Classy Taco Bar For Reception Dinner??

justalarsongirl · March 2014

I was thinking of having 'packs' of 3 warm soft shell tacos (hard shells will also be available) and all the various toppings in some sort of paper type 'boat' - there will be enough in one boat to assemble all three tacos, and each guess can grab whichever boats of toppings they like.... Does this sound cute at all? I just didn't want to do the normal type of meal... This is a vow renewal after 5 years of marriage, we originally got married in a courthouse and didn't have a wedding. Thoughts and opinions? What would be a good second option for those who dislike tacos?? Or is this totally tacky?

jenna8984 · March 2014

I personally don't think it's tacky, but too messy. When I make tacos at home I put my hair in a pony tail and roll up my sleeves lol. You could do taco salad, where it's the same idea but you load all your toppings into the boat and eat it with a fork. I feel like pasta is the easy go-to for vegetarians but to go along with the tacos you could have some that are refried beans & rice instead of meat.

And just for future reference, people dislike when you say you "didn't have a wedding" because you did when you exchanged vows and had your ceremony at the courhouse. That is still a wedding, where you were wed.

ElcaB · March 2014

I think tacos sound great. I'd add tortilla chips for those who want to make theirs into more of a taco salad.

Do you plan on having any sides?

TheGrimReaper · March 2014

Well, I LOVE tacos, so I'd eat the crap out of that. I guess it depends on the atmosphere. I'd love this at something more casual, may not be as pleased if I'm super dressed up. I'm a messy eater. But some people don't like tacos, or are picky about them (I hate ground beef. I only eat chicken tacos). You may want to have more of a variety, or other options (salad, rice, beans, etc.) to fill it out.

JennyColada · March 2014

jenna8984 said:
you could have some that are refried beans & rice instead of meat.

Traditionally, refried beans are made with lard or animal fat, so they are not vegan (and most vegetarians won't touch it either).

You can buy "vegetarian" retried beans though. Just something to keep in mind!

wandajune6 · March 2014

I agree with the PP's on wedding terminology and vegetarian options.

As for the idea itself, here's how I would approach this: if it's a fancy event, forks and knives are needed. No one wants to eat with their hands if they're wearing dressy clothing.

I'm not sure where you live but if you're near a larger Mexican community, hire taqueros! They're more authentic than what you mentioned but tend to have a universal appeal. We use them for bigger family backyard gatherings because they bring their grills, meats, and the traditional topics- finely diced onion, cilantro, and limes plus maybe a salsa or two. For vegetarians, you can request veggies (though you might want to have a separate grill for them). Cheap, tasty, and very easy. We're playing with the idea of doing this for a late night snack.

climbingsingle · March 2014

Ah! You have to get these!

Seriously though, I love tacos and I think it's a neat idea. And I think the taco salad idea a PP had is cool too.

KatWAG · March 2014

I love tacos. But if you are serving tacos I would assume its a causal reception.

[Deleted User] · March 2014

I love tacos but I'm a messy taco eater, I wouldn't want to eat them if I was wearing a nice outfit out of fear of dropping things on my dress. But if you are having a casual event, then I wouldn't be as dressed up so I wouldn't be so self consious about eating tacos.

Basically

fancy wedding dress or even fancy dress = no tacos

Casual event = yeah tacos!!!

This is just my opinion. Also take into account how many young kids you may have if any. Small kids will defiantly be messy eaters.

ei34 · March 2014

One of the stations at my cocktail hour was a taco cart. It was a big hit with the guests so I say go for it! Someone from the venue manned the cart though, instead of guests making their own (and leaning over the various toppings), they pointed to what they wanted. Ditto PPs re having vegetarian-friendly fillings (black beans, corn, etc.).

Jul649 · March 2014

We're using Jeffrey Miller Catering, and they served delicious butlered tacos at the tasting we attended, major hit, highly recommend them.

MamaAlly89 · March 2014

I so love love love this idea! We toyed around with the idea of getting a local burrito restaurant to cater our wedding. You pick out the toppings they wrap the burrito. I seriously would have been in heaven, but our parents who are paying for everything turned me down. sad face.

cbabybear · March 2014

I've been to 2 weddings where they did tacos - both did it differently.
1) Buffet style - you picked up your plate then grabbed some shells or tortillas out of the warmer, then you went down the line adding what you wanted to your taco
2) the company catering, made the tacos for you just told them what you wanted

I think you risk loosing food if you put the toppings into 'boats' if I don't want tomatoes, I just threw all the tomatoes in that boat away, instead of choosing not to put them on my taco.

In terms of messy- I can't recall having issues with messiness. Both of them only had small 6" or smaller tacos, nothing huge, which I think really helped.

syanke · April 2014

I am seriously considering doing a taco bar for my own wedding. It is the easiest option considering all of the dietary needs of my family and friends. it would be served buffet style with other options to go along with it (cheese enchiladas, Spanish rice, etc). I like the idea that people are able to choose what they want on their tacos from the buffet serving, or if they don't want tacos at all, there will be other options around.

erinlin25 · April 2014

I love tacos, but it would be messy so if you are planning on having a "formal" reception I would be uncomfortable eating a messy taco in my nice dress. I would not judge though and as long as I am fed will not complain

But I think it is a total crowd pleaser and would be delicious.

chicky1988 · April 2014

I love the idea of tacos!! I assume it would be for a more casual event so just make sure everyone has a place to sit. I know that may sound silly but I went to a casual outdoor get together where they served tacos (which were yummy) but there were way more people than chairs/table space. It was very difficult to eat tacos while standing up and trying to balance our plates. It was a very awkward experience with everyone playing musical chairs to eat (but we still had a blast)

I also like the idea of sides and vegetarian options, perhaps a crockpot of fajita peppers/onions like they serve at Chipotle? You could also do chips and do some type of salsa bar! Yum!

MyNameIsNot · April 2014

I love tacos, but this needs to match the formality of your event. If you're doing the renewal in a nice ballroom in the evening where guests will show up in dresses and suits, it's inappropriate. If your event is a casual party on par with a BBQ or picnic event, it would be great.

Tacos and dress clothes don't go together.

Classy Taco Bar For Reception Dinner??

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