Feedback on our menu?

alm&mdm

Hi ladies, we are in the process of booking our caterer. It's early in some markets but Chicago seems to be a never too early kind of city. My fiance got really excited. He and the caterer already have a menu put together but I wanted to get some feedback from unbiased people. I'd like to make tweaks if need be and then mark this one off the list.

Would you be able to eat happily? Do you see any big gaps we may have missed?

Cocktail Hour

-2 signature drinks (tbd), Champagne, Wine and Iced Teas (everything passed which is the limit of alcohol types)

-Seared Beef Filet on a toasted Brioche with Truffle Aoili

-Petite Chedder Scones with Black Forest Ham and Honey Mustard Butter (sounds weird but tastes amazing)

-Small Red Potatoes filled with Smoked Salmon with Creme Fraiche and Dill

-Mushroom Duxelles in Petite Phylo Cups

Dinner

-Full Open Bar Service (Spirits, Champagne, Wine, Beer, Ice Teas, Soft Drinks)

-Assorted Rolls and Butter at tables

-Plated Wedge Salad with choice of Dressing (Ranch or a lighter option)

-Main course will be interactive food stations (ie meat carvers, made to order items, etc. Not just trays of food.) Every station has a "His, Hers, Theirs" theme which is why there's odd combinations. It makes sense if you know he's Italian and I'm from the South. 

Carving Station:Prime Rib, Peach Glazed Pork Chops & Salt Roasted Branzino (Sea Bass cooked in salt crusted and you break the salt open)

Potato Bar: Mashed, Baked & Sweet Potatoes with a variety of topping options

Unnamed: cooked to order Risotto or Grits with Shrimp and mix ins like peas (can do without shrimp to make vegetarian)

Vegetable Station: Southern Style Green Beans, Corn, Roasted Artichokes, Eggplant & Seasonal Vegetable Medley

Dessert Table

-Coffee & Tea Service

-Assorted Cupcakes (Carrot Cake, Hummingbird Cake, Chocolate, Vanilla, Lemon & Coconut)

-Banana Pudding

-Mini Fruit Crisps (Apple & Blueberry

-Tiramisu

-Assorted Cannoli (Traditional, Chocolate, Pistachio, maybe Chocolate Chip)

It's a lot lol But with 300-350 guests, options are our friend. Thanks in advance for any ideas to improve or positive reinforcement!

kmcgann312

Yummy!...it seems like you have most bases covered...i would just go back through each section and make sure you have at least one option that is dairy-free, and depending on your guests, maybe even gluten-free options as well. both allergies are becoming more and more common, and with a guest list that large it will be inevitable that you have some people who will need the accommodation. 

My guest list is about half the size of yours and we have vegans, vegetarians, gluten allergies, dairy allergies, peanut allergies and shellfish allergies. even the vegans and vegetarians are not by choice. you wont be able to cover everyone but it cant hurt to consider the most common.

alm&mdm

Thanks! We may add a flour less chocolate cake to our dessert table just in case. I'd hate for someone with a gluten allergy to miss out on cake.

[Deleted User]

Dinner sounds tasty!  I would be bummed during cocktail hour because there's literally not one single thing on the menu I'd eat.  I'm not incredibly picky, but unfortunately my few limitations are all in your cocktail hour-- no mayo/mustard, no seafood, and I hate mushrooms.  Hopefully none of your guests are nuts like me

 

It looks like you've got great options for dinner that should accommodate everyone.  Good luck with the rest of your planning!

CrazyCatLady3

It looks delicious.  Only thing is maybe you could add a few poultry selections and have one more vegetarian option at cocktail hour?  It seems heavier on the red meat and pork.  I'm not vegetarian but don't eat red meat or pork and am picky about fish too (I'm impossible, I know  ).  I would definitely go for the shrimp though!

NYCMercedes

Yum! I like a veggie and fruit option for cocktails. Crudites are nice but I love platters of roasted veggies for guests to help themselves. Also consider fruit kabobs or fruit platters for cocktail hour. Naked food really is good and refreshing.

southernbelle0915

Sounds delicious! I would also add another vegetarian option to your passed apps. 

What time of year is your wedding? This food sounds really wonderful for a fall/winter wedding, but if it's spring/summer, it might be nice to have some lighter and/or cold options like fruit or a raw bar.

KatWAG

Who is your caterer? We used Blue plate and couldnt have been happier!

I just skimmed your menu and I think you have the diary- free and gluten- free options covered. But I also agree with Southern that this a bit of a heavy meal. So I dont think it works for summer.

alm&mdm

We're doing a December wedding. Cocktails will be about 6, then the ceremony and then dinner. Thats also why the cocktail hour is a little heavier. There's going to be a break between.

