By the end of November, I will have attended six weddings (including my own) in less than five months. I happen to really enjoy these celebrations, though I know others begrudge them as obligations. While some affairs were more simple, others more extravagant, the food at all of them blew me away -- so much so, that if I had more time before my own, I would have swiped some of their ideas!
Let's start from the beginning: I know I've written about Josie and Adam's wedding in numerous posts, but I just can't help it, it was a night to remember. From that wedding, I would have ''borrowed'' the main course. It's true what comfort food does for the soul -- it just makes people happier. In place of their tapas station, I might have added fried chicken and shrimp and grits.
If it were in my budget, I probably would have taken all of Jaimee and Charles' (Jon's college friend) cocktail hour stations. That's right, the convention of passed hors d'oeuvres has somehow transformed into food stations, along with a few passed items. Where should I begin? Unlimited lobster tails and jumbo shrimp, sushi made to order, grilled scallops, caviar, french fries, thin-crust pizzas and pastrami were just a few of the amazing cocktail-hour bites they served.
I've heard of brides getting so overwhelmed and busy the day of the wedding that they actually forget to eat. I found this notion pretty hard to believe until I started participating in weddings myself. All of a sudden you're rushing to get into a car to go to your hair appointment, then there's makeup, then you have to put on your dress and be ready for photos at a certain time. Before you know it, you're sitting down to the first course and your first meal of the day; and even then, you're busy making sure the bride has everything she needs.
With that said, I couldn't let this happen to me or my bridesmaids. The solution: have breakfast catered in my hotel room where everyone will be getting ready. Platters of fruit, danishes and croissants, along with yogurt and homemade granola, should please everyone. Even if the girls don't have time to formally sit down at the table and eat, they can grab a yogurt and eat it while they're having their hair done. The wedding day is long and arduous. The more energy we all have, the less cranky and more pleasant it will be for everyone.
Did you eat the day of your wedding? If not, was it because of the lack of time or were you too nervous? For those of you who have been bridesmaids, what would your ideal wedding-day snacks be? Let me know in the comments.
A Blue- and-White-Themed Candy Bar. Photo: Sarah De Heer.
With 23 days to go until Jon and I say "I do," we're still debating our favors. While we have narrowed it down, I've decided to offer an array of items instead of just one. In the meantime, Jon and I have attended two very special weddings (Jon's good friends from high school and college), and both offered candy bars on top of handing out favors.
Both sweet tables were decked out with some of the best and most color-coordinated treats. The first wedding focused on a blue-and-white theme (colors of the wedding) with sweets such as malt balls, chocolate-covered pretzels, nonpareils and shark gummies.
The second wedding offered more nostalgic options such as Dots (my favorite), gummies, rock candy and what seemed to be a total hit with the crowd -- Ring Pops! Sitting back on a couch during the afterparty, I was tickled to see our friends walking around in their Sunday best with Ring Pops on their hands.
Several weeks ago, I covered my co-worker's wedding in Louisville, Ky., and raved about how she doubled her wedding cakes as centerpieces. It got me thinking: Everyone attending our wedding knows that both Jon and I are serious foodies. I want to incorporate food into our decor too, but I don't want to overdo it (and believe me, that wouldn't be hard!).
With the cost of food eternally increasing, I need to come up with other ways to incorporate our passion into our cocktail hour and reception. With the help of eBay and Amazon, I think I'll be able to pull it off. I have a vision of filling up old crates with bright, white hydrangeas and placing them by the bars.
Taking that idea one step further, I started a search on eBay for wine crates and stumbled across an antique Dad's Root Beer crate, which just so happens to be one of Jon and my father's favorite root beers. Five days of bidding and this puppy was mine!
Surprisingly, I find that more and more of my friends are skipping the rehearsal and the rehearsal dinner altogether. While it does save money and even some hassle, I couldn't help but have everyone gather around for another meal to celebrate our nuptials.
If Jon and I were getting married in our home state (New Jersey), I would have loved a backyard barbecue with all the fixings. But since we're getting married in Washington, D.C., we decided we'd have to forgo the backyard shindig and opt for a restaurant. But which one to choose?
