Purple Onion

  • Weddings
  • Events
  • Corporate
  • Venues
  • More
    • About Us
    • Team
    • Menus
    • Careers
    • Blog
  • Contact

About Us

Simply put, we make memorable parties and events.

Over the past few decades, Purple Onion Catering Co. has evolved into one of Washington, D.C.’s most successful catering and event planning teams.

We define success by your wonderful feedback, experiences, loyalty and desire to come back and plan your next event with us year after year.

Get to know us even more through some of our history and the people who make up the Purple Onion Catering Co. you know and love today.

A Glimpse Into Purple Onion’s History

Since its launch in 1990, Purple Onion Catering Co. has been a strong female owned company that has persevered through the test of time.

Purple Onion Founders - Margot and Dave Jones

Serving the DMV area, Purple Onion Catering founder, Margot Jones, started off with a few select clients working from her own kitchen. As business grew, Purple Onion Catering Co. moved into two other locations before settling into its current beloved building in Vienna, VA- all the while expanding their client roster into the thousands. Purple Onion Catering Co. soon became a bustling and vibrant catering company that has grown into one of the area’s top caterers for over the past three decades. Over the years, Purple Onion Catering has triumphed over many challenges, including a hard hit to the events industry during the 2020 Pandemic and a staffing shortage thereafter. Our small team pulled together and overcame the obstacles as a unit stronger than before. As we know, all origin stories must evolve as time progresses. On August 1, 2022, Margot and husband David Jones parted as owners of Purple Onion Catering Co. leaving the amazing company they built together to a new owner Paige Carney.

Purple Onion Catering Co. and Beyond

The Purple Onion Catering Co. that we know and love today has grown dramatically over the last year as we welcomed seasoned and dedicated employees into to roles and started realizing growth from a whole new perspective. Continuing on as a proud woman-owned company, Paige began to focus on elevating our events with a modernized design in our food and equipment while servicing as a sustainable and Green-Certified Company. It was from Paige’s prior experience as a Senior Event Designer and later General Manager that she began formulating creative ideas and expanding her clientele supported by her excellence in customer service. Purple Onion Catering Co. maintains a plethora of awards in multiple nationally recognized platforms, including The Knot’s Best of Weddings, and Wedding Wire’s Couple’s Choice Awards. In addition, Purple Onion Catering Co. has been awarded and featured in local magazines, including Washingtonian Weddings and Virginia Living. With a strong foundation to build off of, Purple Onion Catering’s future is glowing bright, rejuvenated, and in-demand. Join us as we take you on this “event-urous” journey!

Our Philosophy

We believe in our team.
From our humble beginnings to now, Purple Onion Catering Co. continues to grow a stellar team of some of the most talented individuals in the area. This is all proven in our team’s capability to design and cater a multitude of weddings, special events, corporate events and private parties now and over the past 30 years. Regardless of whether they’re working on a handful of events or thousands across the area, our team gives attentive care to detail in every moment. Our team is truly special, and we’re lucky to have them.

We believe in quality.
Purple Onion Catering’s Kitchen team lead by our Executive Chef, works with the best locally sourced ingredients and takes pride in our preparation techniques and food safety. This is something we have learned and accomplished over the years and continue to learn as well. Regardless of whether we are serving 1,000+ guest events or an intimate dinner for 25 people, Purple Onion Catering Co. strives to meet the same goal day after day: to consistently deliver exceptional menus and exceptional service.

We believe in our partners.
Purple Onion Catering Co.’s core values, dedication to our clients and determination to host the most memorable events remain our top priorities. We thank our clients and fellow vendors in the industry for your support. Yes, we believe that our clients are also our partners, as we collaborate with them to help bring their event vision to life. While our team’s strength and positivity are the backbone to all we are able to create, our clients and vendors are the reason we are able to continue to be reinvigorated by the work we’re able to complete.

