Emerald Coast Catering

elpful and full of smiles! Can't wait to work with them again!

. Staff showed up promptly and executed the set-up and breakdown quickly. They took care of all the details so that my husband and I could enjoy our night. Pricing was fair & upfront. Highly recommend.

were super picky about out menu and ultimately chose Gary because of his wonderful paella station (we were engaged in Spain and wanted a dish for our wedding that we fell in love with while we were there). THE PAELLA WAS AMAZING. Fun to watch cook and fun to eat! We had many picky eaters who had never had it before who all raved about it. He even did a special alternative shellfish-free paella pan because my (now husband) has a shellfish allergy. We also chose to go with the Cuban station with pulled pork, beef stir fry, red beans and rice, and plantains. SO GOOD... fit us perfectly with many paleo, gluten free, and vegetarian guests at our event! We had estimated our guest count a bit high and although there were left-overs by the time the crew packed everything up, it was gone by the end of the night post-bar-hopping! We provided our own spirits but had Gary add extra bartenders to our event. The guests RAVED about the awesome bartenders and catering crew! His crew congratulated us personally and gave hugs--also stopped by a bakery and packed up our top cake layer for us to travel back home with!! We also used Emerald Coast for our event needs. We rented our ceremony chairs through them and also multiple cocktail tables, linens, and tables for our cake and dessert area. I cannot rave enough about Emerald Coast Catering! Gary and his crew went over and above for our wedding and it wouldn't be what it was without all of his help!

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in a different state. Gary took all our phone calls and answered all our questions. The day of the ceremony, while we were at the wedding, Gary and his team arrived at the reception location and started getting things ready. When we all walked in to the reception, they were ready to go!! I couldn't have asked for anything more!!

e of the tiny details that you forget when planning your own wedding and make sure you are completely stress free on the day of your wedding. So glad I choose Gary and his team to be apart of our special day! Also I'm not the person that takes the time to leave reviews, so just saying they are pretty damn good :)

stressful, but thankfully, they took care of everything and it was truly an easy and fun experience! I was able to fully enjoy our day and the reception. The food was AMAZING! The decor turned out beautifully. I wanted it to be pretty and timeless, but didn't really want to try and figure out how to bring that to fruition (design is not my strong suit). Thankfully, Jan was able to listen to me and turn my skeletal outline into a full fledged design that was breathtaking. Could not be happier!!

eed to shoulder the load for design and vendor coordination, etc. myself. Living in another state, I expected this to be challenging to say the least. Thankfully, in working closely with Jan (we used their full service option, decor, food, the works!) we were able to get everything we wanted, stay within our targeted budget and avoid the hassle of managing the decor and associated rentals ourselves. The day came together perfectly with less stress for me than I ever would have expected. The food (station style) was a crowd pleaser (some of my family members are STILL talking about it) and Chef Gary was a joy to interact with. I'm so thankful I found them and explored the option of having them handle everything. Do yourself a favor - let them handle the stress while you enjoy your day!

Gary's ability to make things run so smoothly and turn out so well (and so in line with my vision). As someone who has done events in the past, I know there are always things that don't go to plan. However, I have no idea what they were on our day because any issues were solved without my involvement and from my view everything was PERFECT! I definitely reccommend them for your full service event, you won't be disappointed!

to be, and then it all came together beautifully. The food was outstanding, the service perfect. Everyone had such a great time. Thanks so much to them making our wedding perfect.

ighly recommend Gary and his staff. My friends and family think I am a genius event planner. little do they know how easy Enerald Coast Catering made it for me!

one and email. From the delicious food, complete table/chair set up for the reception and wedding ceremony, lighting, and even clean up, everything flowed perfectly. The personnel were professional and so helpful. Jan provides the complete package. She made sure everything turned out beautifully.

she wanted the food at our wedding to be exactly what we wanted instead of maximizing their profit. The tasting we did with Gary was delicious and got us very excited for the big day! We got so many compliments on the food - everything was perfect! I also was very pleased with the staff and bar setup/bartenders. It was a wonderful and stress-free inclusion. I would highly recommend Emerald Coast for any event you have!

in the area recommended Emerald Coast Catering. It was the perfect match. The food, the decor, the reception was exactlly how I dreamed my day to be. And my guests had a great time. Thank you to all at Emerald Coast for my beautiful day.

eat - especially the appetizers!! And the set-up was lovely. The staff was fantastic at keeping our venue in a tent on the beach professionally neat and were gracious with the guests. The bartenders were really great, too!! They took care of everything - we didn't need to think twice about it. Very flexible, enthusiastic, and a great menu to work with! Would hire them again!!

chefs and staff were attentive and friendly. Thank you again for the perfect night.

