Frequently Asked Questions
Venue & Services
We offer our full-service Made by Meg Catering for corporate events and meetings, as well as our Walker's division which includes either drop-off only or drop-off and setup.
We cater a variety of events, including weddings (both offsite and at our property La Venta Inn), office & corporate events, birthday parties, Bar Mitzvahs, Bat Mitzvahs, celebrations of life, wedding showers, baby showers, and more! Whatever your event, we are here to provide elevated catering services.
Yes, we do have a selection of equipment items available in-house that can be rented and used for your event. If we do not have items that match your vision for your event, we can procure them for an additional cost, and we highly recommend Bright Rentals, as they have large variety of rental equipment available for you to choose from.
We offer all types of catering service styles, including full-service offerings such as plated dinners, buffets, live-action stations, hors d'oeuvres, grazing stations, and bar services. All full-service catering services include staff and an on-site staff captain to help manage the event. We also offer delivery only, pick up, and drop off and staff setup services.
Full-Service Catering is our main comprehensive package which handles all aspects of food preparation, presentation, service, and cleanup for an event. This service is often selected for weddings, corporate events, and large gatherings where clients prefer a seamless experience without having to worry about the logistical and service details.
We primarily service Greater Los Angeles and Orange Counties for catering, including all of LA County, Orange County, Palm Springs, Malibu, Calabasas, and the Inland Empire.
Made by Meg staff hold a 4-hour minimum for full-service bookings. All Made by Meg staff are professionally trained and will make you and your guests feel special on this great occasion. We hire and train our own staff in person in-house and do not contract out to staffing services. Made by Meg staff training is mandatory for all service staff employees before working an event, and they are held to the highest service standards. The number of Chefs, Cooks, Servers, Staff Captains, and Bartenders for each event is determined by Made by Meg Catering according to the guest count and menu selections. This includes one Staff Captain per event, approximately one Chef per 20-25 guests, and one Server per 10-15 guests. A full staff will attend all events, with the exception of our drop-off service. For catering pricing for your upcoming event, please fill out our Request a Quote intake form here: https://mbmcatering.com/contact/
For full-service catering events, Made by Meg Catering staff will arrive approximately 1½ to 2 hours prior to guests’ arrival for event setup and food preparation. Within the 2-hour set up time, they will place linens, fold napkins, set glassware and set the table for each of your guests. Made by Meg staff cleans the venue according to the venue's specifications and departs the premises approximately one hour after the event.
Morning packages include a 9 am guest arrival time and a 9:30 am ceremony with a lunch reception to follow. Evening packages include a 5 pm guest arrival time and a 5:30 pm ceremony, depending on time of year to catch sunset. Partial day rentals include 5 hours of exclusive access to the property. Amplified music is turned off promptly at guest departure (Morning: 1:30 pm; Evening 10:00 pm).
With a full day buyout, your vendors may come in as early as 7:30am. With a morning or evening package, your vendors will have an hour and half before guests arrive. We have done this successfully at this venue for over 30 years and all our favorite vendors have most of their decor or equipment ready to go in their vehicles upon arrival. After the event, all decor and vendor supplies must be taken down by departure time.
A ceremony rehearsal can be hosted a day or more prior to your wedding depending on availability. Rehearsal fee is $350 and includes one full hour on the property. The La Venta team can provide a list of recommendations for your rehearsal dinner.
Yes! We welcome decorations, such as flowers, electric candles, and lighting. We do not allow anything to be applied to the walls or building that will cause damage such as nailing into the walls or affixing with tape. As this is a historic property we do not allow sparklers, live flames, or confetti. We permit loose flower petals and ask that you designate your florist or coordinator to clean up the pedals after the event.
The ballroom is designed for either live bands or DJs. All amplification must come from our house sound system. We have an exclusive contract with the #1 ranked DJ group in The South Bay.
We love seeing that final departure photo and happily permit bubbles or LED style cell group departures must take place within the ballroom as organized group activities beyond the ceremony are not permitted outside.ebration items. Al
You and your bridal party have full access to the Ocean Cottage starting as soon as your time block begins, as early as 7:30 am. You may leave your belongings in the Cottage for the duration of the event, but all personal items must be collected by the end of your event.
Since we are the venue and the caterer, we focus exclusively on executing those portions of your wedding. Therefore, we require clients to hire a Professional Planner—whether it be full or partial coordination. Your coordinator is your point person who matches your style, vision, and personality. You will need someone to tell the DJ when to start and stop and to tell you when to walk down the aisle at the right moment. We now have a list of exclusive coordinators for you to choose from!
There’s a tremendous amount of local talent and vendors we love working with. If you book your date with La Venta, you receive a PDF called the Next Steps Packet that shows local vendors, local hotels, sample itineraries and more.