We believe in our founders.
Margot and her husband, David Jones, have shown their belief in Purple Onion Catering Co. through their dedication and commitment. We show our loyalty to their vision by continuing that belief into the future. We humbly congratulate our founders on a job well done and offer them our sincerest thanks.

It’s an honor to continue the Purple Onion Catering Co. story, and we’re eager to see where it takes us next. We are so excited to start this new chapter with you!

 

Recent Posts

  • REAL WEDDING: Meghan and Karl
  • Unexpected Late Night Snack Pairings
  • Real Wedding: Megan and Danny
  • Real Wedding: Rachel and Brian
  • Unique Ways to Use Your Favorite Florals in Your Menu

Let’s start planning your event.  Call 703.631.0050 or send us a message.

Starting the first day of fall with our umbrellas, Starting the first day of fall with our umbrellas, but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing! 🍂 We are absolutely swooning over N & J’s wedding, complete with guest parasols and those early fall vibes! 

Coordinator: @whitedressblacktie 
Venue: @lostbarrelbrew
Photographer: @kylajeanette 
Videographer: @tlicmedia
Makeup Artist: @sum_church
Caterer: @purpleonioncateringco @cassdelisle
After Party Food: @hammerdownbbq 
Band/DJ: @djdavidgrimm 
Florals+ Stationery: @natt_rosee 
Personal Flowers: @jmorrisflowers
Event Rentals: @selecteventgroup 
Cake: @lilliannathaliecake 
Dress: @grace_loves_lace

#falltime #fallwedding #latesummer #vawedding #vacaterer
A little Throwback Thursday to Tranquility Farm fo A little Throwback Thursday to Tranquility Farm for Kaitlyn and Fatih’s gorgeous September wedding!! A beautiful day, rain or shine! 

Wedding:
Planning & Design: @vida_events @kylie_vidaevents
Venue: @tranquilityfarmvirginia 
Florals: @flordecasa_designs
Photography: @annaschmidtphoto
Catering & Cake: @purpleonioncateringco
Videography: @afineartweddingfilm
DJ, Strings & Guitarist: @summiteventsco
Rentals: @selecteventgroup @prettylittleweddingco
HMU: @phrenchmade
Transportation: @pointtopointlimo
Another successful annual event with Bristol Bay S Another successful annual event with Bristol Bay Sockeye Salmon in DC this past Monday!
It’s Virgo season and we have been celebrating m It’s Virgo season and we have been celebrating more birthdays these past 2 weeks! ♍️ Please join us in wishing Ellie, Tyrone and Roxana a Happy Belated Birthday!! 🎈

Ellie is one of our Senior Event Associates and has also recently celebrated her 1 year milestone with Purple Onion! 🎉 She has a laugh that can fill up the room and we absolutely love it! 

Tyrone has recently joined our Kitchen Team as our Receiver and Packer but is no stranger to Purple Onion! He has worked with us for many years as one of our Off-Site Event Chefs and is truly a wonderful addition to our in-house team! 🧁

Roxana is our Off-Site Lead Event Captain and has been with Purple Onion for the last decade! She’s definitely a prime role model to our offsite team and truly an amazing soul! ☺️

Love our team!! 💜

✨ All year long, we will be spotlighting our team members as we introduce some new and become reacquainted with familiar faces! Stay tuned for more!
Please join us in wishing our very own, Concepcion Please join us in wishing our very own, Concepcion, a very Happy Birthday today!! 🥳🧁

Concepcion is part of our talented Pasty Team and is an absolute pleasure to have around!! She has graced Purple Onion for the past 6 years and always has a uplifting energy and a contagious smile in the kitchen!😁Have a fabulous day, Concepcion!! 

