A Journey of Discovery The Catered Affair
Since our humble beginnings in 1979, The Catered Affair (TCA) has grown from a small home-based business to one of New England’s largest catering companies. An unerring focus on three elements has driven our success: Brilliant food. Flawless service. Stunning venues. Thousands of our guests across New England have experienced this alchemy and they’ve made us the region’s most loved catering and event design company. We’ve come a rather long way from our beginnings, when founder Holly Safford set out with just a toaster oven and a glimmer in her eye.
TCA’s talented team takes great pride in their collaborative work, earning the company its national reputation for excellence in food and service. Today, with over 400 employees and a 30,000-square foot headquarters, the company’s focus is unchanged. From the Executive Chef and his culinary team to the design team and wait staff, TCA is focused on flawless service, stunning venues, and bringing excellence to the table. Welcome to the Boston Public Library
Founded in 1848, the Boston Public Library (BPL) was the first large free municipal BPL collections total more than 23 million items, with a vast research collection, 6.1 library in the United States. BPL’s dedication to the advancement of learning began million circulating books, rare books and manuscripts, and a wealth of maps, musical in a former schoolhouse located on Mason Street on March 20, 1854. At that time scores, and prints. Among its special collections, BPL holds several first-edition folios the library’s collections approximated 16,000 volumes, and it was obvious from the by William Shakespeare, original music scores from Mozart to Prokofiev’s Peter and day the doors first opened that the quarters were inadequate. In December of that the Wolf, and, in its rare book collection, the personal library of John Adams. Due to same year, the library’s commissioners were authorized to locate a new building upon the extent of the collections, many of the library’s most precious items are displayed a lot on Boylston Street. The present Copley Square location has been home to the on a rotating basis, offering the public an opportunity to view these historic treasures. library since 1895 when architect Charles Follen McKim completed his “palace for the In addition, BPL is dedicated to digitizing its special collections to make them available people.” online to anyone in the world.
In 1971, the library expanded its Copley Square location with the opening of an More than 3.7 million people visit the BPL each year, many in pursuit of research addition designed by noted architect Philip Johnson. Presently, the Johnson building material, others looking for an afternoon’s reading, still others for the magnificent and completed a significant renovation that transformed the library for the next generation unique art and architecture. BPL enriches lives, hosting thousands of free programs of users. and exhibitions, and serving millions of people each year. At the BPL, books are just the beginning. AS THE CITY OF BOSTON GREW, Boylston Street became a main artery, bringing visitors and residents from the Common and Public Gardens, all the way through Back Bay, to Fenway. The Boston Public Library’s Central Library is situated in the middle of this route. Bordered by fashion-forward Newbury Street to the north, and Copley and Prudential Centers to the south, the BPL is centrally located in one of the most walkable and tourst-friendly parts of Boston.
TODAY, the McKim Building is an iconic part of Boston’s landscape. The McKim Building edifice faces popular Copley Square, home of the John Hancock tower and one of the most visited green spaces in the city. Within, the McKim Building truly is Boston's palace. From the Catalan vaulting in the main lobby and Guastavino Room, to the Italianate outdoor courtyard, to the murals of Chavannes Gallery and Abbey Room, to the grandest of spaces, Bates Hall, McKim Building the McKim Building impresses all who enter. ORNATE OPULENT ELEGANT 617.859.2282| thecateredaffair.com/bpl | 700 Boylston Street, Boston MA 02116 617.859.2282| thecateredaffair.com/bpl | 700 Boylston Street, Boston MA 02116
Ascending the McKim Lobby staircase and standing at the helm of Bates Hall, your eyes are drawn Bates Hall to Bates Hall’s immense beauty. The room has vaulted barrel-arched ceilings, grand oak bookcases and busts of eminent authors and Bostonians, and picturesque green reading lanterns adorning each table. Through it all, Bates Hall is the epitome of a library space and is a creative space for your special event. After hours, the room is transformed into the perfect venue for cocktail receptions, seated dinners, holiday parties or a grandeur awards night. CAPACITY: 330 Seated, 542 standing | 5,115 square feet 617.859.2282| thecateredaffair.com/bpl | 700 Boylston Street, Boston MA 02116
Transforming from a public space bursting with art during Abbey the day to a versatile venue space at night, the Abbey Room Room is the perfect venue for corporate events, private dinners and receptions. Host up to 152 standing for an unforgettable cocktail reception, or 70 seated for dinner and dancing and you’ll easily impress guests as they dance or dine the night away immersed in the artwork and intrigue of the room.