With cost as the ultimate factor, Jon and I needed this restaurant to mean something to us, on top of trusting it to produce a show-stopping meal. It didn't take long for us to realize that Acadiana, located in the heart of D.C., would be the spot. Read on for our menu and why it means so much to us.
As my wedding comes to the six-weeks-away mark, Jon and I are finding that we're watching our money and trying to cut back where we can. One major place that I found for saving money is the supermarket. I asked myself last week, "Are there items I can save on and still get the same results?"
Of course, cereal was my first thought. With some brands and stores charging close to $5 a box, the generic brand never seemed so appetizing. But what else is there -- canned tomatoes, ice cream, butter, vinegar, olive oil and/or pasta? The list seemed endless.
So who better to ask than the blogosphere, where this has probably been tested many times. What items can Jon and I swap out for the more affordable generic store brands, and when is it worthwhile to splurge? Leave your thoughts in the comment section.
Very rarely does a wedding come along that stops me in my tracks. Usually they're too over-the-top, too stuffy and not personal enough, more for show.
The unforgettable wedding of my friend Josie to her now-husband, Adam, gave me hope again. It took place at the 21c Hotel and Museum in downtown Louisville. The ceremony was short and to the point, but a tearjerker for sure.
And the food -- oh the food! I can still taste it. After the completion of the ceremony, bags of popcorn and peanuts were up for grabs, along with refreshing Izze sodas in red hues with gray-striped straws to match the decor.
Read on for the complete menu along with jaw-dropping photographs.
Recipes from friends and family. Photo: Sarah De Heer
There are certain things in this world that make me very happy, and among them are recipes that have meaning or stories behind them. Knowing this, my best friend decided to skip the wishing well for my bridal shower and instead included recipe cards with the invitations, simply asking guests to add to my collection.
Out of all the gifts I received -- and I received many -- these recipes take the cake. They were not only cute (Etsy), but they fit perfectly in my wooden recipe box.
Two weeks later, after all the thank-you notes had been mailed, I finally got around to really reading through the recipes. It was fun to see that the people who knew me the best really took the time to write down something they knew I would love. Others who don't love to cook got creative and still managed to please my palate!
Find out some of my favorite recipes and clever ideas after the jump -- and feel free to add to my collection by sharing a recipe with me in the comments section.
Most caterers will over-estimate the amount of food you'll need for your happy nuptials -- at least that's what we've been hearing. So what do you do with all of those leftovers? You've paid for the food, and it really is a shame to see it go to waste. I've recently heard some great suggestions.
A colleague of mine utilized Tupperware: If you're having an out-of-town wedding that the majority of your guests are coming out for, it's nice to send them back to their hotel room or back home with something to nosh on. Simply leave containers out near the food and have it made known that everything is up for grabs. They'll appreciate it when they get those midnight cravings!
It's also a great idea to donate the leftover food to a local soup kitchen or homeless shelter. Though, brides beware, not all states permit caterers to donate leftover food. Jon and I found ourselves in this situation. We wanted the food to go to good use, but Washington, D.C., law declares we're not allowed to donate directly to shelters.
What's a wedding without a Champagne toast? Or does it really matter anymore?
More and more couples are opting to forego pricey bubbly and serve wallet-friendly alternatives like Prosecco, Crémant or Cava. Others are skipping the toast completely.
Come to think of it, I can't remember a time when I raised my glass for a toast and then finished the entire glass. A sip or two was enough for me. In a time when stretching every dollar is a mandate, is this something that will become a lost tradition? Toasting the bride and groom in good spirits will always remain, but besides a great photo-op, is there really a difference between toasting with a glass of champagne and toasting with a glass of regular old white wine or a gin and tonic?
Jon and I decided that this is an area where we could save money. Since we know some people might enjoy a glass of champagne during the evening, it will be offered at the bar upon request.
Wedding menus of all styles. Photos: Style Me Pretty (far left), Brides.com
If you've spent an enormous amount of time putting together a fabulous menu for your guests, as we did, what's the best way to showcase it?
Written, typed and even painted menus are making their way into many receptions these days; the kind of wedding you have dictates the type of menu you'll use. For example, it would be more appropriate to offer guests a menu card at their seats for a black-tie affair in a ballroom, whether it be a card or the more recent trendy circular card that fits in the inner circle of the charger.