Love our team!! 💜

✨ All year long, we will be spotlighting our team members as we introduce some new and become reacquainted with familiar faces! Stay tuned for more!
Walking into September and it feels so good! 🌻M Walking into September and it feels so good! 🌻Megan + Alvin’s wedding is just giving us all the feels as we end the summer and head into prime wedding season! Yeee!! Who’s with me?! 🙋‍♀️

Photo: @bakerture
Venue: @stonetowerweddings
Catering: @purpleonioncateringco
@cassdelisle @talanuri
Entertainment: @djmikedmv

#weddings #wedding #sunflower #vacatering #vacaterer
Our upcoming wedding season’s clients are coming Our upcoming wedding season’s clients are coming in for their tastings and we are pumped! 😎 We have a new Mocktail Menu now available, inquire with your event designer for a complimentary sip at your next tasting!🍹

#mocktail #mocktailmenu #purpleonioncateringco #vacaterer #sips
Yay! It’s back to school week for our local scho Yay! It’s back to school week for our local schools! 🍏📚Showing our love for our kiddies and teachers out there with some bright and delicious apples!🥰 We hope you have a sweet start to the school year! 

Featuring: 
𝑨𝒑𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝑪𝒐𝒃𝒃𝒍𝒆𝒓
Caramel Sauce | Bourbon Whipped Cream | Apple Crisp | Cranberry Pepita Streusel 

#backtoschool #apples #applecobbler #teacherspet #dessert
August has been busy month for us as we celebrated August has been busy month for us as we celebrated 3 more birthdays this pas week!! 🧁🥳
Please join us in wishing Nicole, Josue, and Jorgito a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! 💜

Nicole is our Marketing and Administrative Coordinator that we welcomed earlier this year! Taking on two roles with the company has been no easy task and we are grateful for her positivity and sweetness 24/7!🎈

Josue is our current Operations Manager and has been working in the Purple Onion Operations Department for the past 7 years! He’s a personality that can’t be duplicated! 😎

Jorgito works as one of our Kitchen Hot Side team members and is surely a talent in the kitchen - in house and offsite events! With 8 years of Purple Onion history, he’s clearly a hard worker and we are thankful to have him! 👨🏼‍🍳

Love our team!! 💜

✨ All year long, we will be spotlighting our team members as we introduce some new and become reacquainted with familiar faces! Stay tuned for more!
There’s a sweet familiarity of a cozy barn weddi There’s a sweet familiarity of a cozy barn wedding on the countryside just brings the comfort of home to the biggest day of a couples life! 🌾 The setting hit just right for E + Z’s wedding last month! Do you feel it too? 🥰

Photo: @turtleharephotography
Coordination: @tillyandteal
Venue: @oakbarnva
Catering: @purpleonioncateringco @weddingswithphoebe
Florals: @petalnbloom.studio
Entertainment: @imthedj_va
HMU: @lookingglassbeauty
Transportation: @alacartetransport

#vaweddings #vawedding #barnwedding #vabarnwedding #vacaterer #vacatering
Hey, Chef, it’s your birthday!!! 🎉Please join Hey, Chef, it’s your birthday!!! 🎉Please join us in wishing our amazing and very talented Executive Chef, Nathan, a big birthday shout out today!! 

Nathan started with Purple Onion as our Sous Chef back in 2021 before being promoted to Executive Chef last year. During this time, Chef Nathan has created a number of sophisticated dishes to add to our Purple Onion menu. With the chillest personality and witty sense of humor, Chef is just the kind of person we love to have around! Thank you for being such an amazing asset to our team!! 💜

✨ All year long, we will be spotlighting our team members as we introduce some new and become reacquainted with familiar faces! Stay tuned for more!
Our first tasting of the day with @dragonfly_event Our first tasting of the day with @dragonfly_events_design for N & S! 💜 Here we start off with a signature Lavender Lemonade mocktail, breeze through our passed hors d’oeurvres, salad and entrees, and end with some of the tastiest mini desserts!! A great start to the day, indeed!
  • Weddings
  • Corporate
  • Events
  • Venues
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Team
  • Blog
  • Contact
©2017 Purple Onion Catering · 416 Maple Avenue, West, Vienna, VA 22180 · 703.631.0050
Site by nuphoriq