No. If you would like to rent a tent and the associated accessories please contact Bright Rentals in Torrance, CA.
A $2,500 damage security deposit is required for weekend events. This is to cover potential damage by your guests, and will be refunded ten (10) business days following the event. If any damages have occurred, you will be notified, and we will bill you for any repairs over and above the deposit.
Food & Beverage
Yes. Those numbers are provided upon request. Food and Beverage Minimums are exclusive of tax and production fees.
With the exception of wedding cake, we cannot allow outside food and beverages. Made by Meg must provide all of your food and beverage items. Please inquire about dessert displays.
We ask that all entree selections and final meal counts are submitted 14 days prior to your event, so we may properly prepare. We do not offer tableside entree selections during your event. Our chef composed entrees can accommodate guests with dietary restrictions, including vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, lactose intolerance and other allergies.
Final food and beverage guest count numbers must be received no later than 14 days prior to the event.
We do not provide a wedding cake or storage for early deliveries, but we have a great list of local wedding cake bakers. Made by Meg will provide the cutting, serving and bussing of cake to your guests.
We do offer a kids meal for children 10 and under, including hors d’oeuvres for seated dinners. We do not charge for children under the age of 2.
As the licensed caterer Made by Meg has its own ABC Full Liquor License to provide your event with the appropriate alcoholic beverage needs. Due to liability and service standards we do not allow a client to provide their own alcohol.
Yes. Bar packages include soft drinks and other non-alcoholic bar standards (club soda, tonic water and juice).
Yes. All adult guests over 21 years old are charged the selected bar package at an hourly rate. Children and guests under 21 are charged the non- alcoholic package rate of $7.00 per person.
A deposit to save your date includes 33% of the venue and 33% of the catering minimum. Production fee, tax, and security deposit are due upon your final payment two weeks before your event. We do not hold dates on a tentative basis.
A $2,500 damage security deposit is required for weekend events. This is to cover potential damage by your guests, and will be refunded ten (10) business days following the event. If any damages have occurred, you will be notified, and we will bill you for any repairs over and above the deposit.
When signing your contract, you are committing to a guaranteed minimum expenditure for food and beverage based on your estimated guest count regardless of your actual attendance. If your guest count were to decrease we would reduce your total due down to this guaranteed minimum. If your guest count is much lower, then we’d increase value per guest with your menu selections.
A few of our most popular tray passed appetizers are the Spicy Tuna on Crispy Rice, Ahi Tuna Poke Tacos with guacamole and a drizzle of eel sauce, and the Mini LA Dog.
Absolutely! Our favorite is the Mediterranean Cauliflower Steak topped with a Roja Chimichurri, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, and a delicious white lemon citrus quinoa.
Yes! We cater to celiac, dairy-free, soy, ketogenic, and vegan.
We offer two protein choices (your choice of fish, beef, and chicken) and one vegetarian/vegan option.
Yes, we have an extensive menu of options for breakfast, brunch, and lunch catering.
While we have a variety of other dessert options available with Made by Meg Catering, we do not provide a wedding cake or storage for early deliveries. We have a great list of local wedding cake bakers we are happy to recommend alongside your catering service. Made by Meg will provide the cutting, serving, and bussing of cake to your guests.
Once the food is prepared at our main headquarters in Torrance, California, it's then packaged and stored appropriately. This may involve using food-safe containers, refrigeration for perishable items, and proper labeling to ensure easy identification. On the day of the event, the food is transported from our main kitchen/catering facility to your designated the event venue. Food safety is extremely important to us, and we do our due diligence to ensure we have the temperature control to maintain the food's highest quality during transit. Our service is customizable, and we cater and prepare the food specifically for your desired service style. For drop-off deliveries, the food can be sent fully cooked and ready for consumption the minute the driver leaves at your doorstep. For full-service catering, your food is sent to your event along with our culinary team cut, diced, and/or par-cooked as-needed so that the food will be cooked in the most efficient manor and served fresh for your event.
One of the values of the Made by Meg culinary experience is our ability to create a custom bar package to best complement your food menu. We offer everything from craft beer and wine to top shelf, call, and well bar packages. We have a Type 83 full alcohol liquor license, and we are one of only ten companies in the state of California that has that type of license to service wherever you’re hosting an event, whether that’s a state park or a private residence. We also have the LA Rec and Park Beverage Contract allowing us to service all LA County recreation and park indoor and outdoor venues, such as the Friendship Auditorium in Griffith Park, Grace E. Simons Lodge in Elysian Park, Cabrillo Beach Bath House, Brand Park Community Center in Mission Hills, and Orcutt Ranch Horticulture Center in West Hills.