Buttercup Catering


Catering services pricing

Food starts at $28 per person.

Minimum spend

$1,000 total


About Buttercup Catering

Buttercup Catering

Caterer

Buttercup specializes in fresh, creative, custom catering and offers floral services, rentals, and bar service as added options. We have a passion for food & design we will work with you to create the perfect event and give you a fresh and unique experience. Buttercup Catering will provide you with everything you need.

Chef Owned & Operated & based in Southern California, Buttercup Catering specializes in creative, custom catering. Whatever your event, we want to make it special for you. And we don't mind travel ... San Diego, Big Bear, Palm Springs ... Where ever you are is where we are! We provide an array of additional catering services and work as our own day of co-ordinators for full service events. Additional services we offer: service staff, full rentals, floral and bar services. Really everything you need to create the perfect day! When you close your eyes and think about your wedding ...what do you see?

Best of Zola 2025

Sample catered weddings

Sierra and Juan trusted me to help shape the design of their wedding, so I drew inspiration from the polo ranch setting and the surrounding desert landscape. I wanted the day to feel relaxed, romantic, and naturally elegant, with layered florals, warm earthy tones, and the atmosphere of an intimate dinner party overlooking the mountains.

Guest Count

135

Total Catering Cost

$21,000

Menu Highlights

  • Family-style meal
  • Passed appetizers
  • Stationary appetizers
  • Wedding cake service

Services Included

  • Clean Up / Trash Removal
  • Gratuity
  • Chef(s)
  • Service Captain(s)
  • Bartender(s)
  • Service Staff
  • Setup / Breakdown
  • Rentals
A mix of long farm tables, round dining tables, layered florals and dinner overlooking the mountains
Textured florals, vintage inspired glassware, speckled pottery created a warm, personal setting.
Burrata & roasted vegetables on the appetizer station.
Sierra wanted a mix of dried and fresh florals. We staged our custom a-frame wedding arch with dried eucalyptus, fresh desert florals & palm fans.

Services

Services

  • Bartenders
  • Cleanup and breakdown
  • Consultations and tastings - complimentary
  • Consultations and tastings - for a fee
  • Delivery and setup
  • Event planner
  • Rental coordination - directly invoice couple
  • Rental coordination - does not invoice couple
  • Serving staff

Dietary accommodations

  • Dairy-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Halal
  • Kosher
  • Nut-free
  • Organic
  • Vegan
  • Vegetarian

Meal types

  • Breakfast/brunch
  • Buffet
  • Dessert service
  • Family-style meal
  • Food stations
  • Passed appetizers
  • Seated meal
  • Stationary appetizers
  • Wedding cake service

Beverage services

  • Bartending
  • Beverage servingware rentals
  • Mixers/non-alcoholic options

Drink types

  • Beer
  • Coffee service
  • Liquor
  • Mobile bar
  • Non-alcoholic
  • Signature cocktails
  • Wine

Reviews

Write a review
Rating: 4.6

4.6 out of 5

7 reviews

  • BM

    Belle M.

    Rating: 5
    Jun 22, 2026

    Amazing Work

    From our first conversation with Buttercup Catering, we knew we were in good hands. The owner showed up early on our wedding day and immediately understood what I wanted, then directed the team with such clarity that everything ran like clockwork. She communicated with us every step of the way, keeping things straightforward and easy to understand. Her hard work and focus paid off, the food was delicious and beautifully presented, and all our guests kept raving about it even a week later! Kelly made sure every detail reflected what mattered to us. We cannot recommend her highly enough and our guests constantly asked us who she was and how to reach her! She also handled my bouquet and our tablescapes. I am more than happy to be with her and if I were to do it again, I would go with her in a heartbeat!

    Kelly BuffinJun 22, 2026

    Thank you for the sweet review Belle 💕 It was so nice working with you … and doing a camp/cabin wedding. What a beautiful location for an intimate wedding. You, your friends and your family were so awesome to work with. I wish you so much love and happiness in your marriage ♥️

  • VC

    Victoria C.

    Rating: 5
    Apr 20, 2026

    Go with Buttercup!

    Kelly & the whole Buttercup team took care of so much more than just our catering. Everything from the food, to florals, to set up was great! My husband is Pakistani and really wanted gulab jamun as part of our dessert spread & they made it happen. Our florals, table scapes, etc were just as I had envisioned. I highly recommend Buttercup for not just catering but the whole package.

    Kelly BuffinApr 21, 2026

    Hi Victoria & Alishah, thank you so much for this … it was such a joy getting to know you and your family and bringing all of those details to life together. Being able to incorporate meaningful touches like the gulab jamun is exactly why we love what we do. And your venue ✨! We’re so honored you trusted us with such an important day 🤍 Chef Kelly & team

  • DV

    Drew V.