! Planning was a breeze with Jan guiding us through choices of decor and and set up. The food decisions were our biggest delimma...We wanted it all but chose the low country boil which was amazing!!! No worries on the day of either! We happily followed our catering manager,Jimmy's advice, focus on fun and let the ECC staff do all the work! We highly recommend Chef Gary and company!

n ECC.....

y. They are 5 star

. The tent, giant chandelier, tablecloths were gorgeous. When we entered the reception it was magical. The staff could not have been nicer to us, our families and our guests. We didn't want the night to end. But when it did they gave us our go box which we enjoyed for the 2nd delicious meal of the day. We highly recommend Emerald Coast Catering, especially for a destination wedding as we live in the mountains of Colorado and were so very excited about our beach wedding. No worries if you hire Gary and his people. T & G

st. It was a breeze, one meeting and it was a done deal. Food was fab! Jeb is a picky eater but he loved both of our stations. Everyone ate, drank, danced and partied. I wish we could do it every year. I can still taste the food and my father stil goes on and on about the fajita station. The staff was friendly and took great care of us. All in all, we could not have chosen better than Emerald Coast Catering. Their pricing to value was extraordinary as was their food and service. I definitely recommend them to any bride. Thanks again to the staff. Lacy & Jeb

would be in good hands. They gave me tips for things that I never considered and even told us some budget saving ideas. We had a general idea of things we wanted to include in our wedding celebration such as a champagne toast, cocktail hour, photographs after the ceremony but had never planned a wedding and were afraid we would do something "wrong". Emerald Coast Catering advised us and encouraged us to create our own style and use things that really meant something to both of us throughout the reception. They knew the rental house and advised "what to do where"! They brought the furniture, setup their food and bar areas and the staff was the nicest. They told us they were there to help us celebrate and let us be guests, and they did. At the end of the night we were so busy celebrating that everyone ended up in the pool, except of course the staff! Thank you again Gary, you are the absolute best! We recommend you to everyone for a smooth sailing wedding with delicious food!!!! C&P

e happy they did. We selected the stations and our guest enjoyed the food, the service and the atmosphere. The difficulty in choosing which stations was the most difficult part of our decision making once we hired Emerald Coast Catering! We ended up with Celebrate the Sea and the Havana Stations, both delicious. Their designer reviewed our venue, a house we rented on the beach, and advised how to set up the reception. It was the perfect solution to fitting a lot of guests into a rental house. The evening was perfect. We will always remember the wonderful night and our family is still talking about how good the food was. Kudos to staff. Fondly, Natalie & Les

e through the design process and provided a sample tasting of my menu choices with me and my fiance. They also recommended some places locally for flowers and music, which made it so much easier on us. The reception area that they put together on the beach turned out so beautiful, much more than I had hoped. We had a dinner after the wedding, and so many people spoke to me about how much they loved Chef Serafin's food and how professional the staff was. Everyone had a great time and our day was absolutely perfect.

was overwhelming. But when we found Emerald Coast Catering our comfort level went way up and we were able to focus on the details of planning and the comfort of our guests. They sent us a detailed proposal and assured us we could change things as our plan evolved. Boy did we change things! They never got irritated and gave us good advice, asking questions we never thought of. Thank goodness. They even told us what not to do saving us money. Our wedding and reception were beautiful with linens I loved using purple and silver with accents on the cake table and guest book table. They recommended a great baker and several florist who we interviewed and selected one who worked well with us. The food was outstanding. We had a seated dinner after the cocktail hour and the servers were prompt and attentive. I felt as if we were in a fancy restaurant. Our family and friends are still praising the food and talking about the entire evening. I would absolutely tell any bride and groom to hire Emerald Coast Catering, as they made it a pleasure to plan our important day. Thank you to Chef Serafin and his staff for all you did to make our day so special! Jen and James

th it. After all it was once in a lifetime! We would recommend Gary to any bride and groom who want quality.