KatWag we are using Blue Plate too. They are absolutely fantastic so far. Im glad you had a good experience.

HobokensFury

I have to say when I think about luxury weddings I think of huge cocktail hours.  Going by this alone I think yours is lacking and needs more variety.

KDM323

Duplicate Post.

KDM323

HobokenBride2012 said:

I have to say when I think about luxury weddings I think of huge cocktail hours.  Going buy this alone I think yours is lacking and needs more variety.

Maybe it is a Jersey thing - but I agree.

The "all out" weddings around here?  Tons of passed apps and stations, etc. during cocktail hour.


Any chance you can add something more to your cocktail hour? 

CrazyCatLady3

I can see why they wouldn't want stations at the cocktail hour if they are basically having stations as a roving-type dinner.  However I do agree that more passed apps would be good at cocktail hour.  I dislike going to weddings with little food at cocktail hours, because I'm not a huge drinker and am usually pretty hungry after the ceremony.

Jells2dot0

drexelkathy said:

HobokenBride2012 said:

I have to say when I think about luxury weddings I think of huge cocktail hours.  Going buy this alone I think yours is lacking and needs more variety.

Maybe it is a Jersey thing - but I agree.

The "all out" weddings around here?  Tons of passed apps and stations, etc. during cocktail hour.


Any chance you can add something more to your cocktail hour? 

I was thinking the same thing. For 300-350, I would have a few more passed options. I had a wedding half that size and had 5-6 passed options and a cheese/fruit station.

harper0813

We're not having boatloads of passed apps at our cocktail hour - just popcorn, homemade chips and four passed apps... Do I not get to be on this board?

alm&mdm

Thank you for the feedback! We are going to add 4 more passed apps. We just have to pick me out.

AJuliaNJ

zobird said:

We're not having boatloads of passed apps at our cocktail hour - just popcorn, homemade chips and four passed apps... Do I not get to be on this board?

@zobird, if I can't be kicked off for having a halo ring, you can stay for not having boatloads of passed apps.

NYCBruin

AJuliaNJ said:

zobird said:

We're not having boatloads of passed apps at our cocktail hour - just popcorn, homemade chips and four passed apps... Do I not get to be on this board?

@zobird, if I can't be kicked off for having a halo ring, you can stay for not having boatloads of passed apps.

Halo rings aren't "luxury?"  Shit, I guess I don't belong here either.  Now I must search for thread...

HobokensFury

NYCBruin said:

AJuliaNJ said:

zobird said:

We're not having boatloads of passed apps at our cocktail hour - just popcorn, homemade chips and four passed apps... Do I not get to be on this board?

@zobird, if I can't be kicked off for having a halo ring, you can stay for not having boatloads of passed apps.

Halo rings aren't "luxury?"  Shit, I guess I don't belong here either.  Now I must search for thread...

Someone said they weren't "real". Don't worry I'm getting kicked out too.

alm&mdm

I have a double halo ring with a *gasp* sapphire center stone...I hope my new massive apps assortment saves my spot on the board haha

Jells2dot0

*sigh* She didn't the diamond wasn't real. Of course they are all real! Some people just think that a diamond should be a center focal point with nothing taking away from its natural bling and beauty. I personally would not have picked out a halo ring for myself, but that is my personal taste. I helped my brother pick out a ring for my SIL and it's a halo. It suits her perfectly and it's gorgeous.

NYCBruin

alm&mdm said:

I have a double halo ring with a *gasp* sapphire center stone...I hope my new massive apps assortment saves my spot on the board haha

Oooo I LOVE sapphires, pictures please!

JoanE2012

Jells2dot0 said:

*sigh* She didn't the diamond wasn't real. Of course they are all real! Some people just think that a diamond should be a center focal point with nothing taking away from its natural bling and beauty. I personally would not have picked out a halo ring for myself, but that is my personal taste. I helped my brother pick out a ring for my SIL and it's a halo. It suits her perfectly and it's gorgeous.

Yeah, I didn't want a halo for that reason.  I also was afraid it might be dated at some point.  My band does have pave diamonds though with a milgrain edge which matches my wedding band.

CrazyCatLady3

I think halos are gorgeous but when I tried them on I found them a little too fancy for me personally for daily wear, since I don't normally wear a lot of jewelry.  But it's the kind of thing I would love to wear if I were getting super dressed up.  So I chose a solitaire for my e-ring since I will be wearing it all the time.  We will probably get a pave eternity ring for my wedding band to add a little extra sparkle.

AJuliaNJ

CrazyCatLady3 said:

I think halos are gorgeous but when I tried them on I found them a little too fancy for me personally for daily wear, since I don't normally wear a lot of jewelry.  But it's the kind of thing I would love to wear if I were getting super dressed up.  So I chose a solitaire for my e-ring since I will be wearing it all the time.  We will probably get a pave eternity ring for my wedding band to add a little extra sparkle.

