Tips to Make Your Wedding Meal a Success

The lights are lit, the guests are assembled, the minister is ready - but something is missing: food! Starving to death was not on your guests’ agenda when they came to your wedding - in fact, they expect to eat to a once the vows are exchanged and the “I Do’s” are said. Here are some wedding reception food ideas you can use to keep your guests full and satisfied.

If you already have some wedding reception food ideas in mind, you must first make sure that they suit the theme of your wedding. If you’re arranging a theme wedding reception in your backyard and want to convince your guests they’re in Hawaii, then serving Italian cuisine might not be the best idea. Instead, consider some traditional luau meals, such as lomi salmon, poi, and beer.

Any wedding reception food ideas you may have should also reflect the time of the event. For example, if you’re getting married early morning with the reception shortly afterwards, you can save a lot of money and effort by serving traditional morning snacks such as pancakes, fresh fruits and pastries. An evening reception gives you the most freedom in choosing what to serve - unfortunately, it also usually leaves a gaping hole in your budget since evening meals are usually more expensive that other meals. You also need to decide on the form of food delivery - for example, will the food be served to the guests or will they walk to buffet tables and get it themselves?

One of the most popular wedding reception food ideas is to have the reception in the afternoon. This allows you to serve traditional, simple lunch dishes such as sandwiches and pasta. This is a low-cost approach, which is why it’s so popular among the more budget-conscientious couples.

Always remember that your wedding reception food ideas should also allow for different dietary requirements of your guests. Some will eat meat, while others are strictly vegetarian and yet others are lactose-intolerant. Be sure to make special arrangements with your catering service provider to include a variety of choices to suit your guests’ dietary needs. Remember, your vegetarian guests will not appreciate meals that mostly consist of meat!

Estimating number of guests

It is hard to estimate the number of guests arriving even with the practice of RSVP, wherein invited guests will contact a particular person to inform them whether he could attend or not. In addition, there are those guests that bring with them uninvited persons, thereby bringing up the number of guests.

Weddings, in particular, is a dilemma since the cost per head of a guest is by far bigger than that of a birthday party or a retirement party.

As I have observed, if you invited 100, take ten percent of that as the number who will attend. This is regardless whether they confirmed or not. As I said earlier, those who confirmed not to go may be replaced by those who brought uninvited ones with them. Ten percent of 100 is 90. From 90, take another ten percent who will decide on that particular day not to attend the celebration. So in the end, you have 81 as number of guests. But taking into account emergencies, you may add five or ten percent to 81 for contingency servings.

Shades of Green: Your Reception Dinner

One place couples spend an extraordinary amount of money is on their reception dinner. From flower arrangements to gourmet catering, your bill can easily run $300 a plate. The cost of organic, hormone-free, free range and local foods can raise your costs substantially … but what if you take out the meat?

It isn’t rare for meats, seafood and poultry to make up most of the cost of the basic reception dinner (minus the champagne and cake). You may find you’re able to save on your overall dinner expenses by taking meats out of the picture entirely, giving you enough wiggle room to afford higher quality fruits, grains and vegetables.

The following is a partial list of meal suggestions from Hudson Valley Weddings:

Sides, Hors d’oeuvres, Buffet Foods

artichokes filled with fennel and yellow and red tomatoes
baba ghanouj
black bean spread
empanadas
falafel
finger sandwiches
fluted tomato and basil tarts
fruit trays
grilled Portabello mushroom sandwiches
guacamole
hummus
mushroom and leek empanadas
potatoes (baked, mashed, fried)
rice pilaf
roasted vegetables
samosas
sesame noodles
stir-fried Sugar Snap peas with shiitake mushrooms
stuffed grape leaves
stuffed mushrooms

Entrees

fusili primavera in marinara sauce
garden lasagna
marinated vegetables
mini-quiches
morel-stuffed enchiladas
mushrooms with asparagus and a melange of sweet bell peppers and herbs potato pancakes
pasta with creamy or tomato based primavera
penne with marinara
spicy ratatouille served over rice
stuffed cabbage
stuffed peppers
stuffed squash
vegetable stir-fry
vegetable skewers with garlic and rosemary
wild mushroom ragout with fettucine

Are your guests worth steak?

