Lunch Wedding

behappy67 · December 2013

Just need to think some things out! I'd love your view and opinions. It's been just a few days since FH and I talked about our wedding in a definite way, so know that we are in the pre-pre planning stages!

I plan on potentially getting married at an outside garden area that is covered. My mom has offered to take care of the food. I'd like my wedding to be relaxed, and not a big deal. So. I'm doing a ceremony+lunch. My mother is very experienced in making food for mass amounts of people. She's ran fancy diners, dances, camps, family reunions, etc. My plan is to have guests sit at the tables and have a short ceremony in front under an arch/arbor etc. I don't see the point in having a separate place or chairs set up for a 10 minute ceremony. I also don't want a processional.

My invite list is 100 people, although I will probably have more like 80 people.

I'm trying to think of ideas of what to serve. Considering it'll be outside, and informal I was thinking sandwhiches of some sort. Either on rolls or croissants. We both have big families (My mom has 16 brothers and sisters, FH has 10 siblings.). I was thinking we'd have chicken and ham available for the sandwich meats. Would having all the sandwich makings available on a nice buffet type spread with everything pre-cut obviously be appropriate?

I'm also trying to figure out what else I want to offer our guests. I was thinking a veggie tray, fruit tray, and a salad. We will not be serving alcohol (out of the 100 invited only a handful drink, very conservative family.). As for drinks, I was thinking we'd have lemon water and some other drink? Many of our family members are very health conscious so items that are overly sugary, pop, etc wouldn't be appropriate, however juice is sadly SO expensive.

As for desserts, I'd like to offer things other than wedding cake to guests. I personally don't like cake. I was thinking lemon bars, cookies, and maybe a chocolate fountain with cut up fruit/dipping items. Is that too over the top?

We won't be doing music or entertainment. Just a simple ceremony and lunch is our ideal.

emmyg65 · December 2013

That sounds really lovely. Simple and casual. If you're having people assemble their own sandwiches, I'd just set up 2 or 3 different buffet lines (each with the same stuff) because it'll take a while for 90-ish people to get through the lines. Or you could do trays of pre-made sandwiches. Be sure to have a vegetarian option (maybe marinated veggies?). I know you don't want dancing or anything, but light background music (can use iPod) might be nice.

behappy67 · December 2013

I think with 80 people the music wouldn't be able to be heard. Maybe music during our quick ceremony. I was also thinking of doing some lawn games/have board/card games maybe. The location is at a gorgeous outside garden area. So, if I wanted to do some pictures between ceremony or lunch, or after lunch it'd give me a chance to sneak away and have some pictures taken and visit the guests individually.

behappy67 · December 2013

I'm afraid of sandwiches getting soggy, and many of the guests will be children. I figured I could have the meat/cheese and bread in one area with toppings in multiple places. That way it goes faster.

I guess we could assemble the sandwiches and have the guests put on ranch/mayo/mustard/etc if they'd like. Hmm!

tammym1001 · December 2013

eahuber said:

I'm afraid of sandwiches getting soggy, and many of the guests will be children. I figured I could have the meat/cheese and bread in one area with toppings in multiple places. That way it goes faster.

I guess we could assemble the sandwiches and have the guests put on ranch/mayo/mustard/etc if they'd like. Hmm!

If you go the pre-made sandwich route I would definitely not put condiments on them. Not everyone likes that stuff on their sandwiches.

jessicabessica · December 2013

eahuber said:

I think with 80 people the music wouldn't be able to be heard. Maybe music during our quick ceremony. I was also thinking of doing some lawn games/have board/card games maybe. The location is at a gorgeous outside garden area. So, if I wanted to do some pictures between ceremony or lunch, or after lunch it'd give me a chance to sneak away and have some pictures taken and visit the guests individually.

I would do background music for the reception (if at all), but not during your ceremony. People want to hear your ceremony!

I think the food options sounds good, although if your mom is making everything, check in to see what she's comfortable serving. +1 on the veggie option. You could have a few buffets set up for people to put together their own sandwiches and then have condiments and sides in a separate area, so people that just want some salad don't have to wait for people making their sandwiches.

As for your dessert idea, I don't think "over the top" and "dessert" can ever be combined. We had a dessert buffet (no fancy wedding cake, although we did have a few kinds of cake on the buffet, along with other things), and it was great. I think lemon bars, cookies, and a chocolate fountain sound great--either on their own or in addition to cake. You might consider just having a chafing dish of chocolate, which is what we had--you don't have to dilute the chocolate like you do with the fountain, and it's a little less messy.

shavasana · December 2013

Do you have a costco nearby? You can easily cater a nice lunch from costco. Mine has the tortilla sandwich rolls, caesar salads, and various sandwiches made on croissants.

Here's a good plan for a sandwich bar.

For drinks, you could do iced tea and lemonade, maybe even a raspberry lemonade. Also, one of my best friends serves a cucumber and mint infused water that is the most refreshing drink on the planet. If you want to be more fancy, you can look at summery mixed drinks and then omit the alcohol. Such as:

blueberry mojitos

watermelon basil drink

Jen4948 · December 2013

I think that your dessert offerings are a bit low. Even if you don't like cake, your guests may be surprised if you don't at least cut one (even if you don't eat it yourself) by way of indicating that you are wrapping up your reception (cutting the cake is often seen as a symbolic closing gesture).

Also, I don't see enough there for people who might want or need sugar-free offerings. I'd have more fruit or other sugar-free items there than you are listing.

amy3080 · January 2014

Sounds great....remember though if it is a warm day that tuna fish, egg salad or chicken salad you might not want, If it is going to be sitting out for any length of time with the mayo in it. But a meat sandwich bar sounds great

cowgirl8238 · January 2014

I think this would be a good chance to do a family style platter on each table for the sandwhiches and potato salad/cole slaw/etc. Then you can do stations with all the other items. As a PP mentioned if you are serving anything that needs to stay cold, please make sure it stays cold. no one wants warm, bacteria laden cole slaw...otherwise it sounds like a lovely wedding.

JennyColada · January 2014

If you have a color theme, you could match water to that (you mentioned lemon water, so maybe if your colors are, say, green and pink you could do watermelon and like water!).

Other than that PPs and your ideas sound yummy!

jay788 · January 2014

I second the idea of iced tea as an option. I normally try to avoid sugar and unsweetened iced tea is my favorite thing to drink with lunch. It's also very inexpensive. Of course, that's assuming your guests drink caffeine :-).

Lunch Wedding

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