Pig Roast Wedding, Photo by Katherine O'Brien

We are just in love with these photos by Katherine O’Brien that were taken at Mercury Hall a couple of months ago.  The couple wanted a casual pig roast, and we certainly delivered!  The father of the bride even made a custom pig carving board and signed it for the couple.

Grilled Tomato and Blue Cheese Flatbread, Photo by Katherine O'Brien

On the menu:
Mini Corn Cakes with Mole and Chives
Grilled Tomato and Blue Cheese Flatbread
Wild Boar Tataki with Arugula
Whole Roasted Pig
Ancho Chile Sauce
Pineapple Jicama Slaw
Pork Belly Braised Kale
Green Chile Mac and Cheese
Smores Bar with Mini Smores Pops

Click on the link below and see all of the pictures on Katherine’s blog.

http://katherineophoto.blogspot.com/2011/11/kristin-scotts-mercury-hall-wedding.html

We are so honored to have recently been named “Best Caterer of 2011″ in the Texas Hill Country region by Texas Meetings and Events Magazine! Thank you so much to those who nominated and voted for us.

Some of our other friends who won in their categories are:

Best Rental Service Provider: Premiere Party Central
Best Meeting/Event Planning Company: Leave the Details to Me
Best Rental Service Provider, Gulf Coast: Intelligent Lighting Design

Congrats to all of the nominees and winners!

We are thrilled to be featured on Tribeza Magazine’s blog today! Thanks so much to wedding columnist, Carol Shih, for seeking us out to do a “behind the scenes” article! Carol shadowed us at a wedding we catered at the Texas Federation of Women’s Clubs Mansion a couple of weeks ago. It was such a fun night for the couple, Laura and Garson and we were grateful to be a part of it. Here is a link to the article so you can see a little bit of the fun we have working behind the scenes!

http://tribeza.com/myblog/behind-scenes-caterer%E2%80%99s-view-wedding

Join us at Hummingbird House next Wednesday, June 15th from 5pm to 8pm for an open house featuring some of Austin’s best event professionals!  Some featured vendors include:

Royal Fig Catering
Pearl Events
Premiere Party Central
Eric Hegwer Photography
Stardust Pastry
Dragonfly Designs
Bouquets of Austin
Lucky 13 Bar Chefs
and many more!

If you are looking for a wedding venue or would like to check out a variety of vendors, this is a great place to do it!  Appetizers and cocktails will be served so come ready to have some fun!  Check out all of the information below.  Hope to see you there!

Now that the holidays are over, we are starting to plan for SXSW!  If you are hosting a SXSW event and need some yummy locally sourced goodies, give us a call!  Here’s what we’ve got…

To all of our clients, past and potential clients, vendors, industry partners and friends – here’s wishing you and your families a wonderful holiday season! Thank you for your support over this past year. We are so grateful to be surrounded by kind, loving and inspiring people everyday. You make what we do incredibly rewarding and we look forward to another fruitful year in 2011!

Royal Fig will be closed December 24th through January 2nd so we can spend time with our family and friends. If you’d like to drop us an email, we are happy to be in touch when we return on January 3rd.

Happy holidays to everyone from the Royal Fig Family!

Now that the weather is cooling off and the days are getting shorter, we decided to look back to this summer and get a little warmth and inspiration from some past events.  On July 10th, Royal Fig had a big role in the wedding day of Carmel Richards and Todd Sanders at Mercury Hall.  We always love working at this charming, sun and color-drenched venue.  And the complementing shades of ivory and taupe with bursts of bright summer pink selected by the bride set the mood for the day.  To continue the lively pink pattern, the couple chose to start the cocktail hour with bright and fresh Prickly Pear Margaritas, and a Watermelon Gazpacho Shooter.

