Wedding Advice: Catering

Planning timeline
Catering is a big ticket item, so if you want your first choice then its best to do this early as well. However, larger companies can handle multiple weddings at the same time. I would recommend 10-12 months before (earlier is always better, though, depending how long your engagement is). I had my tasting about 5 months before the wedding and that worked out well. Plus they gave us a sample of our cake to take home... which was a nice surprise.

Suggestions
-Know that this can quite possibly be your largest expense! It certainly was my largest expense. Also! There are so many options. You can have buffet style, plated, family style, or stations. Each has different pros and cons, I found a really great description of those here. I chose plated (3 meal option) because I liked the idea of guests being served and meals with elegant presentations.
-Many caterers nowadays can provide you with the other nececssities you'll need, such as table linens, equipment, and furniture. It was nice to get that all in one place and to lower my total vendor count.

-Don't necessarily think about only what you like. Think about what your guests would like. I really wanted blue cheese on the salad... however, its not always a crowd favorite cheese so we went with another type. That is also why I chose one fun theme-related cake flavor (Lemon Raspberry) and one play-it-safe cake flavor (Grand Marnier Vanilla). Turns out I liked the Grand Marnier Vanilla better, anyways! Use the cocktail hour apps to bring in other meats you may not be using in your main course. I had chicken and salmon main courses (+veg), so my appetizers were beef tatiki, crab cakes, lollipop lambchops, and a mushroom quiche.

-You make your table layout/seating chart with catering. This is a big decision and it can definitely effect the flow of the evening. Do you want a sweetheart table (just you & the hubs), a bridal party only table, or have your maids & groomsmen out mingling? I personally chose to disperse my wedding party as some had significant others and others I felt would like to catch up with other guests, etc. Having the whole bridal party sit together, to me, is not fun for the bridal party. I personally chose to not have my table stand out in any way (except for being near the entrance... a lot of people choose near the dance floor, though) and I sat with my parents, brother, and his parents. This way, it forced us to mingle during the reception and make our rounds to all the tables. *I turned in the seating chart about a week before. It will change a lot! I had a guest drop out an hour before (sweet text message, too) as well as a wedding crasher! So guess it worked out in the end.

Caroline and Jon Update: 1/8 menu tasting!

This is a bit delayed but figured I would go over it!

On Jon and I's 6 year anniversary we had our first menu tasting. We were able to try all four of our h'orderves, our first course (salad), our main dishes (chicken, salmon), and our two cake flavors (as in different layers are different flavors). Everything tasted delicious, and I think the only amendment we made was changing the cheese on our salad. I know I chose the right caterer -- the presentation was phenomenal -- very interesting use of ingredients... very artsy! And so is the china Jon picked out so it should all come together very nicely. Our menu also has two subtle themes (essences/repeated flavors/?) to it and I believe they were executed tastefully (hah hah, get it?) soooo hopefully they will be obvious and yummy :)

In addition to just being our caterer, the same company provides all of our linens, silverware, chairs (ceremony + reception), cocktail hour tables, misc tables (guestbook, escort, bar, etc.), and even the lounge we are going to have under the tent. It really helps to minimize the number of vendors we have to talk to/deal with. My caterer even had one of her florist friends make us a centerpiece for our tasting. I am probably going to use him as my florist, just because I really don't have time to compare and contrast vendors. As always though -- remember to check and see what people say about your vendors on www.weddingwire.com, its a great resource!

This is the centerpiece the florist made me only knowing I like "pink,"

mine will be fairly different which is why I'll post this.

I will still use some of the same flowers (roses, spray roses) and colors,

although I don't really want much or any white in my arrangements.

Catering!

I met with a catering company this past Tuesday, August 17th and I just got my sample menus in today! It's pretty exciting planning what we want to serve to our guests, because it says a lot about our tastes and who we are as a couple. Some pairs choose to do a buffet, some do seated and served. We're doing the latter. Others want a mash patato bar with all the fixins, and mini cheeseburgers as hors d'oeuvres. Jon and I want understated elegance; understated may be a bad word, but we want our day to be very formal, mature, artistic, classy, beautiful, simplistic etc. Luckily it's hard not to fit that description when you're getting married in a garden!

Caroline and Jon: Menu Specifications
This company had me tell them the type of menu we were thinking of, and then they created two for us based on our descriptions listed below!

