Food Update

Thank you everyone for you input and votes on the food debate. As you can see plated dinner took the win and I think that is what we might actually be going with! BUT with a slight twist.

I loved the idea of a mashed potato bar too much to let go of it completely. Though there is not room for an actual "bar" and it would be silly to serve guest their meal and then expect them to get there own mashed potatoes we had to brainstorm another option. This is still up in the air but what I am thinking is having waiters carry around trays of the mashed potatoes, pre-scooped in martini glasses but will have the 3 varieties on each tray and as they walk from table to table guests will select their favorite flavor. They can have 1 or 2 or 5, whatever! This way I still get the yummy yum mashed potato selection I wanted and it flows more with the plated dinner without just having a plain old scoop on the plate.

Now we just have to make some decisions on what entrees to offer. I am a vegetarian and a lot of my family members are also vegetarian or vegan. No offense to anyone out there but every wedding I have been to the vegetarians get the shaft! Vegetarian food can be really good so I want to make sure our veggie option is delicious. Do you then offer, veg, chicken, beef AND fish, I would be most likely to cut out the fish but maybe people like fish?

If you are going with the traditional plated dinner which entrees did you choose to offer your guests? If you were a guest what would you love to see as an option?

Image found here.

FOOD: Cast Your Vote

It looks like we have pretty much narrowed down our caterer to two choices, both said they would e-mail me last week and never did but I guess I am getting more used to that. I know I have a ton of time and that is probably why they are in no rush but to me if you say you are going to send info, send it.

The real question is, how to serve the food? I was completely against a plated dinner and all for food stations, but now I am realizing just how much space in our venue the food stations would take up. Then I was thinking we could do all passed, like appetizers? but one of the caterers said you would have to eat a whole lot of those to feel full. Then the idea of tapas style was appealing. Bring several little plates at a time to each table, eat from those and then more plates come and so on, no food tables taking up space and still have the variety.

The whole point is I just want it to feel fun and relaxed, no: you have to sit and eat for x amount of time, no: your turn to visit the food station, just fun, party atmosphere, eat, drink, dance, mingle. Have you seen of heard of any unique ways of serving food? If you were a guest what would be your preference?

Please vote over on the top right!

(I realize I spelled hor'doeurves wrong but it won't let me change it now!)

Caterer Questions?

We are meeting with one of our caterer finalists this weekend and another next week. I downloaded free from Real Simple these questions to ask your caterer. I hope this helps as this is all so foreign to me. Was there anything you wished you had asked your caterer ahead of time and regretted you didn't ask later?

Two other caterers on our list I have had no luck getting in touch with, I figure if I can't get them to help me now it will be a long and irritating road. Again, as with my trolley frustration, I do not understand why these people make you work for them. I mean this isn't pocket change we are talking about, shouldn't they want my business? I have little tolerance for bad service these days. I mean just e-mail a girl back, that is all I am asking!!

Pre-Wedding or Pre-Reception Snack?

I was perusing the archives at weddingbee and came across these fun posts. It got me to thinking, maybe we should offer a pre-wedding or maybe pre-reception snack. We are allowed to bring snacks and beverages on the trolley and although it is a short trolley ride it might be fun to offer guests a little snack. It could either be on the ride to the church or on the ride to the reception venue. Any thoughts? If you were a guests would you appreciate a little snacky snack or is it unnecessary? The ceremony would begin around 4:30 which is pretty prime snacking time if you ask me, maybe a pair of cookies, choco covered pretzels, popcorn, crackers?

Images and idea found on weddingbee, check out these two posts, here and here.

Ice Cream Part Two

So as I am researching more on the Cold Stone option I also came across a company Melody Ice Cream Co. If we were having an afternoon wedding or if our reception venue wasn't as formal I would be all over this, for just $100 (2008 pricing) an ice cream truck will come to your location and then guests can pick which of their favorite ice cream treats they would like. Prices range from $2-$2.75 per person which is so affordable and fun! I think guests would be so surprised to see an ice cream truck pull up come dessert time.

Food: i say potaato you say patatoe

We are not quite to the point where we should be picking our caterer yet but I did come across something I must have...a mashed potato bar! Has anyone ever been to a wedding that had a potato bar?? Being a carb/starchaholic I love anything potato and I am all over this. They apparently serve them in a martini glass which at first I thought was a bit cheesey but I am running with it. Guest would get to pick their own toppings, cheese, sour cream, chives, bacon bits, etc. Since we are trying to stay away from a sit down dinner but also not have it seem too buffet I think this would be perfect.

Candy Buffet

I really, really want a candy/chocolate buffet at our reception. As much as I love a beautiful wedding cake I would rather get a smaller cake and have an assortment of goodies. I am thinking brownies, truffles, cupcakes, you name it, I want it! I figure not everyone likes cake. This image from MS Weddings (via Rebecca Thuss) is what is inspiring me. YUMMM!!

Plated Dinner vs. Heavy Apps?

So my current dilemma is debating between a formal plated dinner or a more relaxed cocktail style reception with heavy appetizers served throughout the event. It really isn't a budget issue it is just that I hate the whole seated dinner thing. It seems you spend almost half the reception waiting for the food and then eating it uncomfortably with strangers. Plus, half the time the food isn't even that great! I would much rather give my guests more food options, the freedom of eating when they want to eat and sitting where they want to sit. But I don't want to run the risk of them feeling hungry. I have done extensive research and this is quite the debate.
What do you think?