On the casual end of the spectrum, the surfboard pictured above doubled as a menu and a decoration for a beach-side wedding, and at an outdoor and/or country wedding, a chalkboard menu adds a rustic and personal touch. This is the route I'll be taking -- chalkboards will be propped on antique easels at every cocktail station. Even though you may think your menu is straightforward, it's a good idea to name every element of the dish, even down to the sauce (just in case of allergies).
Thai and Caribbean Chicken Skewers. Photo: Kerry Reynolds
I'm sure several of you have been to at least one bridal shower in your lifetime, but I think I already need both hands to count all of the ones I've attended. Bridal showers usually include some sort of game, a specific time to open presents, an embarrassing hat made from bows and -- if you're lucky -- great food and (possibly) liquor!
While we all have outstanding memories of our own, I have to say the ladies who threw my shower this past month absolutely outdid themselves -- especially with the eats. OK, so there was a little pressure to provide good grub (I mean, I am a food writer), but what I didn't expect was a full-on display of one tantalizing bite after another.
A full menu and more tasty pictures after the jump.
After the ceremony has taken place, the dance floor has been pulled up and the leftover food packed away, what's left? Many couples, especially if they are having a destination wedding, are offering a brunch or lunch for their guests the following day. I know, it's another check to write, but it's a nice gesture to those who have traveled a distance to share in your special day.
Whether it's a very casual picnic or a fancy brunch held at a hotel, a little goes a long way. Plus, it's a great time to thank your friends and family one last time for coming, and of course you'll get hear all of those crazy stories that happened while you weren't paying attention! Remember not to schedule it too early, especially if you've had an extremely late-night affair.
Jon's parents will be hosting a small, very casual brunch located in the hotel where we'll be staying. We figured there was nothing better than rolling out of bed to a free breakfast. While we carefully planned out every aspect of the wedding menu, simple and very common brunch fare will be served here: eggs, bacon, croissants, cereal, etc.
Are you hosting a day-after event for your guests? If so, I want to hear what you are serving, or what you did serve.
An article in Tuesday's New York Times titled "With This Burger, I Thee Wed" chronicles an (economy-fueled) trend away from lavish, over-the-top weddings and towards the seating of guests comfortably in a backyard. Whether the yard belongs to a family member or is an old, rented-out estate, the fare being served at these weddings is reminiscent of a backyard barbecue: comfort food with simple flavors that aren't complicated or pretentious.
While I agree that the backyard reception is becoming trendy -- across class lines -- I think it started before the economy took a turn for the worse. Some of my favorite wedding blogs, such as Style Me Pretty, a go-to for many brides (especially DIY brides), have been stressing the importance of having a wedding that truly reflects the couple's personality.
A shiny, fancy affair may still be the Cinderella dream of many, but for others, it's a dream transformed into something lower-key. In the eyes of many, the more comfortable the wedding, the more fun is to be had.
A gorgeous photograph in a recent blog post on Southern Weddings caught my eye and had me thinking about signature cocktails and their presence at a wedding. Along with gorgeous flowers that showcase a color scheme, signature cocktails have become centerpieces in their own right, mimicking themes, hues and even the season.
Bright, colorful glasses of alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks can catch the eye of every guest. Of course, an open bar is nice, but as waiters walk around with specially made drinks, who doesn't want to find out what the bride and groom have chosen to represent themselves -- will it be fruity, dry, spicy, hot or cold?
Beyond the actual drink, couples can customize their drink with specialty glassware, the platter they're served on and even the stirrers. Companies such as ForYourParty.com specialize in printing a couple's wedding date, initials and the like on the stirrers.
Every time Jon and I visit D.C., a quick trip to Jaleo for either lunch or dinner is a must. Their sangria is to die for and we immediately knew that we wanted to serve that as our specialty cocktail. Sweet, but not too sweet, sangria will be served in tall glasses (like in the picture), a pretty deviation from the wine glass presentation. We felt it was a little easier to drink out of and it made it a little bit more easy-going.
Jaleo's recipe for their white sangria and more after the jump.
A gorgeous photograph in a recent blog post on 
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