I can see that. I don't wear mine all the time. I work from home and many days the only places I go are to the gym and to run errands so I don't bother putting it on. I've never really worn rings and I don't like to have them on when I'm typing or using my hands for anything. When we go out, we usually get dressed up and my halo ring looks great with my fancier outfits. It fits my lifestyle.

If it ever gets dated, I could put it back in my first setting: a classic four-prong. I saved it.

Jells2dot0

JoanE2012 said:

Jells2dot0 said:

*sigh* She didn't the diamond wasn't real. Of course they are all real! Some people just think that a diamond should be a center focal point with nothing taking away from its natural bling and beauty. I personally would not have picked out a halo ring for myself, but that is my personal taste. I helped my brother pick out a ring for my SIL and it's a halo. It suits her perfectly and it's gorgeous.

Yeah, I didn't want a halo for that reason.  I also was afraid it might be dated at some point.  My band does have pave diamonds though with a milgrain edge which matches my wedding band.

My setting is this way as well. It's an eternity band, but the diamonds in the band are not that big, so it doesn't really take away from the center stone very much. My wedding band has larger prong set diamonds so I can wear my wedding band without my engagement ring and still have a little bling on my finger. However, I have found that it sometimes takes away from my center stone. I actually had the wedding band first-  my DH bought it for me as a "promise" as we wanted to wait to get formally engaged and married after his oldest daughter was out of high school. She had a tough time with her parent's divorce and we wanted to respect her feelings. So, I had a less obvious ring on my finger for a few years before he officially asked me to marry him

STARMOON44

Skip make to order risotto/grits. With 350 guests, no matter what your caterer is telling you, there will be a long line. Why no full bar in the cocktail hour? I'd think that would be when most people would be looking for a cocktail.

alm&mdm

We are having 4 sets of stations so I think we probably will be okay. The grits and risotto are per cooked and heated with the shrimp and mix ins so it will be quick per order. I did worry about your concern but I hope with 4 stations of each...people will be able to float and get to food quickly. No full bar for cocktail hour because everything has to be passed. One single bar would back up with our guest list and I don't want multiple bars in the cocktail space. It's going to have our ceremony area and a cocktail area and our guest book tree so I don't want bars or stations. We will have enough wait staff to keep everyone with drink and food in hand, and clear all the glassware. Our crowd is majority restaurant owners and managers and hospitality folks and I have faith they will understand the limitations of serving 300+

Ajuliana

I love you for doing a peach pork chop.  I'm contemplating doing a baked apple and pork chop option.  YUM either way!  And I know this may seem silly, but we literally added a request for our butter to be room temperature.  Nothing more annoying than trying to spread freezing cold butter!  

May I ask why you are doing cupcakes?  I just feel like nothing is more of a centerpiece than a striking wedding cake.  (But I'd still totally eat several of your hummingbird cupcakes!)

Ajuliana

JoanE2012 said:

Jells2dot0 said:

*sigh* She didn't the diamond wasn't real. Of course they are all real! Some people just think that a diamond should be a center focal point with nothing taking away from its natural bling and beauty. I personally would not have picked out a halo ring for myself, but that is my personal taste. I helped my brother pick out a ring for my SIL and it's a halo. It suits her perfectly and it's gorgeous.

Yeah, I didn't want a halo for that reason.  I also was afraid it might be dated at some point.  My band does have pave diamonds though with a milgrain edge which matches my wedding band.

It could just as easily be said that the halo highlights the center stone.  Are those 3 stone rings better than the plain solitaire since there's THREE of them?!  Lol.

Jells2dot0

Ajuliana said:

JoanE2012 said:

Jells2dot0 said:

*sigh* She didn't the diamond wasn't real. Of course they are all real! Some people just think that a diamond should be a center focal point with nothing taking away from its natural bling and beauty. I personally would not have picked out a halo ring for myself, but that is my personal taste. I helped my brother pick out a ring for my SIL and it's a halo. It suits her perfectly and it's gorgeous.

Yeah, I didn't want a halo for that reason.  I also was afraid it might be dated at some point.  My band does have pave diamonds though with a milgrain edge which matches my wedding band.

It could just as easily be said that the halo highlights the center stone.  Are those 3 stone rings better than the plain solitaire since there's THREE of them?!  Lol.

Maybe! I've seen some that really overpower the center stone and I've seen some that highlight it, but more the former than the latter in my experience. As I said above (or maybe in the other thread) some people may not think my ring is "real" because it's not a traditional round stone or even a traditional cut (it's asscher). So, it's really just an opinion/personal preference and we all have different ones!