Brunch Menu: Sit Down or Buffet

tiffanyngreen

Okay...first time at this...so here it goes:

I LOVE brunch food. But I'm not sure about the menu. My "cocktail hour"...which I am looking to rename is all set and I am still going to have a cake (filled with fresh bananas and strawberries and whip cream). And It will be a beautiful winter wedding in new england, My family is southern so I wanted to tie that in...so here are my thoughts:

Not sure if it should be plated options that come with hash brown casserole (onions and cheese) and asparagus or just allow everything to be buffet style:

Shrimp and Grits
Chicken and Waffles
Broccoli and Cheddar Quiche and Honey Glazed Ham

What would you prefer? Are all those options too much on the brunch line and should it be plated? Also, any other brunch reception decor I would LOVE...I hate flowers btw so plants or food centerpieces would be awesome.  Thoughts?

AddieCake

I would prefer buffet b/c honestly, on your menu, I don't like half of what's on it. I'm a very picky eater, though. The only thing I like that you are serving is the cake and the ham. I also like chicken and waffles, but not together. That doesn't sound like a brunch menu to me at all. When I think brunch, I think pastries, French toast, eggs/omelets. 

tiffanyngreen

Thanks for your feedback Addie! As I mentioned, I'm from the south so that is very typical...most of my guest would understand

NOLAbridealmost

I love all those things. Do buffet....guests can sample all of it or just some. I'd serve the components separately.....Pan of chicken, pan of waffles, let guests top it with syrup themselves, etc.

I'd also add trays of biscuits, bacon, and scrambled eggs.....all pretty cheap and pleasing to most palates.

tiffanyngreen

Thanks NOLA bride!! I appreciate the feedback! For cocktail hour there are some stations including: Build your own yogurt parfait, fruit and cheese platters and build your own breakfast slider (scrambled eggs, mini biscuits and bacon/sausage). Would you prefer that for the meal and would you recommend doing something lighter?

alithebride

i'm sorry there's not one thing on that menu that i'd eat. i'm not a guest so that's a good thing but those are all VERY VERY VERY heavy dishes.

imo-you need options that are lighter fare. if it's a brunch then it's very easy to do incorporating fruits and veggies in a non-waistline blowing-clogging of the artery way

aside of the 'breakfast sliders' there's no other breakfast item on there. why not just call it 'lunch'? you can still include the fruit and parfaits if you like. what about trays of grilled and steamed veggies next to the 'slider' area? how about a salad bar type area?

 

tiffanyngreen

Hi Ali! Thanks for the feedback. A southern brunch would always include one breakfast item and one lunch item (ham and quiche or shrimp and grits) a mixture of both. A lunch would be sandwiches, etc. And fruits and veggies would be a good option for the cocktail hour- very true! Maybe i'll change it to fruits, cheese, veggies and the yogurt bar. My centerpieces will have a fixture with our fav donuts... Also,  southern brunches ARE heavy dishes...prolly why people are a little larger down south

alithebride

that's ok. but the wedding isn't in the south is it? and, while i'm sure your guests will understand why you'd have those dishes if they want to actually EAT them is another question.

you need lighter main dishes. the food needs to be appealing to everyone and edible for a large group with lots of variety.

tiffanyngreen

Its not, but it does represent the bride and groom and most of my guest are ecstatic about the southern brunch wedding (understanding the menu choices and what it means when southern brunch is said). I'm not really worried about the menu, my main question was thoughts on buffet vs sit down! But thanks for chiming in

alithebride

ok it's your choice.

what kind of sit down? rsvp order? everyone gets the same? table-side waiter order?

tiffanyngreen

Absolutely my fiance and I's choice We are just looking for feedback on small details, not on our on must have's.

For plated, We would consider a RSVP...each individual can pick their plated dish (from the 3 mentioned above in the original post)  and all plates would come with asparagus and hash brown casserole.

alithebride

what kind of venue? can't they do table side order? imo that's best of the sit down.

but not for nothing i have no idea if i would like the grits (it's just like polenta? only larger pieces right?) or the chicken (is it fried? can i get boneless? is there gravy?) so if the people youre inviting dont know what it is youre serving be really really overly descriptive with the dishes.