The wedding menu causes many an engaged couple severe stress.

Chicken is easy, a buffet is a lovely option, but everyone knows these are less expensive choices. Will your guests judge you based on your wedding dinner choices? Probably. When planning your wedding menu here are a few truths you have to accept:

• Someone is going to take issue with the food you serve at the wedding.
• Someone is going to complain about the food you serve at the wedding.
• Someone will probably think you went “cheap” on the food for your wedding.

Once you accept you can’t make everyone happy, you will feel your stress levels drop and you can make a good decision about what to serve.

What do you think the average gift is going to be from your guests? Is your goal to break even on the wedding or are you trying to use your wedding gifts toward a down payment for a new home? How many vegetarians will you have at the wedding vs. “meat and potatoes” guests?

When it comes to a dessert table or a fruit table or a cheese and appetizer table, the same questions apply. How much can your guests possibly eat? Will they have munchies and appetizers and dinner and dessert and cake? That’s a lot of food. You don’t want to find that at the end of the night everyone has a half eaten dinner plate and the servers are carting away plate after plate of little desserts and appetizers. That’s just a waste of money that you don’t want to have, because that’s money that could have stayed in your budget for your honeymoon.

These questions will help you determine the best wedding menu for your budget and your guests.

Butterfly champagne toasting flutes

When it comes to your wedding day, one of the most personal choices for any couple is the champagne flutes you will use to toast each other, as well as your marriage. If you’re looking for wedding champagne flutes that will look lovely on display in your new dining room after the wedding, these champagne flutes from Bridal People are a perfect choice.

The butterflies give a great dash of spring flair to your wedding in a subtle way that won’t make your husband-to-be feel silly holding it for your big toast. Picture yourself standing before your wedding party and all of your guests, smiling into your spouses’ eyes and feeling your heart as light as the butterflies on the glass. Those butterflies that were in your stomach on your first date…the butterflies you will feel when you find out you will be grandparents.

They can be personalized with your and your spouses’ name and wedding date, which is a must for turning your champagne flutes into keepsakes that will be treasured for years to come. At only $22.95, they don’t have to break your tight wedding budget either.

No matter what your wedding theme is, butterflies on your champagne flutes will fit in smoothly. No worries about your spring wedding decor not matching, no worries about having something too “cute” or “different” - but at the same time, having something that you can show to your bridesmaids and get a little thrill when they ask, “Where did you get those flutes? They’re just gorgeous!”

The Cake

In my opinion…I think that a cake, while very pretty, is a waste of money. I mean you can get a beautiful small cake to display and do the traditional cutting of the cake without spending a fortune. And then have a sheet cake in the back kitchen that they can cut and give out to your guests. You can get really good sheet cakes at a great price too - especially the kinds with the thick and sweet frostings (yum!!). Save your money for something else…like the honeymoon!!! I convinced my cousin to do this and she was so glad that she did - she ended up saving $400 and the cake she served was so much better than any pricey wedding cake I have ever had!

Reception: Food on a Budget

The meal or refreshments for your wedding reception can cut into a large part of your budget. Although there is “general and traditional” etiquette, you don’t necessarily have to follow. This is your wedding and it should reflect who you are and not a matter of trying to impress to the point you go in debt. Whether refined or downscaled, your reception can have style and stay within your budget.

Tips for early afternoon weddings:

A dessert buffet - have an assortment of cookies, mini cakes, pastries, truffles, along with punch and coffee. If you have a friend or family member who is a great cook, they may be more than willing to offer their baking skills. It would make the perfect wedding gift.

Tea-party style - a large variety of finger sandwiches, toasted panini, small cakes, tarts and tea, coffee and champagne.

Picnic - if you’re having an outdoor summer wedding, especially near or in a park, going picnic style may work very well. Include fried chicken, slaw, green beans, corn on the cob, potato salad, baked beans, rolls, chips and dips, simple desserts and drinks. Wine, whether alcoholic or non-alcoholic would add a nice touch.

