SBB Gourmet Catering has worked with Armando Martinez of Alegria By Design for many years on many amazing events. From a beautiful wedding day to an incredible corporate dinner, Armondo is simply an astounding local event planner.

Below is an interview we recently conducted with Armondo regarding his approach to assembling the perfect event. SBBGC is also looking forward to participating in the local Wedding Courtier Fair, which is the brain child of Armando’s. The Courtier Fair will be taking place on March 27, 2010 at the University Club from 2:00 to 6:00.

For more information on Armondo’s event planning services with Alegria By Design, or for more information on the Courtier Fair, you can search his website or use the following information to contact him directly:
www.alegriabydesign.com
armando@alegriabydesign.com
805.452.0450

All the Best ~ SBBGC

(SBBGC) How long have you been in this business?

I established Alegria by Design in 2001.
 

(SBBGC) How did you get your start?

I have a background in retail store design, visual direction, retail branding, photo shoot styling and project management. After taking some time off to reflect on what in life makes me happy, I created Alegria. Alegria reflects my personal dedication to beauty, style, cultural diversity and most importantly, happiness.
 

(SBBGC) What are the most important things that an event planner provides to a client?

I believe that having professional assistance is a wedding gift a bride and grooms give to themselves. From the day planning begins, through the final dance, I want my clients to relax and enjoy the experience. Designing an environment, developing and managing a budget, collecting vendor recommendations and interviewing vendors, not to mention coordinating the wedding day, can be a daunting task. For me, it all comes down to celebrating what matters most in our lives. I feel lucky to be a part of making memories.
 

(SBBGC) What sets a good event planner above the rest?

I begin by working with each couple to determine their dreams for the day: how they want the event to look and feel, what they want guests to remember, and how they envision the day unfolding. The most important thing for couples is to work with people they trust and enjoy, who can help them articulate exactly what they want from their wedding day. From there, all the other decisions come together so much more easily.
 

(SBBGC) What are some of this year’s trends in events and weddings

”Design with precision” and a trend to the “updated Classic” is what I’m experiencing. Excess and unnecessarily overly layered décor has been replaced with impactful placement, functional furniture and more personalization than ever! Soulful events that reflect personal style and tell a story or send a message transform a party to an event!
 

(SBBGC) What do you look for in a good food caterer?

I look for creativity in a caterer. Creating a menu that not only looks beautiful but tastes amazing, requires an innate artistry.
 

(SBBGC) What was your experience working with SBB Gourmet Catering

I refer SBB Gourmet Catering to my clients because I trust and have tremendous confidence in them. SBB Gourmet Catering offers excellent service, years of experience and incredible food at a great price! My reputation is everything and who I refer my clients to is critical. This is a tremendous and highly professional Santa Barbara catering company and to top it off, they are a lot of fun and joy to work with.
 

Armando Martinez
Alegria By Design
www.alegriabydesign.com
armando@alegriabydesign.com
805.452.0450

We often receive rave reviews of our work that we like to share on the weblog. The following is an unedited testimonial from one of our very satisfied customers.

Ode to SBB Gourmet Catering

We honestly can’t say enough about our experience with SBB Gourmet Catering. We are a couple who take our food VERY seriously, and our friends and family feel the exact same way. So picking our caterer and our menu for our wedding was one of the most important decisions to make once we started planning the event. And WOW – did we make the right decision. Sidney just got us - and the feeling we were trying to create for our wedding - right off the bat, which made the whole process nothing but pure, unadulterated FUN. And the food… Oh, the food!!! Everything was hot, fresh, beautifully prepared, and INCREDIBLY delicious. We were amazed and overwhelmed at the quality of the food – it felt like we were dining at a four-star restaurant, instead of at an outdoor buffet on a VERY cold night.

SBB Gourmet Catering exceeded all of our expectations, and helped make our wedding more special than we could have imagined. From the food to the staff — who were as just amazing as the cuisine — we could not have asked for a better experience. Or better food, for that matter! And our guests are still talking about how good the food was, two months after the wedding!

So thank you to Sidney and everyone at SBB Gourmet Catering – we hope to dine with you again soon!

We often receive rave reviews of our work that we like to share on the weblog. The following is an unedited testimonial from one of our very satisfied customers.

“It is not easy planning a wedding from 3,000 miles away which is exactly what we did when we hired Sidney from SBB Gourmet, to cater our affair at the Figueroa Mountain Farmhouse in Los Olivos, Ca. The food was exquisite, perfectly seasoned, from fabulous hors d’oeuvres, to spectacular main courses, to homemade guacamole and chips. Their rib-eye steak was incredible, just perfectly grilled on the huge outdoor barbeque, along with cedar plank salmon and wonderful side dishes - not to mention vegan and vegetarian options we which we requested.

The months leading up to our event were filled with phone conversations, proposals, emails, and constant contact between our New York based family and Sidney and Bia, the catering managers. All questions were met with courteous, quick responses, and respect for my budget.

We had Sidney and Bia oversee the rentals and lighting, which was a great decision on our part because we felt we wanted only one vendor to contact, as opposed to several. They kept me in the loop at every turn.

My experience with SBB Gourmet was unparalleled. Perfectly executed catering, wonderful people, and fairly priced.”

Daveen and Gary Dean
Plainview, NY

We approach each client individually as all of you have your own individual needs and desires as well as budgets. Sometimes it takes some time to “break the ice” when we start a relationship with a new client or engage with a previous client. Getting to know you is one thing and perhaps the most enjoyable part of our business. But getting to the important issues associated with your specific event is critical and we can’t leave any stone unturned in this process. To save time, we have prepared a list of questions that we have learned through the years to be very important in establishing the framework of our relationship with our clients as well as bringing clarity to the planning process. Getting these issues behind us at the early stages can free up time for us to build relationships with you, our friend and client, as well as trust in our skills and professionalism. The end result will be a worry-free event where you can enjoy the celebration and your guests.

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