events, and social gatherings with professional staff and seamless execution.
Provision of chairs, linens, plates, cutlery, and other event essentials with customizable options.
Artisanal cakes and dessert offerings, such as cinnamon, carrot, and chocolate layers, to complement celebrations.
Collaborative planning with dedicated reps for detail-oriented coordination from proposal to day-of service.
Reliable and high-quality catering for business events, educational sessions, and professional gatherings.
Elevating events with exquisite cuisine and impeccable service in Washington, DC.
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Occasions Caterers is a premier full-service catering company based in Washington, DC, specializing in creating unforgettable culinary experiences for weddings, corporate events, and social gatherings. With a 4.5-star rating from 89 reviews, we pride ourselves on our attention to detail, customizable menus, and professional staff. From inspired themed menus to seamless event execution, we work closely with clients to bring their vision to life, offering everything from gourmet entrees to rentals and cake services. Trusted by local businesses and couples alike, we deliver exceptional food and service that leaves a lasting impression.
I’ve worked with Occasions and Sydney on countless corporate events over the years, so when it came time to choose a caterer for my wedding, it was a no-brainer. They are literally the best. Sydney was incredible to work with — organized, responsive, and completely on top of every detail. The food was phenomenal, as always, and among the rest of their amazing offerings, our guests are still talking about how good everything was. Whether it’s a professional event or a personal celebration, Occasions consistently delivers. I can’t recommend them — or Sydney — highly enough.
After reviewing proposals from several catering companies, we ultimately chose Occasions and we are so glad we did. From the very beginning, their team stood out for their professionalism, attention to detail, and exceptional service. We especially want to thank Napheissa, who was truly wonderful to work with. She took the time to understand our vision, listened carefully to our preferences, and worked closely with us to ensure everything was exactly what we hoped for. Her responsiveness, warmth, and expertise made the planning process smooth and enjoyable. And the food - absolutely amazing. We received so many compliments from guests, many of whom told us it was the best food they’d ever had at a wedding. Every dish was beautifully presented and full of flavor. We’re so grateful to the Occasions team for helping create such a memorable and delicious experience. Highly recommend to anyone looking for thoughtful service and top-tier catering.
Food and Service: 5/5 Pricing and Transparency: 2/5 Communication: 3/5 My partner and I had a wonderful wedding celebration of about 150 folks at the MLK, Jr. Library in Washington, DC in late October 2023. When we learned that the Library uses Occasions as their exclusive caterer, we had some reservations. But our wedding planner reassured us that Occasions is a great catering option. In many ways, she was right. I'll start with the positives: -- Our Occasions rep, Sidney, provided a wonderful, detailed proposal with three pre-made menu options and lots of additional options. She worked with us to mix-and-match to accommodate folks with various dietary restrictions, including vegans and gluten-free folks. -- The tasting was exquisite. We brought loved ones and had a great time. Even the options we didn't choose were wonderful. -- Rentals -- including chairs, linens, plates, and cutlery -- were all beautiful, extremely customizable, and fairly reasonable. -- On our wedding day, the food was outstanding. We got so many compliments on the salad (gathered with sesame-crusted chevre), entrees (1. Statler chicken breast; 2. branzino w/ gnocchi; and 3. sweet potato pave w/ mole verde), and cake (layers of cinnamon, carrot, and chocolate). -- The service staff who worked the dinner were outstanding. They were extraordinarily friendly and organized, and entire tables were served simultaneously. But we also had some extremely frustrating experiences with Occasions. Most significantly, Occasions played some questionable last-minute games regarding price. After we received our proposal, we took a couple of steps to bring down the price: -- We mixed and matched from three different menus. We were told that choosing options from the less expensive premade menus would cause the total cost to decrease, so we chose many options from the two less-expensive menus. -- Likewise, between the proposal and the final bill, we reduced the total number of guests by 25, meaning Occasions (by its own accounting) had to send less waitstaff and would need to provide 25 fewer meals. Yet, inexplicably, the price Occasions ultimately charged us to feed 150 was *higher* than even the most expensive menu option in the proposal for 175. And it wasn't just a little more expensive than it should have been -- the difference was between $5,000 and $8,000, or more than a 10% swing in our total catering budget. Unfortunately, my partner and I didn't learn about this price gouging until the week of our wedding. When we asked for an explanation, we were given none (though Sidney reminded us that we were expected to make a full payment in advance). We paid the unexplained difference because we felt like we had no other choice. To be clear: The actual catering experience we had on our wedding day was exquisite. The food was outstanding. The service was incredible. And we couldn't have been happier. But it was soured a little bit by feeling cheated, without explanation, on cost. In sum, if you are considering Occasions for your wedding or event, know that you're going to get excellent food and service but be prepared to advocate for yourself. If price is no obstacle, full speed ahead! If you are conscious of what you're spending, demand price transparency and make them explain when costs start to inexplicable shift. Thanks, Occasions, for making our special day great. But it'd have been nice to pay what you said we would.
I work for a local jeweler, we often host events for our clients, Occasions is always my first call when planning an event however this past time truly blew me away. Most recently we hosted an educational event for Montana Sapphires, Allison did serious research when developing the menu for this event to ensure that everything was inspired by sapphires and gems, and just look at the pics! Stunning! Their team is always beyond just reliable and Lupe, the captain for our event, is a huge asset as she is so detail and service oriented, once they arrived it was a turn-key operation. I always look forward to my next call to Occasions!
We have worked with Occasions on numerous events and love having them here at Fathom Gallery! From corporate to social, they execute all types of events perfectly. Past clients that have used Occasions for their events have been very satisfied with both the food and the service. We have loved working with them over the years at both of our locations and always recommend them!
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