We hired Tasteful Affairs for our small wedding, and it was truly one of the best decisions we made. The food was incredible--our guests are still talking about how delicious everything was! We had a mix of traditional dishes from our home cultures (Haiti and Nigeria), and our families were so pleased with how beautifully everything came out. It felt authentic, flavorful, and made with love. From the start, working with Emilie was an absolute breeze. She went above and beyond in every way and honestly felt like a quasi-wedding planner at times with how thoughtful and attentive she was throughout the process. On the day of the wedding, her team was warm, professional, and all smiles--despite the summer heat! We are so grateful to Tasteful Affairs for helping make our wedding day feel so special and personal. We will absolutely be using them again for future events and will recommend them to anyone looking for a caterer who truly cares and delivers on every level. read more

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From the very beginning, Emilie was a calm and steady presence. As a creative wedding advisor, she guided us through the complexities of menu planning with patience and expertise. The food was universally loved by all our guests--which is no small feat considering we had several guests with very complicated dietary restrictions. Every person felt cared for, and the quality of the meal was outstanding from the first hors d'oeuvre to the final bite. The service provided by the entire staff was nothing short of spectacular. They managed the logistics of our historic hall with impeccable care, respecting the character of the venue while ensuring everything ran like clockwork behind the scenes. What we appreciated most was Emilie's ability to handle the "unexpected" with total composure. Because of her oversight and professionalism, we were able to completely relax and enjoy the special day, knowing every detail was in the most capable hands. If you are looking for a caterer who offers more than just a meal--but a true partnership in planning--we highly recommend Emilie and the Tasteful Affairs team. They truly care. read more

I waited a little bit to write this review but this mother - daughter team did a great job customizing my wedding. I wanted a spring theme with a lot of flowers and they were able to make it happen. I really liked how flexible they were about letting me tailor the choices how I wanted. Furthermore, they were easy to work with because they were responsive and they had a lot of experience with the venue we chose. There are many little details that can go into wedding planning and they were really detail-oriented. In the end, we worked with them for a lot of aspects of the wedding at the site including the food, the tables including the design of the space, the table settings and also the lovely cake. It was a beautiful wedding. Everyone complimented the food including some guests who are vocal picky eaters. We were happy and I was thrilled to enjoy a romantic spring wedding. Weddings can be so stressful with so many moving parts but they made it easier. I would give a special shout out to Emilie. I would say that she went above and beyond. If she treats every bride like she treated me, I entirely recommend working with her. They really help you bring your wedding vision to life. If you don't have one and just want easy planning, I'm sure they have that covered too. I would say their style is elegant and affordable but they tailor everything to your event and your guests. We had a quirky turn out of people of different generations who attended, both older and younger. Everyone was happy. Everyone enjoyed the food and decor that they provided. I opted for some upgrades in my planning and they were very reasonably priced. I picked the stemware I wanted, the cutlery, the cake flavor and style - everything. They let me do that and I still appreciate it. I would guess that they are great for catering other events and if they allow that much customization then I'd definitely work with them again. I think they are also good at customizing to different backgrounds and food preferences beyond what we needed. read more

Tasteful Affairs Catering - They custom designed the cake and they were pretty flexible about choosing the flavors. I got exactly what I wanted. - Caterers Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

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Emilie and her team made our dream wedding come true! We could tell they truly valued our opinions and put all of their effort into making sure everything went smoothly. We loved the unique menu options we could choose to make sure this wasn't your typical wedding fare. From chicken and waffle cones to bibimbap served in takeout containers, we heard nothing but rave reviews from our guests. The bar service was quick and the bartenders kept the good vibes going!! In addition to the amazing food, Emilie helped us choose linens and dish ware that just amped up our colorful disco vibes. She really listened to everything we wanted and helped us keep things unique. Whenever we had questions she answered patiently and she was realistic with budget expectations. We loved working with her and would recommend her every time! read more

We cannot say enough wonderful things about Emilie and her team at Tasteful Affairs Catering. From our very first conversation, Emilie was not only responsive and professional, but she also took the time to truly understand our vision for our wedding day. She worked with us on every detail, big and small, making sure each menu choice reflected our tastes and accommodated all our guests' needs. On the wedding day, Emilie and her team went above and beyond to ensure everything went smoothly. They didn't just deliver incredible food - the entire staff was friendly, attentive, and professional, making everyone feel welcomed and cared for. And the food - delicious! Our guests are still raving about it. Everything was beautifully presented, fresh, and delicious, and you could tell the quality and thought that went into each plate. If you're looking for a caterer who is talented, reliable, and genuinely invested in making your day special, look no further than Emilie and Tasteful Affairs Catering. They exceeded all our expectations and made our wedding unforgettable. Thank you, Emilie, for everything! read more

All the food was outstanding. Fair priced. Had a party for 35. Desserts were a hit! Peking Duck wraps were amazing! No secret where these come from! read more

