2009 Wedding Catering Trends from Down South Delights, Part 2
Monday, March 23, 2009
Monday, March 23, 2009 On Wednesday, Brocade shared wedding catering trends from Chef's Market. Today, I will expound upon the wedding catering trends by featuring a guest blog by Down South Delights. Guest Blogger: Rita of Down South Delights, a boutique-style catering company. Plated dinners for smaller weddings - This year with the economy we are seeing very few plated dinners for weddings or large groups. Some brides are opting to spend their budgets on very formal plated dinner for small receptions. For example, we have a bride that is a true foodie and we are creating a 10 course formal French style plated meal for 20 guests. This is the bridal party and family only. Formal plated receptions last much longer and really keep guests confined to their respected tables. I highly recommend that if your guest list is over 100, you should not have a plated dinner. For smaller groups I do recommend plated dinners. Mini Appetizers & Fun Food Stations - This is the hottest trend of the season for brides to have at the reception. Almost 90% of our brides have ordered some type of mini appetizer or food station. This year's favorites are Shrimp & Grits Station (Very Southern, indeed!) and the Custom Salad Station- chefs create and toss custom gourmet salads for each guest. This is one of my favorite things to serve. Over 30 items of fresh gourmet ingredients.
For the mini appetizers some of our faves and most popular include: *Mini Takeout boxes filled with lobster lo mein complete with chopsticks *Mini Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup Shots *Mini Gourmet Burgers with artisanal condiments (These are super hot this year, not only in Nashville) *Shots of Peach & Apple Cobbler/ Strawberry Shortcake Shots *Mini Layered Cobb salad *Classic Mini Hors D’ Oeuvres - Shrimp Cocktail shots & Shots of Garlic Ranch with Veggie Sticks
veggie shots
Classic & Always Fabulous - Since we are in the south a fabulous southern themed buffet is always in style and sure to please your guests. A lot of my brides whose family is in from out of town request true southern fare with flair. That is something that I love to cook as I know ALL of the guests will enjoy. No matter how many food snobs or picky eaters attend they still fall in love with true southern cuisine. With the economy this is the best bang for your buck as well. The classic buffet of 2 entrees, 3 side items, several chilled side items, yeast rolls, and cornbread is affordable and chic. Add some peach iced tea and strawberry lemonade you are good to go! This menu works really well for couples having their reception at local historic sites like Belle Meade, Carnton, Travelers Rest, etc.
classic style
So here is a tip that I wanted to share not only with my brides, but those that have already found their caterer. When planning your reception, make sure and share with your caterer the ambiance that you are trying to create for your reception. Are you wanting a chic, streamlined, modern look? Maybe you are opting for the traditional classic wedding with ivory, silver, and lots of simple elements. Are you planning a stylish Town & Country rustic affair with neutrals and wrought iron? Or maybe you are having an over the top reception with hot pink, black, and lots of sparkle. You may wonder where I am going with this! You need to plan with your caterer how they are going to scape your tables because if you do not share this info they may show up with a very modern euro style table setup for your romantic traditional southern wedding reception.
modern style set-up
A great caterer will design your food tables to match your room décor. IF they do not have any choices then you may want to look elsewhere. This is one of the main elements besides great tasting food that we plan. Each bride gets a custom design for their reception complete with matching colors and decor. It really does make a difference if your food tables compliment or clash with the rest of your reception area.
About the Author:
Ashley of Ashley's Bride Guide
Hey - I'm Ashley! I started AshleysBrideGuide.com to give Nashville brides, or folks planning a Nashville wedding, a local resource for inspiration and resources. Hope to see you at a bridal show soon! Happy Planning.
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Posted on March 23, 2009 |
Filed under: Cakes & Catering, Inspiration & Trends
