"the hungry bride" news and stories

A mound of lobster. Photo: Sarah De Heer.

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.

Photo: StephenMitchell, Flickr.

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.

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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.

Dad's Root Beer Crate. Photo: eBay.

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!

Check out more of my finds after the jump!

Beignets at Acadiana. Photo: Sarah De Heer

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.