Monday, March 17, 2008

This article is our first in our new series called Weddings 101: What You Need to Know Before You Hire. Enjoy this thorough, informative article from a Nashville wedding expert.

 

Guest Post: A Magical Affair, a Nashville event and wedding planning company.

When it comes to good eats at your reception, it’s all about taste. In this blog, we’re going to talk about how the time of day says a lot about what your guests expect you, as a host, to provide on your big day.

While your wedding is the biggest day of your life, to your guests, it’s still a party. And yes, it is your party, but you want to keep in mind that it’s important that you consider your guests while planning your reception. Remember that they are the people that have driven cross-country to share in your special day, and that they would probably like more than cake and some saltines at the end of a 24-hour drive. If you can only afford cake and saltines, trust us, forego the saltines and make it the best cake-only reception you can.

Receptions are one of the main things that your guests remember from years to come. The tales of your wedding will usually begin with the crazy stories about Aunt Milda drinking a few too many Chambord-laced champagnes, or how the two of you busted out the craziest first dance anyone had seen. Either way, making your reception memorable means creating good memories, and those aren’t the kind that start with “remember when Billy and Mary had saltines and spam at their reception? My, that was interesting.” Work with your budget to create a memorable (in a good way) reception.

A caterer is one of your big five planning items: Locations (ceremony & reception); photography; style (casual reception or awesome extravaganza event); dress; and yes…the food! Catering should follow after you’ve determined these three things: 1. Your budget (trust us, you want to figure that one out FIRST- there’s nothing worse that getting your heart set on a sit-down, plated dinner and then finding out you have the budget for saltines and cake), 2. Your location for your reception, and 3. the time of day. This blog will focus on the time of day and how it impacts your catering choices.

The Brunch or Lunch Reception (10 am- 1 pm)

- If you have an ceremony between the hours of 10 in the morning & 1 in the afternoon, your guests will generally expect a brunch or lunch to follow. Lunches are a great way to save money, because you can bring in the elegant elements you’d like to have at a dinner, but for less. For what you’d spend on a buffet at dinner you can do as a sit down at lunch. Luncheons, as you know, are usually smaller, daintier affairs, but there’s no limits on what you can serve: lobster & steak works just as well as soup and salad!

For planning the perfect brunch reception, do your research. The best research? Eating, of course. Go out to Sunday brunch and see what you like best. Do you want to have something your guests can customize, like an omelette station or a belgium waffle bar with exotic fruits and syrups? Wanting to do alcohol? Offer bloody mary’s, mimosas, or some fresh champagne. For the quintessential Sunday brunch, bring in fresh country ham, biscuits, and gravy. There’s a lot you can do to create an elaborate, sumptuous breakfast that will keep your guests talking for years to come.

The Mid Afternoon Reception (1-3 pm)

- If your soiree falls between 1 & 3, it’s safe to serve light refreshments. This is the ideal time for the cake and punch reception with a few light bites, like tea sandwiches, dips, and fruit. You could also do something fun and offer a wine tasting reception, with assorted fruits and cheeses. This is a very stylish alternative that helps you to save money (because you need less food and less service staff!)

If you choose this option, a great rule of thumb for the wine tasting party is to choose 3 reds and 3 whites with varying levels of sweetness. You can offer your guests the favor of their wine tasting glass at the end of the afternoon, and get jiggers that measure out a precise 1 oz pour for each taste. A standard wine tasting progresses from sweetest to driest wines, with food pairings along the way. Talk with your favorite local wine shop owner for tips on selecting affordable wines for your reception. By limiting the tastes to one ounce, you can save on wine and food while delighting your guests with an upscale and unique party offering that they’ll remember for years to come.

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The Dinner Reception (4-7 pm)

Anytime between 4&7 implies that you are going to serve your guests dinner. The popular option in the south is a full buffet with mixed heavy appetizers. This is by far a cost effective option to the seated, plated dinner. You can spice things up a bit by trying the newest trend: soup shooters! Roving trays of soup replace the standard passed appetizer in advance of the buffet dinner, giving your guests plenty to talk about as they marvel over your genius style. Plus, soup can be a very cheap option to appetizer offerings. If the weather’s warm, serve a gazpacho with chilled tomatoes. If it’s cold out, you could try this yummy purreed butternut squash soup. Either way, it’s fun, cool, and cheaper than puffed pastry wrapped lobster bites.
Either way, when your guests come at dinner, and you serve alcohol, make sure that you offer them enough for keep their stomachs full before hitting the road. It’s your responsibility as party host to ensure that your guests don’t over indulge in your alcoholic beverages and that you have food for them (and alternate beverage choices) for them to enjoy.
If it’s not in your budget to provide a full meal and you want to have an evening wedding, perhaps pick our next option.

The After Hours Soiree (after 7 pm)

- If you are hosting a ceremony after 7pm, it’s safe to assume your guests have eaten and you can try some of the more trendy reception offerings, like a dessert buffet (mmm) or even a late-night finger food extravaganza. Do you and your husband to be love sundaes? Then have a sundae bar? Big into Pizza? Have a pizza buffet. Later evening weddings & receptions allow for you to try a bit of the unconventional, and you can often do so with less expense.

For the perfect dessert reception, go with desserts that are exotic and fun (and different from wedding cake). Try tiramisu bites, cheesecakes, or custom-made chocolates to wow your guests and delight their sweet tooths. Or, if you want to do something fun and a bit upscale, offer some delightful dessert wines to accompany the dessert offerings. Port Wine, Ice Wine, and Champagne are delicious selections, but so are custom drinks, like a chocolate martini, Bailey’s Irish Cream, and signature coffees can all be delightful options (and tasty offerings) for your guests to enjoy!

Ashley adds:

Ready to hire your wedding caterer? Down South Delights and Larrivieres on the Square are two of my favorites, both yummy. Want more? Check out my directory of Nashville caterers.