[Deleted User]

I personally do not care for buffets.  However, I agree with everyone else on picky eaters.  I don't eat any seafood, so if a plate came to me with any shrimp on it, I probably wouldn't eat anything on the plate.  If you're going to do plated, I'd have people order.  Otherwise, maybe family style? Then people wouldn't have to get up and stand in a line but would still be able to control what's on their plates.  And I'd agree with putting some lighter options. Brunch is always so heavy-- I'd love a salad and/or fruit on the side.

tiffanyngreen

They will totally understand, trust me...it might be slightly cultural too which may be where the disconnect is. I will look into table side order. Here are grits, let me show you...its super fun where you can add toppings!

This one has cheese (not my favorite, I prefer brown sugar and cinammon) http://www.myrecipes.com/holidays-and-occasions/wedding-and-shower-recipes/wedding-reception-ideas-00420000013980/page2.html

tiffanyngreen

I'll look into a salad! Maybe a fruit salad would be nice! I'll forgo the fruit for cocktail hour if thats the case!

tiffanyngreen

ahhh! Great point! I would hate for someone to get sick. I think buffet would be good.

krispi921

I think your bruch menu sounds great! I would serve it buffet style, because it's easiest to give people choices.

tiffanyngreen

Thanks Krisi! I'm excited. Based on the feedback, i'll have each seat met with a fruit salad (in lieu of a salad) when they sit down. Im thinking of having biscuits come to each table in a basket when they go up to get food at the buffet. Now, I need to rethink the cocktail hour- you all have given a lot of great feedback!

daria24

I normally prefer plated receptions for weddings, but with brunch food, I would go buffet. I couldn't/wouldn't eat an entire plate of chicken & waffles, but I would take a small portion, KWIM?

As far as centerpieces, most of my family is allergic to nearly all flowers, so we alternated bell terrariums and glass cylinder with variegated leaves. The cylinder ones were extremely cheap, I only paid $15 per table! These were my inspiration images. 

[Deleted User]

Wait-- are you having cake at cocktail hour? Meaning you'll be having cake BEFORE brunch?

tiffanyngreen

Hi LM: No, I was letting everyone know I'm all set with those portions, just looking for feedback on brunch vs sit down.

AddieCake

Tiffany, you should make a new account that doesn't have your name and email for a username. There are crazies on the internet!

tifftastic1

Hey everyone! I had to get a new name, so this is ME! @Sleeper, what other veggies would you suggest (I have asparagus)...i'm gonna do a fruit salad for the first course before people go up

[Deleted User]

tiffanyngreen@gmail.com said:

Hi LM: No, I was letting everyone know I'm all set with those portions, just looking for feedback on brunch vs sit down.

OH i read your original post wrong.  I read it as "I am still going to have a cocktail hour with cake." not "I am still going to have a cocktail hour and (later) a cake."  My fault!

Sandra

The Buffet ia great idea, if some people don´t like certain things then they can choose from what is there.

Go for it souds like a great party.

 

lyndausvi

I would do it family style.   Its like the best of both worlds.  You get to pick what you want without standing in line.

allispain

Definitely either buffet or family style. Plated brunch food just seems weird to me.

As a northerner who has lived in the south for a very long time, I second the idea of adding a few lighter things to the menu. I'm still not quite used to all the heavy food, and it's been almost a decade. Asparagus is lovely, fruit salad is great, but one or two other fruit/veggie items as sides wouldn't hurt in the least, and they're usually the least expensive thing to have on a menu. Something as simple as leafy greens with strawberries and walnuts (w/ balsamic vinaigrette on the side) would be a great addition!

mmmiler346

I would defiantly do a buffet. All the foods are so different and all sound delicious. When people decide what they want to eat their mind may change when the time comes or when they see how delicious someone else’s food looks.

Dreamergirl8812

tiffanyngreen@gmail.com said:

Its not, but it does represent the bride and groom and most of my guest are ecstatic about the southern brunch wedding (understanding the menu choices and what it means when southern brunch is said). I'm not really worried about the menu, my main question was thoughts on buffet vs sit down! But thanks for chiming in

I'm always suspicious when a bride says her guests (or bridesmaids, or fiance...) are "ecstatic" about a minor decision she's made.

tiffanyngreen

@dreamer please tell me how your comment added to this conversation? I would love to think that if you don't have anything meaningful to say, you can go to another section, your comment added zero value and wouldn't be missed.

tiffanyngreen

@lm no worries! Although I would love to eat cake first!