CAPACITY: 152 Standing, 100 Seated 70 Seated with Dance Floor 617.859.2282| thecateredaffair.com/bpl | 700 Boylston Street, Boston MA 02116
The Guastavino Room is named for Guastavino its vaulted ceilings, a style designed Room by Rafael Guastavino who worked with architect William McKim in the building and structure of the Boston Public Library’s McKim wing. One of our favorite things about this room is its versatility. From a reception hall for a seated dinner with a dance floor to a cocktail reception with a central bar—the Guastavino Room is perfect for networking and passed appetizers.
CAPACITY: 240 Standing, 180 Seated 150 Seated with Dance Floor The Courtyard Restaurant overlooks the beautiful Italianate courtyard in the Boston Public Library‘s Courtyard historic McKim Building. The restaurant combines European sophistication with timeless elegance Restaurant & and makes a wonderful private setting for corporate events, private dinners and receptions. Map Room Situated next door, the Map Room Café is located in the library’s former archive of unique and Café historical maps. Its dramatic high-arched ceiling and historical décor provide the perfect setting, great for welcome receptions, cocktails and passed hors d’oeuvres.
CAPACITY: Courtyard / 99 Standing, 75 Seated | Map Room Café / 50 Standing Housed in the lower level of the McKim McKim Building, the McKim Conference Conference Rooms A & B are Rooms available for simple breakfast and lunch meetings or more intricate lecture-style presentations with a/v. Spread out here for your breakout session and utilize this secluded space even during public hours. Both spaces have access to private restrooms, are quietly removed from the library’s upper levels and are connected by a spacious lobby perfect for guest check-ins. The conference rooms can be rented together or separately as McKim Conference Room A is nearly identical to McKim Conference Room B.
CAPACITY: 100 Lecture, 180 Seated Orientation The Orientation Room is available for corporate meetings and can easily be Availability based on Boston Public Room set with classroom-style seating for McKim Library’s exhibition schedule. Please ask breakout sessions or smaller lectures. Exhibition your sales associate for more information. Guests will enjoy the ornate original Guastavino ceilings and large windows Hall CAPACITY: 240 Standing, 180 Seated that allow in plenty of sunlight for 150 Seated with daytime meetings. Dance Floor CAPACITY: 66 Standing, 50 Seated TODAY, the newly renovated Johnson Building is the hub of the BPL system's Central Library, and serves as a dynamic space for the community to interact with history in a modern atmosphere. The waving wooden ceiling of Boylston Hall and dramatic skylight and stairs of DeFerrari Hall bring a modern and vibrant energy to this new addition. With beautiful sprawling halls, conference rooms, technology labs, and even a café/radio station in partnership with The Catered Affair and WGBH, the Johnson Building has a variety of event space options to suit every crowd. The team at The Catered Affair can transform each room from the peoples’ Johnson Building library by day, to a stunning event venue by night. VIBRANT ENERGETIC MODERN Comprised of New and Novel, the Boylston Newsfeed Café, and the Welcome Hall Center, Boylston Hall is a bright, open, and modern space perfect for the metropolitan bride or a stylish corporate event. Floor-to-ceiling glass windows overlook Boylston Street, fully immersing guests in Back Bay.
Inside, the stone floors and suspended waved-wood ceilings, mobile book cases, and large digital screens available for personal displays truly set the tone for a large, tech-friendly networking event, seated dinner, cocktail reception, gala, or holiday party.
CAPACITY: 1300 Standing, 400 Seated Open 650 Seated Partial Surrounded by the Grand Deferrari Staircase leading to the Hall upper floors of Johnson, Deferarri Hall is a versatile space ideal for small cocktail receptions to grand gala receptions. With stone floors, high ceilings with newly renovated skylights and pops of bright red and orange from the floors above the space is an open and enchanting backdrop for your next event, especially when paired with Boylston Hall. For smaller events, Deferrari Hall is easily transformed from an open airy space to an intimate hall perfect for a VIP seated dinner or awards ceremony.
