Friday, November 5, 2010

Twist on a Traditional Wedding Dinner

Today Event Architect, Adel Domingo, is going to share tips on how to personalize your Wedding Day culinary and beverage selections. She has some great, and practical tips, on how to take a traditional wedding dinner, and put your mark on it.

It is sometimes difficult to gauge a couple’s style these days. However, the majority of couples still like to stay traditional in their gown, tuxedo, and even music choices. They want to keep things “simple and elegant,” but with their own unique touch.

The wedding reception gives the couple the opportunity to stray from the traditional, especially in their food and beverage selections. If on a limited budget it is a little more difficult to stray away from the usual chicken dinner. The stigma of the good old chicken dinner may seem tacky, but if some thought is put into it, the wedding meal does not have to be boring. If you’re not on a budget, you have to be careful not to overdo it.


Champagne, or a version of a sparkling wine, like the Italian Prosecco or the Spanish Cava, is starting to be trendy again. Your favorite red or white wine is still popular to serve during dinner but the sparkling wine is very popular during cocktail hour. The cocktail of the hour can be a Kir Royale or the couple’s favorite beer or ale. The beer is always popular, but why not have more than 6 choices?

The hors d’oeuvres or appetizers can be as informal as mini quesadillas or as simple as mini French brie with a sliver of pear on brioche. You can also use ethnic choices to reflect your heritage. For instance, you can serve sushi, hummus dip, or tapas. Why not have fondue stations, or have fondue on each table instead of soup or salad? It’s a good way for your guests to get to know each other and its fun.

The reception food can be tailored to the couple’s style or liking. Organic ingredients are a little more costly than most, but asking the chef to use the local produce is not only meaningful to the local business, but may boast of the local flavors. If you use Farmer John’s potatoes for your soup, it can be mentioned on the menu card. You can also use your mom’s soup or cake recipe, or your father’s barbecue sauce for the ribs. Who says you can’t have fried chicken or meatballs? You can serve anything you want, as long as it’s served in an organized and beautiful way, and most importantly, taste like you want to have seconds!


Let’s talk about the couple’s sweet taste. You can have a typical dinner but have fun with your dessert. At your sweet table, why not have pies? You can serve Aunt Millie’s lemon bars with a side of sorbet or whip cream if you don’t want a wedding cake. You can go seasonal and serve a pumpkin pie if you’re getting married around Thanksgiving. Finally, if you still want to stay traditional, do your cake cutting on a two-tiered cake and serve a miniature version of your cake, down to the cake topper, to every guest. If you can fit it in your budget, have a crepe station. There is nothing like the smell of hazelnut chocolate melting on a crepe pan.


After all that dancing, you can treat the guests that survived the night to a special delivery box of White Castle burgers, a mini nacho bar or a tub of cold water bottles and ice cream sandwiches.

Just one more thing worth repeating, even though you want to add your own unique culinary style to your important event, make sure it tastes simply delicious.

Thanks Adel!

BBFN (Bridal Bliss for Now),
Olivia

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