Tasteful Affairs was recommended on the list of caterers from our venue, and we got so lucky that they were on it! From the start, something I noted when reaching out to them was how responsive they were, and that really was not the case with certain other caterers. Emilie and Kristen are lovely to work with and offered reassurance that made us feel confident they wanted to bring our vision for our wedding to life (and succeeded in doing so!) The food was excellent, the service so friendly and the set up seamless. I cannot recommend them highly enough and we are so happy they were a part of our wedding! read more

Tasteful Affairs is an incredible gem of a team. Working with Emilie and Linda ahead of time was so easy, and Emilie was so patient and kind in answering my questions - and even, taking things off of my hands! Agree with the other positive reviews here- great food and even greater service, if that's possible! The team was familiar with our venue and knew how to pivot when it turned out to be a rainy wedding- and they literally kept me calm being so unflappable, and easygoing. And as I mentioned, the food was really great - we got compliments from our guests about how delicious the food was, and how friendly the staff working the event were. I hope I have another occasion where I can work with Tasteful Affairs! read more

Tasteful Affairs Catering is incredible to work with and their food is delicious! I booked them to do full service catering (rentals, bar, dinner) for our September 2022 wedding in Old Town Alexandria, VA and they did a beautiful job. I don't even know where to start - from our first quote, to planning the menu, to the walk through, to day of execution and quality of food, they were flawless. This mother daughter team is incredibly organized, kind and their food is delicious (guests are still giving us compliments on how good the food was). Emilie Jackson was so responsive - she truly felt like an unofficial, second wedding planner with her quick responses, organization and flexibility. Tasteful Affairs Catering was careful to work within our budget and only add on charges if we specifically asked. Their estimates were very transparent, affordable, accurate and there were no hidden fees or surprise expenses on the wedding day. They were so careful with dietary restrictions (my guests were so impressed they knew who was gluten free, vegetarian, etc) and their vegetarian, gluten free options, etc were just as delicious as the primary main course. If I ever cater an event again, there is no question I would immediately book them! I honestly wish I could eat our wedding meal tonight, it was that good (and I had the vegetarian option). Highly, highly recommend! It will be the best decision you make for your wedding day. read more

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Linda came highly recommended to me by a family member, and she did not disappoint. Linda and Emilie are fantastic. We were planning our destination wedding and did all our planning over email and everything truly came together. Our wedding venue was in a very remote location and they did not get lost and arrived on time! The staff was wonderful, professional and friendly. If anything wrong ever happened that day, we had no idea, and thats truly all that mattered to me! everyone is still raving about the food. read more

I contacted Tasteful Affairs for a company reception and they did a fabulous job. To add to the complexity of the service from Tasteful Affairs, I was planning the reception from another state. They were very helpful in visiting the venue for the reception and working with the venue to determine the best way to execute the event. They also helped pick the best menu options. The planning and the event went seamlessly and I would recommend this to anyone! read more

Tasteful Affairs Catering is the best catering business in the area! Having lived in the area for years and attended several parties, we have found Linda Harkness and her crew to be the best. We have used Tasteful Affairs for events ranging from small gatherings to large parties, and Linda and her crew are top notch every time. Linda can prepare any kind of food you ask her too, and it is always delicious. Everyone always raves about the food when we use Tasteful Affairs. So if excellent food and service is what you are seeking for your next event, you can not go wrong with Tasteful Affairs Catering! read more

​I absolutely cannot say enough good things about Tasteful Affairs! I shopped around various catering companies in the DC area to put together catering for a work-related celebration we were having my colleague's home for about 120 people. Even in the process of getting a quote, Tasteful Affairs stood out as a wonderful place to work with on the party, and proved to be a fantastic option throughout the process. Linda, the manager, is incredibly considerate (she was always warm in her interactions with me and with the hosts of the party), incredibly competent (she asked all of the right questions--including the ones we should have known to ask, did an amazing job of tailoring the set-up and menu to our requirements, and always followed up to make sure she was addressing our needs without being ), and incredibly generous (she put together a stellar proposal that still fit in our limited non-profit budget). She was also flexible with issues that came up--letting the hosts use their own servers and making the space work even though she could not see it before the event because the hosts were on vacation. It is such a relief when you are throwing a big event like this to not have to worry about the catering and instead get the chance to be a happy and engaged host. Linda and her team absolutely delivered with this, and delivered flavorful, elegant food on top of it! Our guests were very complimentary of the h'ors doeurves that were served and had a great time at the party. Tasteful Affairs did such a wonderful job that they were the immediate request that the hosts had when an unrelated emergency event came up later that week--a request they kindly accommodated. As another reviewer said, we felt like we stumbled on a great secret (we heard about them through a server who had liked working with them on other events). They were so easy to work with, and we will certainly be using them again in the future! read more

A Tasteful Affair Catering and Linda was so great to work with. Our venue who closed kept telling us they would reopen. With less than 45 days out from our wedding we had to replace everything.  Linda was so flexible and supportive through the whole process. In addition to all her help putting together a whole new wedding plan the food was amazing! Everyone raved about the food . We have delicious lamb lollipops, tuna skewers, and these amazing potato bacon balls people talked about weeks later. And the beef with gorgonzola sauce and rockfish were so flavorful. Linda and her staff were great about taking extra precautions for the health and safety of our guests. And everything went smoothly and off without a hitch!   TAC and Linda helped insure we had a perfect little wedding! We would recommend them for wedding catering or any event. read more

