Something Old or Something New: How to Choose Your Wedding’s Menu #guestblog

For brides and grooms and their families, planning a wedding is a huge chore. One of the most important things for both families is to find a date, location for the ceremony and reception that works for almost everyone along with working for those who are budget conscious– and these days, everyone is. Once the date is good and ceremony is tentatively booked for the family, the reception becomes crucial. That is when a good caterer is your ace in the hole to make the wedding day seamlessly smooth, beautiful and fun. If it’s smooth, the bride’s parents will relax. If it’s beautiful, the bride will relax! If it’s fun- and everyone has a great time- all parties will remember it –and the caterer for such a great event. To talk about how to create a great wedding celebration, Ani Keshishian

It is the dream of brides-to-be everywhere: to someday have a stunning and utterly unique wedding celebration. While the traditional American wedding requires several elements to remain unchanged for the event to signal a true betrothal — the white dress, the exchange of rings, the first dance — most engaged couples hope to make their weddings personal and one-of-a-kind. While the décor and the vows are the most popularly manipulated components, an overlooked possibility for distinction lies in the cuisine served during the reception. Whether couples are looking for familiar foods or exceptional eats, here are some ideas for setting the menu for a matchless marriage.

1. Sit-Down Dinner

The most classic and traditional of wedding reception dinners, sit-down meals are simply the pinnacle of elegance when it comes to eating. Guests are allowed to relax while servers bring course after course of delicately prepared dishes to enjoy. Sit-down dinners often afford meticulous brides the most control over their guests, as there is little room for confusion or mishaps when guests are all but chained to their designated seats. Plus, contrary to popular belief, sit-down meals can be some of the least expensive, since they allow caterers to accurately predict the amount of needed food: one plate per person. Couples can order any number of courses, as long as they get the okay from their caterer. An example menu for a sit-down dinner might be as follows:

 Appetizer course.
Crostini or bruschetta and a curated artisan cheese board.

 Soup and salad course.
Tuscan garden salad with balsamic vinaigrette or zesty chickpea soup.

 Main course.
Rack of lamb, glazed salmon, or vegetable lasagna, each served with potatoes and steamed greens.

2. Cocktail Party

A common trend among modern receptions is to eschew a formal meal altogether in favor of rotating trays of hors d’oeuvres. As long as the event doesn’t last longer than three hours, most guests won’t realize they are missing out on a full dinner service. The benefits to having this non-traditional menu are seemingly myriad: It cuts the food budget in half, it decreases seating requirements, and it allows for constant mingling, which is what the event is for. Some brides also prefer the cocktail party format because it tends to dim the spotlight on the happy couple; usually, shorter receptions don’t include typical traditions like the newlywed introduction or formal first dance.

Additionally, couples can have the best of both worlds with a cocktail party that transforms into a formal dinner. However, not all caterers specialize in all types of meal service, so be sure to hire a reputable catering company you can trust. Here are some sample nibbles you might find at a simple cocktail reception:

 Fried shrimp

 Chicken or beef kabobs

 Sliders

 Soup shots

 Crab cakes

Of course, hors d’oeuvres come in all shapes and sizes; here is a more radical cocktail menu:

 Bacon-wrapped asparagus

 Mini beef wellingtons

 Spring rolls

 Stuffed mushrooms

3. Buffet or Family-Style Meal

Crafting a menu that every guest will enjoy is a difficult task — which is why many couples choose to serve meals that prevent making hard culinary choices. Buffets and family-style meals — where guests are asked to help themselves to platters heaped with food — are excellent options for couples who want to serve multiple entrees to address any dietary preference. However, because the number of dishes caterers can serve at buffet-style receptions is virtually infinite, you absolutely must use your budget to guide your selection process. Make sure the meal is balanced with at least one dish of each of the major food groups: protein, vegetables, grains, and the rest. The following is a modest buffet menu for a typical reception:

 Appetizer display-
containing nibbles like spanakopita, spinach dip, and assorted canapés.

 Antipasti display-
containing mozzarella, grilled eggplant, kalamata olives, ripe tomatoes, artichokes, etc.

 Smoked salmon topped with lemon slices, capers, onion, and dill sauce.

 Carving station-
containing cuts of turkey breast and flank steak.

No two weddings are exactly the same, but couples looking to stand out can certainly do so with an exceptional menu. First and foremost, you must consider the size and needs of your wedding party as well as the extent of your food and drink budget. Luckily, a select number of caterers are willing to work with creative couples to craft a meal to remember.

Ani Keshishian

About Ani Keshishian:

Ani Keshishian has worked in the catering business for several years. Her expertise in this area has led her to cater events of all types including weddings, birthday celebrations, corporate events and much more. With her experience and attention to detail she has become a go-to person for any catering needs.

Thanks to Ani Keshishian for writing such a comprehensive over-view of what options there are for a wedding reception and how to find the best caterer you can afford. Wedding are a rare event, most people go through this event just once or twice in their lives. Knowing what is needed ahead of time and how to talk to a caterer about various presentations for a reception is one of the most important things one can do on a wedding day.

If you are planning a wedding, you might want to share this with both bride’s family

Stevie Wilson,
LA-Story.com

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