friends and also Joe and I had the night of our lives. I am more than happy to recommend them to any bride and groom. We both have jobs that keep us busy and were worried about having time to adequately choose vendors for our destination wedding, but Gary made it easy. Everyone is still talking about the food and how lively the reception was. Thank you!

se again for family events in Destin!

move on. I found Emerald Coast Catering online. Within a day of writing an e-mail, they had contacted me about the size of my wedding (40 guests) and what my ideas were. My husband and I picked the Economy Menu (with the BBQ pulled pork and chicken breast...we picked both entrees and 3 side dishes for an extra fee), which was basically just a buffet style meal. It was perfect! They showed up when they said they would...had everything ready to be served when scheduled...and the food was really good! My family is from Oklahoma and my husbands' family is from Germany and everyone thought the food was really delicious! Once everyone was done eating, the gentleman serving the food took everything in the house and put it in containers so we even had tons of leftovers! I didn't even notice he was there or had packed up! We also hired Emerald Coast Catering for a bartender service. The bartender made sure everyone had awesome drinks and full drinks all night long! They were the only vendors we hired that said, "anything you want, I'm here for you"! Emerald Coast Catering was BY FAR the least stressful part of my destination wedding. They really did such a great job and I am so happy we decided to go with them!....FYI, my wedding was 05/07/2014.

the wedding party sweet! I would be glad to recommend them to other couples.

ing through the end of the event, Emerald Coast was responsive, accommodating, and reasonable. And the food was delicious! We had a Mexican-themed event and they were able to provide delicious cuisine and margarita machines to top it off. Our guests loved the food (we could probably have doubled the amount and it would have still be finished at lighting speed!) Emerald Coast helped to start our wedding weekend off right and we are very grateful for their attentive service. We would gladly recommend them for any size event (our's was around 100 people). I hope we have the occasion in the future to use them again!

food was amazing! Everybody enjoyed the food, throughout the whole evening and the days to follow, everybody just kept talking about how amazing it was and how much food there was (there was enough for people to have thirds and then some leftover). We also had them make my Grandmothers potato salad recipe as a side dish, and they made it perfect (even ask my Grandmother). Not only was their food great but their service was awesome too! After having to deal with problems from the florist and bakery, Emerald Coast Catering proved that not every company has poor customer service. It had gotten pretty hectic before the ceremony, so it was very nice to be able to come to the reception and have them helping and serving. We also rented some items from them such as tables, chairs, lights, table cloths and more. The reception area looked beautiful and we couldn't have been more happier with it. Honestly, if anybody is planning a wedding in the Destin, FL area, I would recommend Emerald Coast Catering. They were very helpful and patient throughout the whole planning process. If you have a budget, they will try their best to stay within that budget and make any suggestions to help. Overall, Emerald Coast Catering did an excellent job helping make our special day even more special!

y Emerald Coast Catering was the most wonderful wedding that I have ever been to. I know that I am biased because it was my day, but it was exactly what I wanted and more. They wonderful people at ECC made sure that I had anything that I needed. They opened their doors to my mother and I with such warm and excited hands. They were there when I needed ideas, helped me with my vision, and listened to what I wanted down to the very last candle. The food was amazing. The grits bar was original and delicious and made my guests feel right at home in my southern, outdoor party. The station concept was wonderful and before they mentioned it as an option, it never had even occurred to me. My guest were comfortable, well-fed, and happy, which is exactly what my husband and I had wanted. The staff was incredible! They were there at my every whim, but also, to my guests, they were personable, fun, and so helpful. The food and service was right on point, the crowds flowed like there were 50 people there, not 200. Even more impressive to me, and what I am the most thankful for, is that Jan and Gary were so very supportive and loving to me and my family. I was in a unique situation. My husband was deployed during the entire wedding planning, and even though I was nervous when planning because of the situation, they made me feel comfortable and excited to be getting married. I will always thank them for that. I would recommend Emerald Coast Catering to anyone who wanted a beautiful, fun, organized wedding with AMAZING food! Thank you Jan and Gary!