Tasteful Affairs Catering catered my brother's wedding last weekend and they were wonderful! Linda and her team are amazing, they pay attention to every detail, the food was delicious and the service was excellent. Even before the wedding it was clear that my brother and his fiancee chose a great caterer as Linda was very helpful a pleasure to work with. I highly recommend Tasteful Affairs Catering! read more

We've been working with Linda and Jin from afar with our wedding, and they're amazing. The food at our tasting was outstanding, and they really worked hard on recipes to fit our brinner vision. We found out about them through our workplace, who's been using them since the late 1990s, and we'd already had their food. I feel like we learned about an amazing secret, but everyone needs to know: They're small, personable and so fun. After our walkthrough today, I can't wait for our reception! read more

I don't write reviews often and extremly careful with accolades. I'm making an exception in this case. I have no reservations in the following comments. Linda catered our 50th wedding anniversary party. It was held in a home. First, she listened to what we wanted and supplied professional suggestions to enhance what we wanted the celebration to be. The food was raved about and started the "tasteful affair" with a bang. The staff was extremely professional, fantastically friendly, accomodating and you didn't know they were there. We could not have been better served. 5 stars is really not enough stars. read more

We were incredibly fortunate to have Linda and Tasteful Affairs cater our wedding at the Athenaeum. Linda provided us with a ton of individual counseling to ease our worries and was there every step of the way, including on the big day itself (she actually went out to make sure we had something to eat during all the pre-reception pictures with a plate of delicious appetizers). The food was delectable, the lamb chops were my favorite, and the bride adored the fried mac'n'cheese balls. Her staff's professionalism, attention to detail, and decorum made our wedding charming and refined. She accommodate all of our special needs including our custom mixed drink selection, guests' food sensitivities, and our particular tastes in food. We couldn't be happier to have chosen Tasteful Affairs and would recommend them highly to anyone considering a high class wedding caterer at a quite reasonable price. We continue to receive compliments on our wedding food and presentation even a month afterwards! read more

Can't say enough good things about Jin and the staff at Tasteful Affairs. They catered a work party for us and they thought of everything. I received tons of compliments on the food, setup, and service. Highly recommended. I know I won't hesitate to use them again for future events. read more

My son and fiancé used Tasteful Affairs to cater their wedding of 180 people at Harbor View. Linda Harkness and her crew did an incredible job from start to finish. Linda was very flexible and fun to work with. I attended the last meeting with the couple and Linda at the venue. She was very organized and made suggestions and changes that would insure her crew had everything they needed for smooth serving of the food. They felt so comfortable with Linda that the couple turned all of the setup over to her. The appetizers and the buffet style selections were amazing. The cheese steak appetizers were a big hit. There was more than enough food and at the end of the night they wrapped up the left overs for us. During the event Linda checked in with us and kept us informed. This company takes great pride in their work and it shows. 5 STARS all the way!!! read more

I hired Tasteful Affairs for my daughter's graduation party and I am thrilled with the results! Chef Jin worked with me to create a menu that was perfect for teenagers and adults at a very reasonable price. Our guests raved about the food and I was able to enjoy spending time with my guests without doing all the work. I am so glad that I chose Tasteful Affairs and would highly recommend them for any event. read more

The food was incredible and their team were the most capable, friendly, warm, energetic folks possible. From the moment they came into our house until the moment they left, they was just wonderful. So many guests commented on both how delicious the food was and how wonderful and kind the staff was also. One of our guests wrote us saying " I was really impressed with the caterers - they were attentive without being intrusive, and all the food was so yummy and in just the right proportions." read more

We used Tasteful Affairs Catering for our wedding on October 25, 2014. Linda (the owner) was helpful in working with us to meet our budget, including offering money-saving suggestions. She and her staff went above and beyond at the wedding with set up and display, such as table design and cake decorations. The food was great, we got compliments all night. They are a true full service caterer - covering cocktail hour appetizers, dinner, cake, and late night sliders and milkshakes, along with handing full set up and breakdown. We are very happy with how everything turned out. read more

I highly recommend Tasteful Affairs- Chef Jin and his crew provided wonderful service and great food for a reception following a funeral service. The personal service and attention to details was phenomenal! read more

It was urgent.My mother had passed away and suddenly we needed to plan a reception for 60 people in mother's home and it had to be just right. I knew there was only one person to call, Linda at Tasteful Affairs. I called on Thursday for a reception on Monday. We had menus in minutes, Linda's expert guidance, and a quote shortly after we made our selections. Jin and his team showed up right on time. When we got back from the church, everything was perfect. Beautifully arranged, and ready to go. The food was outstanding and plentiful, and Jin and the servers were gracious, professional, and attentive. My family and our guests were wowed. I cant thank Linda, Jin, and Tasteful Affairs enough. I recommend Tasteful Affairs highly. read more