    Rating: 5
    Dec 7, 2025

    You wouldn’t even know it was storming outside

    Kelly was the reason our menu felt genuinely personal. She made customizing dishes for our vegetarian and vegan guests feel straightforward, and she brought creative suggestions that added some real sparkle to the final spread. Guests gravitated to the grazing tables and crostinis right away. Those were the clear showstoppers, both in presentation and flavor. The rest of the meal moved efficiently, with courses arriving right when they needed to. The team’s attitude under pressure deserves real credit. Our vow renewal was November 2025 when the atmospheric river hit California and the heavy rain could have thrown the whole evening off, but their staff stayed upbeat and handled the shift with total composure. Our guests felt cared for the entire time. If I were to adjust anything, I would have preferred heartier portions and a stronger sear on the salmon. Even so, the overall experience stayed strong because everything else was executed with such professionalism. A thoughtful menu, a resilient team, and a planning process made easy by Kelly!!

    Kelly BuffinJun 22, 2026

    Thank you Drew ♥️ Even an atmospheric river won’t stop us! It was such an honor to be a part of your celebration. I wish you two a lifetime of happiness 💕🌈

  • KM

    Kobe M.

    Rating: 2
    Oct 22, 2025

    Great Food, But Very Poor Coordination

    The food from Buttercup was delicious, and the serving staff were wonderful — friendly, attentive, and professional. We also appreciated the complimentary cake and pleasant interactions with Melissa. Unfortunately, several coordination issues made the experience stressful. Despite clearly specifying no nuts due to severe allergies, the salads were served with pecans — a serious oversight. The rentals were also mishandled: tables and chairs were delivered but not set up, and the wrong chairs were sent. We never received an itemized invoice, and when concerns came up, communication rom management often felt defensive rather than solution-focused. There was just barely enough food, and our request to have plates set aside for us wasn’t honored. While the food itself was excellent and the servers did a great job, the lack of organization and accountability from management took away from what could have been an exceptional experience. If you hire Buttercup, be sure to document everything in writing and confirm every detail in advance.

    Kelly BuffinOct 22, 2025

    No one wants bad reviews, and I’ll take it on the chin if I mess something up — but some of this just isn’t factually true and it’s misleading, so I’d like to address it. Without saying my name (hi, I’m Chef Kelly), this review is really about me and my management of the event. There was an itemized final invoice sent on October 1st, ten days before the wedding dinner. It was also texted. They replied to it and then paid it. We even had a short phone call after it was sent. It feels like they just didn’t look at the final invoice that was sent — they got it, paid it, but didn’t review it closely. The contract specifies light wood chairs. They asked for “white folding or most economical.” The light wood option saved them a few hundred dollars, and it’s reflected on their contract. It also says Buttercup would do setup upon arrival at 3pm — they didn’t have to set anything up. I was surprised they did, but sometimes families at home events start early. It isn’t unusual. The contract clearly notes Buttercup’s arrival and setup time on the third line of the details page. Again, it just feels like they didn’t read the contract. The contract also shows they ordered a salad from our website menu, which includes nuts. Their contract had notes about gluten intolerance, vegan items, and no blue cheese — but nothing about nuts. Melissa (my partner and chef who cooks for the tastings) doesn’t recall a nut restriction either, and she gets all dietary notes afterward. We take that extremely seriously. To date, we’ve never had an allergy issue. We always inform clients that we are not a nut-free or gluten-free facility and can’t guarantee those conditions. If someone has a life-threatening allergy, we won’t take the booking. Anaphylaxis is every caterer’s biggest fear. Dinner was served family-style, and there was plenty of food. After family-style service, we always check every table and offer seconds — because sometimes one guest takes larger portions. We ran a lot of second portions out. We do this every time, including at Kobe & Kyle’s wedding. There were leftovers, vendor meals, and staff meals afterward. We left extra food in the refrigerator before we left. I truly don’t know where “barely enough food” came from. The only unclear detail might be the plates. I confirmed with Melissa that she left remaining food. She said there wasn’t much room in the refrigerator, so some might have been packed differently. If they meant their actual wedding plates, that wouldn’t have been left — food left out too long isn’t safe to keep. I was surprised by this review because so many points just aren’t factual. I understand that how something feels can seem like fact when you’ve invested so much time and emotion. But there were no surprises at this event — it was all outlined in the contract and invoices. I’m sorry their takeaway was so different from ours. We take it very seriously — I take it very seriously. When something feels so different on both sides, it’s an opportunity to ask: where did this go off the rails, and how do I make sure it doesn’t feel that way again for new clients?

  • EW

    Erin W.

    Rating: 5
    Oct 19, 2024

    Amazing full service magicians!

    Kelly, Melissa, and the whole team at Buttercup made our wedding dreams come true. We had a complicated vision and a tricky natural space to work with, and they pulled it off flawlessly. From the visual execution to the food quality, the Buttercup team can really do it all. We can't recommend them enough!! Order the tri tip and tiramisu!