Chef Gary had the plan. Excited about the feast because we knew the food was going to be top shelf. Glowing in the light because his staff created the most beautiful setting for our reception. It was perfect. I recommend Emerald Coast Catering to any smart bride who wants value for her money and to be a princess for day! Thank you again Chef Gary and team. Helen and Curt

anted, the food would be awesome, all our guests would have a great time, and my husband and I would have a good time also. As an Event Planner, it is hard not to do things myself, but this wedding was a joy to plan, a joy to be at and my friends are still taking about the fabulous food. The wedding took place outdoors so we needed tents, tables, chairs, and linens. The wedding ceremony and the reception were in different locations on the property so we need various set-ups, the weather was very unpredictable, the wedding started in the daylight and ended very late so we needed lighting, and we were expecting over 200 guests. The staff of Emerald Coast Catering was awesome and the wedding could not have been better. I would recommend Emerald Coast Catering to anyone planning a wedding, or event on the Emerald Coast!!!!

s were just right. Next time we are in Destin we are going to try 30-A Gourmet and have more delicious food! TandB

e Sea and the Pasta Station for our reception. The chefs were there talking and serving, it was so much fun. Earl and I both talked to everyone and enjoyed the food. The presentation was lovely. The waiters and bartenders were friendly and helpful all evening, even with one or two slightly excitable guests (Earl's side of the family!). The tables and linens were set up the morning of the reception so my mother and her friends could decorate, as were the food stations. It could not have run more smoothly, other than if we had not had rain. Even in the rain, the entire evening was PERFECT!!! Thanks to all. I highly suggest any bride who wants smooth sailing to hire Emerald Coast Catering.

, my choice to hire Gary and Emerald Coast Catering was the best decision! He listened to my vision and we worked out a menu and the other details followed. It was not stressful at all the day of the wedding. His people showed up and set up the tables and chairs and tablecloths, set up the food tables and bar and were gone. My friends were able to decorate in plenty of time for the wedding. After the ceremony his servers were there greeting my guests and directing them to the rest room and the bar. They were polite and helpful all evening. The food was unbelievable! I had the Grill Station and Celebrate the Sea Station. The selections were wonderful, my guests were so happy. Thank you to Gary and his staff. I highly recommend him!

taste sensation. Thanks to you and your staff Gary. We gladly encourage couples to hire him as he goes above and beyond the call of duty in the most subtle ways. You may not even realize all the details until you hear about it from your family who was there before the reception started! Thanks again Gary.

ith Gary's mojo! Francesca & Tim

and courteous. The food was excellent, far above our expectations with creative presentation and cuilinary flair. Since we are foodies, that was a very good thing. We would recommend the firm to any bride and groom. Thank you to the staff for making our reception a wonderful experience. Emily & Walter and Family

to celebrate life with my best friend and the entire catering crew made it the best party of our lives. The paella was unbelievable. A lot of our guests had never had it before and are still raving about it! It was fun seeing the chef cook it and he talked to everyone, quite a show. Thanks Chef Gary, we appreciate all you did and are glad to give you the best rating possible! Lane & Joe

artender was awesome. The food was delicious, everyone thought so. I would tell any bride to do herself a favor and hire Chef Serafin. He totally takes care of the items you want so you can spend your time on the many other decisions required in planning a wedding. We had a wonderful wedding and reception! Thanks ECC

g with all of my questions, menu changes and overall patience. I would encourage any bride to hire Emerald Coast Catering. Their staff was amazing, also patient, and very attentive. They set up the reception the morning of the wedding and offered suggestions as to where everything should be placed for the best guest flow. They were right on. The reception could not have gone more smoothly. I was sad when the evening was over, but we had a goody bag of food for a midnight private picnic from the chefs! They are the best! Leslie and John