Photo by AJH Photography

Photo by AJH Photography

The food was a focal point throughout the event, and Carmel and Todd selected a diverse blend of entrees for their dinner guests.  On the family-style menu:

Poached Turbot with Olive Tapenade
Roasted Tomatoes with Artichoke, Gruyere, and Breadcrumbs
Broccolini with Almonds and Brown Butter
Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Peaches
Creole Mustard Mashed Potatoes
Sirloin Burgers with Truffle Butter and Duck Fat Fries with Herbed Mayonnaise and Ketchup

Photo by AJH Photography

Photo by AJH Photography

Photo by AJH Photography

Photo by AJH Photography

Photo by AJH Photography

After dinner, the guests were served a cool Prosecco Gelee with Fresh Berries and Mixed Berry Puree while the couple took a break to dance the Foxtrot to Frank Sinatra.

Photo by AJH Photography

Photo by AJH Photography

The entire early-afternoon reception captured the heart of carefree summer fun.   It was a memorable day at Mercury Hall for Royal Fig, and most certainly a perfect day for Carmel and Todd.  Congratulations to them as they approach their 5 month anniversary, and may we all look back and remember the warmth and love radiated on this day!

Photo by AJH Photography

Thank you so much to Carmel and Todd for leaving us this wonderful review on Wedding Wire:

“Royal Fig catered our wedding on July 10 at Mercury Hall. They were amazing! From start to finish, we received great care and professionalism in planning and carrying out the menu and event details.

Kristen Stacy helped us choose a gourmet, family-style feast. Our menu included watermelon gazpacho with mixed green salad and feta, pork tenderloin and peaches, poached turbo with olive tapenade, sirloin burgers with truffle butter and duck fat fries, sage brown butter broccolini, creole mustard mashed potatoes, roasted tomatoes with artichokes and gruyere, corn bread, popovers, and champagne gelee with berries for dessert. The prickly pear margaritas were extremely popular. Some guests told me it was the best margarita they have ever had, and I definitely agree. We also had a kids menu of macaroni and cheese, chicken tenders and fruit.

Really, the options for a great menu are endless with Royal Fig. They have an extensive menu and will create or customize any dishes to your liking. The champagne gelee was an item Dan Stacy customized for us based on some of the ideas we stated during our first consult with Kristen. Every single item on the wedding day tasted incredible and looked beautiful. Dan is an extremely talented chef. Weeks after the wedding, people were telling me the food was not only the best “wedding food” they ever had, but maybe one of the best meals they ever tasted.

I’ve never planned a wedding before, so I didn’t see the need in hiring a wedding coordinator. If you use Royal Fig, you won’t need to! Their intern, Natalie Osborne, helped me with everything from linens, room arrangements and the ever-important wedding timeline. All of the little details I never thought of doing were under control. They took care of the rentals as well.

When we walked into the reception, Kristen greeted us with glasses of champagne in our toasting glasses we wanted to use for the reception. She kept things rolling right on time, and consulted us as needed if anything needed to be adjusted.

I would be remiss if I did not state what a great value Royal Fig was for us. I shopped around and got quotes from other caterers before visiting Royal Fig. I was shocked at the prices being charged for “appetizer only” meals or cheap buffet chicken dinners. Their cost compared to the gourmet dinner Royal Fig offered was insulting. Royal Fig has a great al a carte system, so we could choose what we wanted, such as appetizers, entrees, side dishes, beverages, linens, china, cake cutting service, set up, waitstaff, bartenders, etc. Everything was itemized and flexible. They even have very casual menu options, too, if you are looking for a more low key affair.

If you want people to talk about how great your wedding was for a long time to come, then Royal Fig is the answer. Thank you, Royal Fig, for a stress free, memorable wedding. You really made the day!”

Carmel and Todd’s Vendors:
Catering and Coordination: Royal Fig Catering
Venue: Mercury Hall
Linens: BBJ Linen
Rentals: Premiere Party Central
Cake: Sweetish Hill Bakery
Dinner Music Musician: Thomas Hughes
DJ: Dylan Jones
Photography: AJH Photography
Florist: Westbank Floral Market

In August of this year,Camp Lucy opened for its first wedding, and Royal Fig Catering was there to be a part of the magic.  Camp Lucy is a stunning new wedding venue located in the hill country of Dripping Springs.  It is an inspired blend of Asian and American architecture and influences, and owner Whit Hanks has created multiple gorgeous backdrops for both indoor and outdoor weddings alike.