• The meal needs to be light, not heavy since the reception is outdoors and it will be hot
• I don't want anything too experimental, it should be liked by almost any palette (even though Jon and I love trying new foods!)
• It can't contain anything that Jon is allergic to (high citric acid-containing fruits, avocado)
• It can't contain common allergents (i.e. nuts)
• I want the meal to be of one genre (all american, mediterranean)
• I want three or four hors d'oeuvres, a salad, a chicken main course, and a cake
• The hors d'oeuvres should feature other meats, one vegetarian option
• The salad should use a universally liked dressing
• Cheese should be used minimally
• The hors d'oeuvres should be passed by servers dressed formally, in the different tiers of the gardens
• There should be two open bars, one in the gardens during the cocktail hour (6 - 7 pm), then one under the tent during the reception (7-10:30 pm)
• There will be two signature drinks -- a Mr. and a Mrs. (I think I already know what I'm going to call mine! :)
• The meal should be a seated, plated, served meal

Cake Update

So Jon and I have talked about what kind of cake we want, and I think we have decided a few things. It will (1) be a chocolate colored cake, (2) it will have TRUFFLES on it (I'm addicted...) and possibly chocolate curls, (3) it will most likely be chocolate ganache and raspberry flavored, (4) it will NOT have a cheesy topper, (5) it will have 3 layers (extra sheet cake can be hidden behind the scenes - GREAT way to save $$), (6), it will be ROUND! (although I will acknowledge that square is more practical), and (7) it will have a few strategically placed flowers on it. Here are a few of my inspiration pictures:

DISCLAIMER! The cake I have in mind doesn't really look like these, this is just to get a feel of the details. And for the record, the flowers on the cakes in these pictures are not very classy. Dislike! :)

Cocoa dusted truffles, lined fondant

Three distinct layers, sides covered by chocolate curls


Alternating milk and dark chocolate curl siding (like this a lot)



Chocolate curl siding with raspberrys on top of layers

Completely truffle covered! (a little too much/not very pretty)

Did you know...


The choclate curls can work wonders - they can conver a buttercream iced cake - fondant is hard and not very tasty, ya know! So that is something I am considering trying to do, although with the summer heat I heard fondant was recommended. But fondant does provide the best most perfect representation of the cake. We'll see...

Signature Cocktails

So, let me just say this now... YES, there will be an open bar! Of course :) BUT Jon and I will each have our own signature cocktail, which I want to have stationed in different levels of the garden - it kind of dips down in elevation like the Lawn. However, talking this over with Jon, it sounds like we both might be choosing shooters instead! I think signature drinks are a fun way to incorporate individual personality into the wedding day, so in my book, its a must!

I want my drink to be fresh and fruity because it is a summer wedding. Being the classy person that I am, I think I am going to do a modified version of my favorite shooter... dirty bong water! YUM! Haha. It includes:

1 oz Chambord Raspberry Liqueur

1 oz Blue Curacao Liqueur

1 oz Amaretto Almond Liqueur

1 oz Spiced Rum

1 oz Sweet & Sour Mix

I think with a raspberry garnish and on the rocks, this could look pretty legit. I highly recommend ordering this the next time you go out, although beware - it's often unknown.

Other flavors/options I am considering: pomegranate/raspberry/cranberry cosmos, fruity spritzers, etc etc

CAKES!

My ideal cake will be...

Color: White or Brown -- any other color looks unappetizing. I never considered brown before but it's a nice change from all the white out there.

Round - with a trim. Little dots or ribbons look cool, I think the little dots are my favorite.

Covered in flowers - pink and burgundy flowers on a white cake - stunning contrast!

Lace detailing: something about this catches my eye, doubt I'll go with it because it's generally only done in white. But I think it's very romantic.

Truffle covered cake. Nuff Said.

People, Food, and Drink!

I think this is my longest, most wordiest post to date! I promised myself I wouldn't bore people with one of these - cuz I personally would never read it - but look for the bold words to read about my favorite options for food to serve! :)

Buffet vs. Plated? Casual or Elegant? Jon and I have talked, and I think we are going to go for an elegant plated meal. But boy -- does food cost $$$. I never realized this would be the biggest expense -- and ultimately has made me have to cut down the number of people I am inviting. I don't have any definite head count or even any lists made, but the Oatlands package I booked allows for a guest count of 80-120. Of course I could upgrade to 125-170 for $500, or even 175-250 for another $500 on top of that... but it's the tenting that is pricy. Which goes from $1750 to $2800 to $4200. Ouch! ANYWAYS back to what I was saying... I am definitely trying to keep it under 120 guests because I'm looking at about $100 a head for food (this does include silverware, plating, staff, cake depending on where I order from). So that's about $12,000. Wow. I think my family count is about 20ish and Jon's family count is 22-25 according to his mom. So that still leaves me with a decent amount of room for friends - at least 50. It is hard though because I do have a ton of friends, plus with the sorority it will be difficult choosing people. And I might even forgo formality and not let them invite dates so I can have more DZs there... they would all know eachother so that shouldn't be a problem. I'm just afraid of offending people! 

