The height of wedding season is upon us! Once you have your wedding planned and your rehearsal dinner booked (which Benchmarc Events also loves to do!), the last piece of the puzzle is usually the day after brunch.  

We offer a wide array of options for all budgets, from drop-off catering to in-house private parties in one of our restaurants.  Take the stress and effort out of it (and alleviate your morning after hangover) and contact us to take care of all the details!

Nothin’ like our egg + cheese sandwiches to soak up last night’s alcohol!

Our fresh fruit salad is great for detoxing after a long night…

Landmarc Time Warner Center is a great venue for post-wedding brunch!

Landmarc Tribeca just received an exciting technology makeover! We’re now equipped with a whole new AV system, including a screen, projector and microphones. You already know how much we love Landmarc Tribeca for intimate gatherings like birthdays and baby showers, and now with our new AV system, the possibilities for events are endless: corporate meetings, rehearsal dinners, the list goes on and on. 

Contact us today to plan your next event at Landmarc Tribeca and take advantage of our new equipment!

New York City is a different beast in the summer - the nights are quieter, reservations free up at busy restaurants, the subways are empty. But you’d never know it was summer here at Benchmarc Events, as we’ve been as busy as ever!

Between our weekly Summer Cruise Series, several rehearsal dinners & weddings, drop-off catering for bachelorette parties, and college reunions, it’s like Christmas in July over here! One very “New York” event that’s been a blast participating in are the weekly movie nights at Brooklyn Bridge Park. Our folks from Ditch Plains Drop In are set up in the park with Ditch Dogs, Sloppy Dogs, and other snacks for the thousands of visitors that show up every week to watch classic movies like E.T. and Slumdog Millionaire under the stars. 

So if you’re sticking around the city this summer, be sure to come visit us Thursday nights at Brooklyn Bridge Park! And as always, email or call us at 212-625-8270 to have us plan your next summer party!

photo via newyorkwritesitself.com

It’s finally cooled off here in NYC and the weather this past weekend was perfect for a wedding. We had so much fun catering Patrick & Sylvia’s wedding at the Pratt House on Saturday. As we’ve said before, the Pratt House made for the perfect, classic venue and was a great fit for the style of their wedding. 

How cute is this cupcake tower with a cake topper that we did for the wedding? It’s so much more fun (and affordable) than a regular old cake! 

We were also happy to host the couple’s rehearsal dinner at Ditch Plains Upper West Side. Our lobster bake set in the back beer hall is a delicious and interactive way to spend time with friends and family before the big day.

Interested in having Benchmarc Events cater your rehearsal dinner, wedding, or other special event? Just drop us a line at events@benchmarc-events.com! 

Landmarc Tribeca is near and dear to everyone at Benchmarc Restaurants and Benchmarc Events. As the first restaurant to open within Benchmarc, Landmarc Tribeca truly embodies the welcoming, neighborhood vibe that sets the tone for all of our restaurants and events.

It’s also our preferred location for events like rehearsal dinners, bridal showers, and birthday parties. The intimate nature of the spot gives a wonderful warming and friendly feel to special occasions to be spent with close friends and family. Clients can rent out the entire upstairs floor to ensure that guests will have the whole space to themselves. The decor and lighting upstairs creates a romantic and soothing atmosphere.

On top of the events that we can host, Landmarc Tribeca also offers some great perks for locals and guests. We serve our full menu until 2am in addition to a special late-night menu of small bites. You also can’t miss our Monday Wine + Dine: after 4pm we offer select half and full bottles for $13 and $26, respectively, and a special French classic dish. 

There’s so much to love about Landmarc Tribeca. We hope that you’ll visit and consider it for your next special event; we’re sure you’ll fall in love with it, too!

Not that there are any hard and fast rules to event planning, but there are unspoken expectations that can be hard to navigate if you’re a newbie to weddings, rehearsal dinners, baby showers, etc. Here are our crash course tips on when to elect for assigned seating at your event:

…When you want to encourage guests to get to know each other. Great for bridal & baby showers where you’re mixing friends and family. 

…When most guests are flying solo. Who knows? You could be the reason for another wedding in the future!

…When it is a work event. This helps keep things organized and streamlined.

…When you want to encourage everyone to take their seats quickly. (see above!)

…When it is a formal event.

…When there are over 50 guests. You don’t want people fighting all to sit at the same table!

…When you have a multi-generational group. No one wants to get stuck at the “kids table!

…Even if it’s a buffet, you’re still serving a meal. Assigned seats will make sure everyone has a place to sit and enjoy their food.

…And if you’re not into assigned seating, you can at least assign general tables to help everything run smoothly.

Stay tuned for more event etiquette posts as we help translate the unwritten rules to event planning!

Images via Pinterest  - be sure to check out our Benchmarc Events Pinterest page!

Today we bring you our best tips for hosting a memorable and fun rehearsal dinner without any stress or hassle. It’s the night before your wedding, so keep it simple and let the rehearsal dinner be a time for you to spend quality time with close family and friends before the whirlwind begins.

1. Make it casual. This is the best time for family and friends to relax and get comfortable before the big day!

2. Limiting the booze to beer and wine is more than acceptable. There’s no need for an open bar at the rehearsal dinner since that’s usually the case at the reception. Plus, no one wants to look hungover for the actual wedding.

3. Keep the champagne flowing. It will ease your nerves and your guests’, so you don’t need to stress about giving that toast!

4. Let your bridal party handle the details, like flowers. Just keep it simple for yourself. This is the start to YOUR wedding after all!

5. Start the rehearsal dinner on the early side, around 7, so you and your guests can get plenty of beauty rest. 

6. If your wedding is themed, have a different vibe to the rehearsal dinner to make it more exciting for guests.

7. Make sure the menu is different from that of the wedding. If serving more formal fare at the wedding, why not loosen things up with kid-inspired comfort foods like mini cheeseburgers or mini chicken pot pies.

8. Instead of a slideshow, display pictures around the room so guests can get up and mingle. 

We’ve planned and catered several rehearsal dinners, so if you’re still stumped, you can always email or call us at 212-625-8270!

Nothing says summer like a lobster bake! If you can’t sneak away to the beach this summer, we’ve got you covered with our authentic lobster bake or crab boil at Ditch Plains. All dishes are served family style, with some of our favorites like fried pickles, corn on the cob, blueberry pie, and of course, lots and lots of lobstah! Our crab boil comes complete with hush puppies, crab braised pork belly, our signature ice cream Ditch ‘Wiches, and a bucket of dungeness crabs. It’s the closest (and most delicious) you’ll get to a beachside crab boil here in Manhattan!

These large format dinners serve 10 to 20 people, so make sure to bring all your friends and family. We’re actually doing a lobster bake as someone’s rehearsal dinner this summer - proof that these make great get-togethers for any kind of event!

If you start to get a little stir crazy in the city as the warmer weather approaches, contact us to help plan your lobster bake or crab boil, and you’ll soon feel the calming beach breeze without ever having to step off the island!

Lining the table with newspapers to paper for a lobster bake!