The first wedding here was on August 14, 2010 between Robin Bagley and Andrew Logan.  Due to the Texas summer heat, the couple opted for an early morning ceremony under the trees.  The lawn was lush and green, and was converted to a croquet field following the ceremony.

photo by Jenny DeMarco

photo by Jenny DeMarco

After the ceremony, the reception was held in the main pavilion with an incredible brunch feast including:

Eggs Benedict on Homemade Biscuits
Artichoke, Bacon, and Brie Quiche
Crème Brulee French Toast
Tomato Caprese Salad

We also created several unique touches to display foods, like an elaborate Cheese and Antipasti display, and a tower of Handmade Cinnamon Buns on sticks.  At the bar the couple had custom fresh Mimosas and Bloody Marys with our housemade pickled vegetables.

photo by Jenny DeMarco

photo by Jenny DeMarco

photo by Jenny DeMarco

photo by Jenny DeMarco

photo by Jenny DeMarco

photo by Jenny DeMarco

photo by Jenny DeMarco

photo by Jenny DeMarco

For more information on Camp Lucy visit their website at www.camplucy.com. Thanks to Jenny DeMarco for all of the gorgeous pictures!

Vendors:
Catering – Royal Fig Catering
Coordination – Alicia Anderson, Love Punk Events
Floral – Love Punk Events
Rentals – Dripping Springs Party Rental
Photography - Jenny DeMarco Photography
Cake – Nothing Bundt Cakes
Music - Continental Graffiti

We have catered several weddings at the Texas Federation of Women’s Club Mansion this fall, and we’ve loved every one of them. However, the wedding of Kristin and Nik was one of my favorites because of the amazing teamwork we experienced with all of the vendors and the INCREDIBLE couple and family.  Barbara Hearne from Barbara’s Brides, was the ringleader who pulled everyone together in perfect harmony!  Thank you Barbara for yet another successful event!

The meal for this wedding of almost 200 guests was served FAMILY STYLE with a first course plated salad.  This is another example of why family style service is such a great way to go for any size event.  We served the guests in less than 30 minutes, where it would have taken that many guests at least 45 minutes to go through a buffet.  The menu consisted of:

Cocktail Hour Appetizers
Dip Bar with Salsa Roja, Spinach Dip, Pumpkin Hummus, Port Wine Cheese Spread and Wasabi Guacamole
Mini Mac and Cheese Bites
Crab Cakes with Ancho Paint and Microgreens

Family Style Dinner
Plated Green Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
Orecchiette Pasta with Butternut Squash and Roasted Root Veg in White Wine Cream Sauce
NY Strip Steak with Bacon Horseradish Puree
Cider Brined Pork Tenderloin with Sunchoke Creamed Spinach
Roasted Acorn Squash with Brown Sugar
Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Homemade Sourdough Bread

Late Night Snack
Fresh Fried Doughnut Holes with Lemon Curd and Chocolate Ganache
Milk Shots

Orecchiette Pasta with Butternut Squash and White Wine Cream Sauce

Family Style Dinner Service

Not only is Family Style dinner service convenient for the guests, it promotes conversation at the table.

Fresh Fried Doughnut Holes with Milk Shot

The Signature Cocktail - Grape Margarita

Here are some more of our favorite shots from Shannon Cunningham Photography and her second shooter, Tali Wildman:

Cake by Michelle's Patisserie

Floral by Bouquets of Austin, Linen by BBJ Linen

Menu table tents

More of the Fried Doughnut Holes! These made the perfect late night snack!

You can't have doughnuts without milk!

The bride put together a purple themed candy bar and it was beautifully executed by Barbara Hearne's team.

A beautiful ballroom shot with lighting by FILO

We just loved getting to know this sweet couple! Congrats Kristin and Nik!

