I have to say up front that I am a little biased against the grand hotel or banquet hall default to sitting down for a Saturday night dinner preceded by a cocktail hour with an hors d’oeuvre reception. I have never fully enjoyed sitting at a table (sometimes with people I don’t know) and sitting there all night waiting for a banquet server, who is in a rush during the night, to bring me my plate. Or ask people at the table with me to please pass the salad dressing or butter that I can’t reach because it’s on the opposite side of the table. I really don’t enjoy being served another uninspired “rubber chicken” or dry salmon meal with an undercooked or overcooked “mixed vegetable” (read, whatever cheap vegetables the kitchen has on hand).
In my opinion, every time we entertain valued guests, we are giving a gift to our loved ones.
When the party is a wedding reception, we are also creating a wonderful once-in-a-lifetime celebration, one that we want us and our guests to have great memories of. You should think about the details of the party. What kind of food would me and my guests love? How can I create fun and memorable entertainment for them? What would you like to do during these few hours that we are celebrating together? Hint: It’s certainly not being stuck in a chair in a crowded, nondescript hotel or banquet hall. I like to walk around the room, visit with many other guests and eat really good food. Okay, I know no one goes to your wedding just for the food, as a young bride once told me, but people will be talking about your wedding for years to come if the food is exceptionally good or exceptionally bad. .
Putting some creative thought into planning a celebration that you and your guests will truly love will undoubtedly result in a much more personalized day. A brunch, lunch or tea sandwich and dessert reception, even a picnic wedding, can still be elegant and charming. These types of receptions will often save you money as well. For example, food costs for brunch, tea, or picnic are generally lower than for dinner, and since most people drink less alcohol in the afternoon than in the evening, you’ll save money on bar costs. .
I remember, as a young woman, attending a large afternoon picnic wedding in a park, where the guests were entertained, sitting at picnic tables and on blankets on the grass, with great musical and street theater performances, which they reflected the artistic interests and tastes of the bride. And another, as a slightly older woman, at a Sonoma County winery with panoramic views, where guests were offered a selection of excellent lunches to enjoy while we sipped the wines, and exquisite chocolate truffle cakes (which they give as a gift). couple) for dessert.
I attended a backyard wedding this past June where the young couple chose to have a pizza station, topped with various delicious items, added to their buffet. Instead of a wedding cake they had a brownie and ice cream bar, with 4 different types of brownies and a selection of delicious sauces and toppings for the ice cream. I really enjoyed watching the groom as he enjoyed trying and comparing each type of brownie to the various sundaes she had created.
I have catered weddings in the past where couples chose to have Western food as well as incorporate stations with foods from their ethnic backgrounds such as Korean, Chinese and Japanese. We decorated the station in one with large, brightly colored fans purchased from Chinatown.
I have looked back on all these weddings with much warmer thoughts than the sweltering banquets I have attended.
So put some thought into putting your personal stamp on your wedding reception and give your guests something to look back on fondly for years to come.