CAPACITY: 1300 Standing, 400 Seated Open 650 Seated Partial Boylston Immerse yourself in the stacks in the Boylston Children’s Available after public hours for private Lounge located on the second floor of the events, guests can be a child at heart in Lounge Johnson Building. Centered among the Library the Children’s Library. Sip cocktails next sprawling red bookcases and under oval to the glowing lion cubs as they change hanging LED Lights, the lounge area is flush colors or sit back and relax in the giant with 21st century flair and library chic. Host reading chair for your photo op. The cocktails in the cozy multi-colored space while perfect spot to start your night before enjoying the open view of the library’s second a formal seated dinner, the Children’s floor spaces or host a formal VIP dinner next Library is a vibrant way to wow your to the arched window overlooking Boylston guests with a new experience. street and the Marathon finish line.
Teen Teen Central is located on the second floor Mezzanine Looking for the perfect space for a of the Johnson Building. It features a Media small, tech-based meeting or breakout Central Lounge, the Lab, diner-style seating, moveable Conference session? The Mezzanine Conference book shelves, and vintage typewriters. Room 3 Room 3 is perfect for up to fourteen Outside of public hours, this space is easily people with AV equipment, table-top transformed into a retro-industrial hub perfect outlets, and other tech amenities. for a youthful networking event, presentation, or meeting. Programs Experience the Boston Public Library | Additional Opportunities for your Guests We love the opportunity to show visitors the true gems housed at the Boston Public Library, and would be happy to schedule a private tour for your group.
Norman B. Leventhal Rare Books and Manuscripts Art & Architecture Tours of the McKim Map Center Department Building
The Map Center collection includes over The Boston Public Library holds thousands of rare books, Private tours led by our volunteer guides can be 200,000 maps and 5,000 atlases dating back manuscripts, and historical artifacts. Treat your guests to the customized to your group and range from 20-60 minutes to the 15th century. A curated tour through the exclusive opportunity of a private tour through the department in length. Highlights include: current exhibition or viewing of items stored while viewing some of the most treasured pieces. Our collection in the vault will be the highlight of your event. includes: • Mural cycles by Pierre Puvis de Chavannes, Edwin The Map Center Collection includes: Austin Abbey, and John Singer Sargent • Shakespeare’s First Folio (London, 1623), the first collected • Sculpture by Daniel Chester French, Bela Pratt, • Geographia, originally produced by Claudius works of William Shakespeare published 7 years after his death Frederick MacMonnies, and Augustus Saint-Gaudens Ptolemy, printed in 1482. and one of the most important works of the English Literary • Building details by Architect Charles Follen McKim and • First Printed Map of Boston, a plan of the canon. vault designer Rafael Guastavino Town of Boston (1725-1728) by John Bonner. • Boston Massacre materials including John Adams’ original • Theatrum Orbis Terrarum (1570), by trial notes for the defense of the British soldiers, Paul Revere’s Each guide comes at a cost of $200 and can Abraham Ortelius. A spectacularly colored sketch of the scene of the Massacre used in court and his accommodate 20 guests (four guide maximum per and illustrated atlas showing maps of the engraving of the scene. event). The Newsfeed Cafe is available after hours as a chic new world based on contemporary exploration. • Medieval and Early Renaissance Manuscripts, a distinguished Newsfeed event space in Boylston Hall. With floor to ceiling glass collection of secular and non-secular manuscripts dating from Viewings in the Norman B. Leventhal Map the 10th-14th centuries. Café windows along two walls and a sliding glass door to Center begin at $500. section off your event from the public, it’s a unique private This exclusive opportunity begins at $2,500. event space perfect for a futuristic cocktail reception or vibrant awards dinner for your top team members. Learn more about Boston and the Boston Public Library!
VIDEO The Catered Affair Experience at the Boston Public Library
A Bird's Eye View of the BPL
BLOG The Convention Guide to the Boston Public Library
Summer Convention Itineraries
Winter Convention Itineraries
OTHER RESOURCES The Boston Public Library Events Website
700 BOYLSTON ST., BOSTON, MA 02116 McKim Building Venue Overview 781.859.2282 | THECATEREDAFFAIR.COM/BPL Johnson Building Venue Overview
Tour the BPL Take a virtual tour of the library and explore each room by day and ready for an event!