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July 2012 Weddings
Nati05
member
Adding to the cocktail hour discussion..
What will you be serving during this time?? (food and drinks)
Thank goodness we're only 70 people because everything is so expensive as it is! Multiplying it by more people would make my head swim!
We're trying to keep alcohol to the basics so that we wont have to buy tons of each liquor. The norm here is whiskey and vodka. If you serve only one you have to AT LEAST serve whiskey or it's not a wedding. Gag. FI will only drink whiskey in a "Godfather" (Whiskey and amaretto? Someone correct me if the name is different in English) But FI doesn't really like the idea of buying whiskey, amaretto PLUS another liquor. And to top it off, my dad is a big beer only drinker. Since he's helping pay, we think it would be nice to offer beer in his name lol. However, I've been told serving beer at a wedding here is considered ghetto and cheap. Booo. We thought we could serve "micheladas" which is a mixed beer drink that FI, myself and several of our friends are obssessed with lately... and then it won't look like just a cheap bottle of beer. So far it looks like we will be ordering whiskey, amaretto and beer for the micheladas. I really wish we could have more options, but I really don't know how to do it without breaking our budget
Hors d'oeuvres and desserts are a headache too. Most weddings here at least have a dessert table with different little treats if they don't serve hors d'oeuvres as well. But I don't know what to serve during the cocktail hour?? I'm thinking it'll either be cocktail hour food/ dessert OR the mandatory dessert table. Does there have to be something to eat during cocktail hour? Lunch will be directly after.. and lunch is like dinner here so it won't be a skimpy meal either. Ugh it's all so frustrating when every little decision considerably affects your budget.
Anyway tell me your cocktail hour food and drink plans so I can get some ideas ;-)
Thank goodness we're only 70 people because everything is so expensive as it is! Multiplying it by more people would make my head swim!
We're trying to keep alcohol to the basics so that we wont have to buy tons of each liquor. The norm here is whiskey and vodka. If you serve only one you have to AT LEAST serve whiskey or it's not a wedding. Gag. FI will only drink whiskey in a "Godfather" (Whiskey and amaretto? Someone correct me if the name is different in English) But FI doesn't really like the idea of buying whiskey, amaretto PLUS another liquor. And to top it off, my dad is a big beer only drinker. Since he's helping pay, we think it would be nice to offer beer in his name lol. However, I've been told serving beer at a wedding here is considered ghetto and cheap. Booo. We thought we could serve "micheladas" which is a mixed beer drink that FI, myself and several of our friends are obssessed with lately... and then it won't look like just a cheap bottle of beer. So far it looks like we will be ordering whiskey, amaretto and beer for the micheladas. I really wish we could have more options, but I really don't know how to do it without breaking our budget
Hors d'oeuvres and desserts are a headache too. Most weddings here at least have a dessert table with different little treats if they don't serve hors d'oeuvres as well. But I don't know what to serve during the cocktail hour?? I'm thinking it'll either be cocktail hour food/ dessert OR the mandatory dessert table. Does there have to be something to eat during cocktail hour? Lunch will be directly after.. and lunch is like dinner here so it won't be a skimpy meal either. Ugh it's all so frustrating when every little decision considerably affects your budget.
Anyway tell me your cocktail hour food and drink plans so I can get some ideas ;-)
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Adding to the cocktail hour discussion..
We will be having our full open bar during the cocktail hour. I can't remember exactly what will be included...pretty much any type of liquor you can think of, plus 4 wines (2 white and 2 red) and bottled beers. We will also serve our two signature drinks - hehe which are now named "The Raj Mahal" - a grape martini that is such a pretty purple color (after my fiance's name) and "The Lawyer In Love" a champagne and strawberry cocktail (for me).
We are not having too much food during the cocktail hour since it is only an hour and we will be serving a massive meal directly after...I think we are just going with 5 different butler-passed hor-deurves. We still have to choose which ones to offer. You don't want people to get TOO full, but want to give them a little bit of food in their belly to ease their hunger and to keep them from getting too drunk too fast. We are doing 2 or 3 hot apps, and 2 or 3 cold apps (not sure yet).
The last wedding I went to had a little appetizer buffet line, and it was really awkward to walk through the line, carry your drinks, scoot your napkin and mini-plate along the line, and then have to carry everything awkwardly as you stand around and eat. I am hoping the butler passing solves this problem.