As for the food - I am thinking 3 h'orderves, 1 starter, and 1 main course (chicken or steak, plus vegetarian/vegan option). For the h'orderves, I want to showcase Jon and I's palettes. When I was at Oatlands they gave me some packets from catering companies and I think my favorite is definitely Windows Catering Company. Below is a couple of the passed h'orderves I like:

• Chicken Samosa chopped boneless chicken breast blended with ginger, garlic, tomato, and spices rolled in phyllo dough and flash fried
• Mashed Potato Cigars with gorgonzola cheese and chive cream fraiche *favorite!
• Phyllo Purse brie cheese with almond and pear wrapped in layers of phyllo with a curry aioli
• Margarita Florida Gulf Jumbo Shrimp

Next I would serve a first course of salad or soup. I really want to do corn chowder because it's one of my favorites, but then again a hot soup might not be a good idea. Here are some of the options:

• Barolo Wine Poached Bosc Pear organic baby field greens with warm saga blue cheese timbale, applewood smoked bacon, barolo wine vinaigrette with a savory palmier
• Endive and Heirloom Apple Salad endive, escarole and watercress, smoky french brie, toasted pine nuts, date compote, and black olive oil
• Strawberry Stilton Salad organic field greens with california strawberries, caramelized shallots, strawberry balsamic vinegar *favorite!
• Caesar Salad in a Parmesan Cup baby red and green romaine leaves with red and yellow teardrop tomatoes in a crisp parmesan cup drizzled with classic caesar vinaigrette
• Summer Corn Chowder with bacon, potato chunks, and frizzled green leek *favorite!

For the main course chicken would be the cheapest - and not to mention most liked and most versatile, so again I am thinking going with that so I can invite as many people as possible. However the filet mingnon and crab cake are still calling my name...

• Maryland Lump Crab Bundle Maryland lump crab wrapped in phyllo dough with minced fresh garden vegetables and chives in a tarragon beurre blanc
•  Portobello Mushroom Tower grilled portobello mushroom cap filled with a sweet potato puree topped with crispy tobago onion strings
  
• Grilled New York Strip Steak with potato brie pie and a melange of seasonal vegetables with a cracked peppercorn sauce
• Chicken Roulade medallions of farm raised breast of chicken filled with spinach and shiitake mushrooms, served with a wild mushroom sauce, accompanied by an apple-shaped croquette potato, california green asparagus, baby carrots and roasted red peppers, with a tarragon beurre blanc sauce
• Harvest Chicken breast of chicken stuffed with corn bread, apples and pecans, roasted and sliced into medallions served on a bed of braised Napa cabbage, sugar snap peas and butternut squash batons with a sour cherry sauce
• Sweetheart Chicken breast of free-range chicken presented on a heart-shaped crouton with rosemary and Chanterelle mushrooms and roasted shallot jus accompanied by asparagus spears, potato cake and baby carrots *favorite!
• Black Angus Tenderloin of Beef Wrapped in Oregon Mushrooms with potato and celery root napoleon, wild asparagus, cipollini roasted onions with a truffled rioja wine sauce

So hopefully you aren't reading this when you are hungry!! While I love the sound of the experimental flavors, I of course am going to go with fairly plain, not out of the ordinary meals to accomodate the most people. So nothing too spicy or foreign (i.e. Asian or Indian flavors). However, I will take my h'orderves as a way to give guests an opportunity to try something interesting. Otherwise I will probably go with a simple soup or salad and chicken entree with veggies and mashed Ps. Sounds pretty good to me!

As for cake flavors I love the following. I really want to get an Ace of Cakes cake... however that will cost me at minimum a grand, so I don't know about that. I definitely want to go with a light cake - so no intense chocolate. I'm actually thinking I would prefer a fruity cake - good for the summer season!

• Strawberry and Lime Shortcake lime-flavored spongecake, strawberry syrup, vanilla mousseline and fresh strawberries with vanilla buttercream
• Lemon Raspberry Cake lemon cake filled with lemon curd mousse and fresh raspberries with lemon buttercream frosting *favorite!
• Grand Marnier Golden Cake grand marnier flavored cake, vanilla cream and fresh strawberries with lemon buttercream frosting
• Vanilla Almond Cake vanilla cake, almond cream filling with vanilla buttercream
• Vanilla Blackberry Cake almond spongecake filled with vanilla cream and fresh blackberries with light amaretto whipped cream frosting

As for dranks, I'll probably do two signature cocktails (one for me, one for Jon) plus wine and beer. Maybe an open bar, but I want to have some money leftover for a honeymoon! More on the signature cocktails after I finally pick my color scheme!

CHOCOLATE.

Chocolate menu. Need I say more?!

Flava flav

Upon perusing the Charm City Cakes website (Jon and I love the foodnetwork, especially Ace of Cakes, and we really want our wedding cake from there!) I started thinking about wedding cake flavors. And boy, do they have a large selection of interesting tastes. While I considered a coffee-flavored cake, Jon quickly dismissed it (probably not the most universal flavor. However, if it were up to him--it'd be an ice cream cake!). That brought me to a lemon-y or raspberry cake. Here are my top 6 Ace of Cakes flavors: Lemon curd & berries, Chocolate Raspberry, Bananas Foster, Pecan Pie, Butterscotch Walnut, and Chocolate Orange. Delish. Can I start cake-testing now??

http://www.charmcitycakes.com/flavors