Tips for evening weddings:

A buffet - a variety of pasta, rice, potatoes and bread, along with vegetables and/or garden salad, roasted chicken, sliced turkey, cabbage rolls and simple desserts. Soup would also work well.

Simple - a variety of sliced meats such as roast beef, ham and turkey and a variety of sliced cheese such as provolone, swiss, cheddar. Add in fruits such as grapes, strawberries, sliced apples with dip, a variety of salads and a variety of bread and crackers.

Cocktail-hour style - keep it simple with only cocktail food and drinks. Serve a variety of non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks with garnishes such as olives, lemon or lime and cherries. For food, include cheese and crackers, canapés, chips and salsa, raw vegetables with dip, pigs in a blanket and a variety of nuts.

Other tips:

Having the reception catered can be more expensive, but it can also lessen the pressure. This is an individual decision. If you cater your own reception, enlist friends and family members to help. Most people genuinely enjoy being part of the wedding in some way. You can also buy prepared fruit, vegetable, cheese and meat trays at a quality deli, which will save you time and be good on your budget.

If your budget doesn’t allow for a large wedding cake, have a small one made, just for the bride and groom, and then have sheet cakes for the guests.

Simple wedding receptions can be elegant and certainly just as memorable as more elaborate receptions.

Novelty Wedding Cakes for Creative Brides and Grooms

I love flipping through bridal magazines and seeing all the creative wedding cakes (and groom’s cakes) that people come up with. It’s really amazing.

I think most of these cakes would be considered over-the-top by the average bride and groom — who, I’d guess, would prefer something abstract and/or elegant to, say, something with a Super Mario Bros (!) theme.

But they’re still totally worth a look — you never know what sort of idea might be sparked by a novelty wedding cake.

Things:
Jukebox cake
Tea for Two cake
Daleks & Phone booth cake (here’s an explanation)
Grandfather Clock cake
Turtle & Elephants cake
Classic Car cake
A Suitcase cake… and, another Suitcase cake
Rotary Phone cake
Nintendo cake (perfect for a retro wedding!)
Dog cake

Places:
Mountain cake (perfect for ski buffs)
Lifeboat cake
Yacht cake
French Village cake
Taj Mahal cake
Moroccan Pagoda cake
Japanese Pagoda cake
Sherwood Forest cake, for the Robin Hood fans
Minas Tirith, for the Tolkien-obsessed

Which of these is your favorite? Would you ever use one at your wedding? (Or, maybe a toned-down version of one of them?)

Let’s Talk Appetizers!

If you have been thinking about appetizers, please check out Appetizers To Go. You can order on-line and they are offering free overnight shipping, and a free gift with the purchase of three boxes of appetizers.

The suggested appetizers for your wedding are also on sale, and can save you a good deal of money. Here is a list of some of the most popular wedding appetizers..

Asparagus Rollup
Butter Marinated Maine Lobster Brochettes
Chicken Dumplings
King Mushroom Cap Combo
Panko Breaded Artichoke
Poached Pear with Brie in Filo Purse
Salmon Dill Gougeres
Shrimp and Pork Dumpling

…and many more.

What will the hot wedding trends of 2008 be?

I just came across a list of wedding trends to watch out for this coming year. The trends I liked best were:

Green Weddings
…for couples who want to do their part to help the Earth. Green weddings can incorporate such things as invitations made of recycled paper, conflict-free diamond jewelry and honeymoons to eco-resorts.

Interactive Planning
Everyone has a wedding website nowadays, so why not make your wedding planning interactive? Set up a bunch of polls and have your guests vote on various aspects of the wedding (e.g., first dance? cake flavor? favors?).

Cover Bands
How cool would it be to have a Guns N’ Roses cover band at your wedding? Or… maybe that’s just me. Swing orchestras, Latin ensembles, and many other types of cover/tribute bands can add a special feel to a wedding.

Sample Stations
Wine and cheese station, chocolate station, champagne bar… yum!

Vintage Visions
More couples will aim for an old-fashioned look with dresses, suits and rings that are either genuinely vintage or cleverly designed to seem that way.

Other trends included: Switching up one’s gown or hairstyle halfway through the event, ’steel gray’ as an accent color, and having weddings at home.

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