When we had our tasting, we tasted a warm brie on toast with peach salsa appetizer, and gosh, it was good, but I seriously spilled the salsa all over myself as I was trying to eat it...so as you are thinking about appetizers, I would recommend thinking about what will be easiest and cleanest for guests who are on the move to eat.
Sorry, this was really wordy and probably unhelpful
We just sat down with my mom over the weekend to make these decisions. I am really, really happy with them.
We, too, need to supply all of our own liquor, but it should save us quite a bit of money. The mixers and accoutrements will be provided by our caterer, so at least we don't have to worry about the fixins.
Here's what we have JUST FOR COCKTAIL HOUR (omg so much food). Our cocktail hour is actually 1.5 hours, though, so we wanted it to be more substantial:
- Full open bar
- Prosecco tower with our signature cocktail, which is a bellini martini (called "Lawyers in Love" since we're both lawyers - I am SO happy you chose to do that too, butterfly!)
- 8 butler passed hors d'oeuvres:
Ginger tuna on rice cracker w/ wasabi mayo and black sesame
Crab salad w/fresh dill on pumpernickel toast points
Fresh watermelon, mozzarella cubes, purple basil, olive oil & sea salt
Thai duck roll w/chili dipping sauce
Cherry tomato, prosciutto & arugula
Veal Meatballs w/ port wine sauce
Shrimp wrapped in bacon w/ thyme butter
Herb parmesan phyllo rolls w/ lemon aioli drizzle
- Cheese & Crudite station:
Carmelized brie with honey, peach and pecans topping
Goat cheese pesto torta w/ oven dried tomatoes
Grafton Village Classic Cheddar w/ Red Grapes
Melon
Strawberries
Water Crackers
Crusty Baguettes
Summer crudites
Dill Dip
Rocky Roquefort Dip
Taco Dip
- Seafood Buffet presented on flowered ice bowl
Steamed Jumbo Shrimp
Cocktail Crab Claws
Served with seaweed and crawfish, lemon wedges, cocktail sauce
Freshly Shucked Oysters, horseradish, tabasco, oyster crackers
[QUOTE]We just sat down with my mom over the weekend to make these decisions. I am really, really happy with them. We, too, need to supply all of our own liquor, but it should save us quite a bit of money. The mixers and accoutrements will be provided by our caterer, so at least we don't have to worry about the fixins. Here's what we have JUST FOR COCKTAIL HOUR (omg so much food). Our cocktail hour is actually 1.5 hours, though, so we wanted it to be more substantial: - Full open bar - Prosecco tower with our signature cocktail, which is a bellini martini (<strong>called "Lawyers in Love" since we're both lawyers - I am SO happy you chose to do that too, butterfly!) </strong>- 8 butler passed hors d'oeuvres: Ginger tuna on rice cracker w/ wasabi mayo and black sesame Crab salad w/fresh dill on pumpernickel toast points Fresh watermelon, mozzarella cubes, purple basil, olive oil & sea salt Thai duck roll w/chili dipping sauce Cherry tomato, prosciutto & arugula Veal Meatballs w/ port wine sauce Shrimp wrapped in bacon w/ thyme butter Herb parmesan phyllo rolls w/ lemon aioli drizzle - Cheese & Crudite station: Carmelized brie with honey, peach and pecans topping Goat cheese pesto torta w/ oven dried tomatoes Grafton Village Classic Cheddar w/ Red Grapes Melon Strawberries Water Crackers Crusty Baguettes Summer crudites Dill Dip Rocky Roquefort Dip Taco Dip - Seafood Buffet presented on flowered ice bowl Steamed Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail Crab Claws Served with seaweed and crawfish, lemon wedges, cocktail sauce Freshly Shucked Oysters, horseradish, tabasco, oyster crackers
Posted by bridetobe71412[/QUOTE]
no, thank YOU for letting me steal your signature drink name, hahah! I just had to make mine singular since I am the only one that is a lawyer ;) your food sounds SO GOOD AND SO INTENSE!!
For food we are serving 4 hors d'oevres.
They are
bacon wrapped scallops
spanikopita
chicken guacamole tortilla
boursin cheese tart
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Adding to the cocktail hour discussion.. : no, thank YOU for letting me steal your signature drink name, hahah! I just had to make mine singular since I am the only one that is a lawyer ;) <strong>your food sounds SO GOOD AND SO INTENSE!!