The Texas Federation Mansion is a gorgeous setting for a wedding at anytime of year!

To top it all off, we received this wonderful 5 star review on Wedding Wire from the Mother of the Groom:

“Our heartfelt gratitude for a job well done at our son’s recent wedding reception. The food you prepared was delicious beyond compare, from the cocktail hour and dinner meal to the “special treat” doughnut holes with their oh-so-good sauces toward the end of the evening. You and your staff are to be commended on your fine service and attention to detail.”

Thanks to all involved with this special wedding and congratulations to Kristin and Nik!

Vendors:
Catering: Royal Fig Catering of course!
Reception: Texas Federation of Women’s Clubs Mansion
Dress: Blush Bridal Lounge
Photography: Shannon Cunningham Photography
Second Shooter: Tali Wildman
Coordinator: Barbara’s Brides
Floral: Bouquets of Austin
Cake: Michelle’s Patisserie
Lighting: FILO
DJ: Stafford from Complete Music
Linen: BBJ Linens
Rentals: Premiere Party Central

Chocolate Cherry Walnut Brownies by Stardust Pastry; Photo by Sasha Haagensen, Rojo Pictures

The holidays are around the corner, so that means HOLIDAY PARTIES!  Together with Stardust Pastry and Eric Hegwer Photography, we’ve created 3 great holiday packages that are designed to make your planning easy!

Add Eric Hegwer Photography to any of the packages below for $60/hr!

Cocktail Package —$15/pp
Includes Server(s), Bartender, BYOB Bar Package, and Choice of FOUR (4) Passed Appetizers from the list below.

BYOB Bar Package—You purchase the alcohol, we provide the rest!
Includes ice, bar equipment, bar tables, black linens, and acrylic cups. coke, diet coke, sprite, bottled water, and any mixers/garnishes needed from the following list: club soda, cranberry juice, pineapple juice, orange juice, grenadine, bitters, sweet and sour mix, tonic, lemons, limes, oranges, mint, cherries, and olives.

Passed Appetizer Choices (Desserts by Stardust Pastry)
Lobster Cappuccino
Braised Short Ribs with Polenta
Grilled Flank Steak with Shiner Onions
Medjool Dates with Bacon and Almonds
Chorizo in Red Wine with Arugula
Duck Rillette with Red Currant Sauce
Bourbon Sweet Potato Tarts
Brie with Apple Chutney on Croistini
Crab Cakes with Ancho Chile Paint
Shitake and Black Truffle Soup Shooter
Celery Root and White Chocolate Soup Shooter
Chocolate Raspberry Tartlette
Almond, Spiced Pear Caramel Tartlette
Brown Butter Macadamia Nut Financier (soft cookie)
Caramel Spice Cupcake
Chocolate Cherry Walnut Brownies
Panetone (Italian Christmas Bread +$1/pp)
Rum Savarin (Rum Soaked Butter Bread)
Pineapple Almond Cheese Cake (+$1/pp)
Assortment of Macaroons – Chocolate, Pistachio, Raspberry, White Chocolate, Hazelnut
Mascarpone Mousse Shots with Caramelized Pumpkin

Heavy Hors D’oeuvres Package —$24/pp
Includes Server(s), Bartender, BYOB Bar Package, and Choice of EIGHT (8) Passed Appetizers from the list above.

Holiday Dinner Package—$36.50/pp
Includes Server(s), Bartender, BYOB Bar Package, and Choice of ONE (1) Carving Station and THREE (3) Sides from the list below.

Carving Station Choices:
Smoked Prime Rib
Dr Pepper Glazed Ham
Truffle Roasted Chicken
Cider Brined Turkey Breast

Sides Choices:
Gruyere Scalloped Potato
Creole Mustard Mashed Potato
White Cheddar Polenta
Honey and Rosemary Carrots
Sunchoke Creamed Spinach
Braised Kale with Bacon
Gorgonzola Roasted Mushroom and Onions