Caterer: Bill Hansen Catering
Venue: Coral Gables Country Club in Coral Gables, Florida
After more than 55 years in the catering business, Bill Hansen has overseen his share of spectacular weddings. But this time, the longtime Miami caterer had a very different role: groom.
“How many catering companies in the country are there where the boss of the catering company for 47 years is getting married at nearly 81 years old?” he asked.
In June, Bill married event designer Dilia Melean, now Dilia Hansen, in front of about 320 guests in a lavish celebration at the Coral Gables Country Club. The couple had known each other for decades through South Florida’s close-knit events community before reconnecting over the past year.
With only three months to plan their big day, the industry veterans drew on decades of relationships with designers, rental companies and entertainers to bring the celebration together.
“When you’re dealing with professionals and people like us that do it for a living, we know how to make it happen,” said Bill, author of Plating Up Profits: Miami’s Catering Icon Dishes Up Lessons for Business Success and a member of CFE News’ Editorial Advisory Board.
The groom’s biggest priority was simple: Make it a great party.
“My vision was to just make it a fun party and let people dance and enjoy and be with whomever they wanted to hang out with,” he said. Instead of traditional assigned seating, the reception encouraged guests to mingle freely.
Menu Highlights
For the Bill Hansen Catering culinary team, catering the boss’s wedding presented an opportunity to experiment.
“It was very inspiring for us in culinary,” said Mary Rohan, senior executive chef at Bill Hansen Catering. “We were excited because we got to do all new things with new presentations, and I think everybody loved everything.”
Passed hors d’oeuvres included saffron scallop arancini with sweet pea hummus, karaage chicken with yuzu aioli, crab croquettes, and open-faced Wagyu sliders on brioche with caramelized onion cheddar and truffle-cabernet jam.
At the Pasta Bar—where options included black truffle cacio e pepe, lobster alla vodka and Bolognese—the cheese wheels were a “must-have,” said Bill. Guests could also indulge at an elaborate sushi bar by vendor Sushi Maki and have their oysters freshly shucked by roaming servers from Oysters XO.
Among the biggest dinner hits were the Meat Market station’s dramatic bone-in tomahawk steaks and miso-glazed Chilean sea bass. The team prepared 70 tomahawks—with only 12 remaining at the end of the night—and ordered 90 pounds of sea bass.
The fish was marinated overnight in miso, soy, mirin and rice vinegar, then baked and finished with a torch. “It’s a great fish to serve at events because it doesn’t dry out,” said Bill. “It holds well, and it just has amazing flavor.”
Several of the new dishes and presentations proved so successful that the catering team immediately began considering them for future events. Although Bill Hansen Catering was handling three other events that night, 18 team members staffed the wedding—and were invited to stay and party once their shifts were over.
Décor Details
Green—the bride’s favorite color—established the reception’s lush, elegant palette. Florals included white garden and spray roses, dendrobium orchids, hydrangeas, cascading amaranthus, cremones and premium greenery.
Serpentine tables, chandeliers and elaborate centerpieces transformed the Coral Gables Country Club, while dramatic ceiling draping gave the familiar venue an entirely new look.
“I’ve never seen the Coral Gables Country Club look like it looked that night,” said Dilia, who has planned many events at the venue.
The effect even surprised the groom, who had watched the transformation unfold. “When I saw it with the lighting, it was magical,” said Bill.
Seven rental companies contributed elements to the celebration, with many longtime friends and colleagues providing services as wedding gifts. “The beautiful thing is we’ve been friends with all these people for many years,” Dilia said.
The event reflected the couple’s deep ties to South Florida’s event world and Dilia’s Venezuelan heritage. A native of Caracas, Dilia turned to Venezuelan designer Carlos Perez to create her showstopping dress. One of Venezuela’s top choreographers helped the couple with their carefully rehearsed first dance to Olivia Dean’s “So Easy (To Fall in Love),” performed by Dilia’s children—vocalist Gabriella Tomassetti and guitarist Gianfranco Tomassetti. The special performance was one of the evening’s most emotional moments–and the couple’s favorite.
Entertainment Elements
During dinner, Simon Lopez and Neo Big Band performed classic jazz standards before Chic Supernova got guests to the dance floor with high-energy Latin music. Later, an exuberant hora loca featured costumed performers and tambourines emblazoned with the couple’s logo. An inflatable zebra from the celebration later traveled with the newlyweds to Spain to star in another wedding. (“The zebra had to get a special passport,” quipped Bill.)
Natasha Castillo, owner and lead planner at Creativa Events & Design, added a few surprises for the couple: glamorous “Lantern Ladies,” roaming performers who posed for photos with guests; a whimisical martini door display, with glasses seemingly held out by white-gloved hands; and place cards adorned at the last minute with green tassels.
Castillo also helped Dilia bring to life customized video elements combining vintage photos digitally enhanced with the couple’s faces. “I always want to have something different, and it’s good when you have a planner like Natasha who gets your ideas,” said Dilia.
Takeaway Tips from Bill Hansen Catering
- Let your guest experience guide the format.
Creating a more flexible seating environment allowed guests to mingle and spend the evening with the people they naturally gravitated toward.
- Use your own event as a creative laboratory.
The culinary team treated the wedding as an opportunity to develop new dishes, presentations and service ideas. The most successful concepts can now become inspiration for future client events.
- Lean on trusted industry relationships.
Decades of relationships with rental companies, designers, entertainers and other event professionals helped the team execute an ambitious wedding on a three-month timeline.
- Leave room for last-minute inspiration.
Some of the most memorable details—from customized place cards to unexpected entertainment—came together close to the event, demonstrating the value of an experienced, adaptable team.
Select Reception Vendors
Bride & Groom: Dilia Hansen @dilia.design; Bill Hansen @_billhansen
Catering: Bill Hansen Catering @billhansenluxurycatering
Event Planner: Creativa Events & Design @creativacoevents
Florist & Décor: Andres Tariba @andrestaribadesing
Dress Designer: Carlos Perez @carlosperezofficial
Draping: CBK Events (Celebrations by Kathy) @cbkevents
Photography: Lavie Studios Photography @laviestudiosweddings
Rentals & Décor: Altara Event Rental @altaraeventrental; Design One @designonerentals; Elements & Accents @elementsandaccents; Over the Top @overthetoprentallinens; Imperial Event Rentals @imperialeventrental; Diamonette @diamonetteeventrentals; Chrome Event Furnishing @chromeeventfurnishing
Performers: Gabriella Tomassetti @gabriella.tomassetti; Gianfranco Tomassetti @GianfrancoTomassetti
Bands: Chic Supernova @chicsupernovamusic; Neo Big Band @neobigband