</strong>Posted by butterflyjumper1[/QUOTE]
It's like the ONLY thing that fiance was interested in . . . so we kind of went off. hahahaha AND THEN A MASSIVE DINNER. AND THEN CAKE AND DESSERTS. AND THEN CHEESESTEAKS.
People are going to be throwing up. Or in a food coma.
Haha no worries butterfly! I'm always wordy and never clear lol. But that was helpful... helps me get ideas straight.
The beer things makes sense Meagan. Good point. FI isn't completely opposed to serving beer and that's considering he knows what is said about wedding beer.. must be for the same reasons you mentioned.
Bride... I have no words for your entire menu. Maybe except that I'm entirely jealous I won't be eating it. Btw do you have a liquor per guest guide so you know roughly how much to buy?
[QUOTE] Our cocktail hour is going to be insane then we are offering 4 entrees. Posted by LADY324[/QUOTE]
I'm confused about your cocktail hour.. why is it insane? Are you offering entrees during the cocktail hour??
In looking it over, I think it's a bit more than what we will actually do, but it gives a good guideline as far as bottles.
Edited to add: It is liquor for the entire night, not just for the cocktail hour. So, for us, that would be the recommended amounts for 6 hours of open bar. Not sure how helpful that will be for you, but happy to send to you!!
You killed me with those cheesesteaks btw. I'm still thinking about them hahaha and how much I really want one right now!
ETA: That's fine, that's what I'm looking for anyway.. a guide for the whole thing.
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Adding to the cocktail hour discussion.. : I'm confused about your cocktail hour.. why is it insane? Are you offering entrees during the cocktail hour??
Posted by Nati05[/QUOTE]
Nope our venue just does it really big. It sounds like our venue is entirely different. In NJ the weddings are huge and cocktail hour is usually better then the actual sit down dinner.
Here is a sample menu from our reception hall.
Cold Cocktail Hour Food
…All Included…
Sliced Seasonal Fresh Fruits, Grapes and Berries
Imported and Domestic Gourmet Cheeses
Fine Italian Sliced Specialty Meats
Black and Green Olives, Roasted Peppers
With Assorted Crackers, and Flat Breads
* * *
Assorted Gourmet Cold Appetizers
Seafood Salad, Deviled Eggs, Bean & Vegetable Salad, Grilled Vegetables,
Fresh Mozzarella and Tomatoes, Artichoke Salad, Mediterranean Olive Salad
Tri Color Pasta Salad and Eggplant Capanatta
* * *
Hot Cocktail Hour Food
…All Included…
Focaccia Style Pizza Station
* * *
<strong>Carving Station (3 items)</strong>
Seared Peppered Loin of Pork
Smoked Turkey Breast
Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb
* * *
<strong>Sauté Station</strong>
Seared Scallops with Garlic Infused Virgin Olive Oil
Shrimp Scampi in a White Wine Garlic Sauce
* * *
<strong>Pasta Station</strong>
Penne in a Vodka Sauce and Tri Color Tortellini Alfredo
* * *
<strong>To Be Presented in Silver Chafing Dishes (8 items)</strong>
Sauté' Mushrooms, Chicken Marsala, Eggplant Rollitini
Stuffed Shells, Breaded Shrimp, Mussels Marinara
Seafood Paella & Broccoli Rabe with Italian Sausage
Our cocktail hour is included in our wedding package at the resort and includes 4 passed hor'dourves, and open premium bar. We might add an additional fruit or veggie display but the prices are insane to add it (like $8 pp just for fruit!) We are switching to offering just beer and wine at the reception since it saves money and I don't want my friends to get too out of control with taking shots.
[QUOTE]If you are supplying your own liquor, make sure to buy MORE than those conventional guides tell you. At my brother's rehearsal dinner this past Saturday night we went through 27 bottles of wine with just 25 guests! Insane for a 3 hour reharsal dinner. AND there was hard alcohol served, even though most people were drinking wine. I guess my family and my brother's wife's family are drinkers! Thank goodness we were at a restaurant where they had the supply, because I don't think my parents ever would have thought to buy that much. Our cocktail hour is included in our wedding package at the resort and includes 4 passed hor'dourves, and open premium bar. We might add an additional fruit or veggie display but the prices are insane to add it (like $8 pp just for fruit!) We are switching to offering just beer and wine at the reception since it saves money and I don't want my friends to get too out of control with taking shots.
Posted by lvissers[/QUOTE]<div>
</div><div>So each person had over a bottle of wine each?!?!?!?! OMG that's crazy. How did you all show up the next day?
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