Wedding Cakes & Food Forum

Is it okay if I don't have chicken as a main entre option?

I am getting married in June. It's an outdoor wedding. The menu I'm planning is:

Appetizers:  mini chicken and waffles, bruschetta, and a fruit and veggie tray
Entre: Smoked pulled pork shoulder and/or smoked salmon
Sides: Kaiser rolls, Green Beans, Mac n Cheese, Sweet Potato Fries and Salad

My mom thinks the menu sounds different and thinks I should have chicken as a main coarse option as well. I think adding chicken as a main option would be too much and I really  like smoked salmon and don't want to take it off the menu. Should I offer chicken? Does my menu sound weird?

Re: Is it okay if I don't have chicken as a main entre option?

  • The concern I have is that smoked salmon I generally associate as a breakfast item w/ a bagel and there are a lot of people who avoid pork for religious reasons but who also don't eat fish.  Can you work with your caterer to see what they recommend as an additional option that could be widely pleasing and maybe vegetarian? 

    I understand the desire to be funky but consider that for your wedding your guests need to be pleased since the food is really for them. 

    As an example, I'd eat your food but if you're having kids as guests my kiddos would prefer chicken and wouldn't eat pulled pork.  
  • I'm going to presume you know your guests...  IMO - I'm okay with that menu, I can understand her perspective that it's different from the norm, but you're covering a protein that doesn't have add-on ingredients, chicken is also an app, components cover a wide variety of food sensitivities...  The only question is if you have a vegetarian in your guest list...  
  • MesmrEwe said:
    I'm going to presume you know your guests...  IMO - I'm okay with that menu, I can understand her perspective that it's different from the norm, but you're covering a protein that doesn't have add-on ingredients, chicken is also an app, components cover a wide variety of food sensitivities...  The only question is if you have a vegetarian in your guest list...  
    The thing for me is that I didn't necessarily know the exact dietary habits of all guests or THEIR guests.  My guess is that neither the OP does nor did you.  It's because of that that if she doesn't go w/ chicken that I'd add at least something, or add a line for "please advise of any dietary restrictions" so those restrictions can be accommodated.  A friend used to love her meat medium rare and now she wants it kept alive.  That's a major shift and she now is quite clear about what she will and won't consume. 
  • I too think of smoked salmon as a breakfast/appetizer item so I don't know if many people would want that as an entry. Perhaps you could have it as an appetizer and add a chicken entree. My family would absolutely eat pulled pork, but as banana pointed out not everyone will.
  • Since you already have a chicken appetizer, I can understand why you wouldn't want a chicken entree as well. That said, many people won't eat pulled pork. If you have any guests who are kosher or halal, you might want to add another entree in case they don't want to eat smoked salmon as their main course. I'm a person who sees that as more of a breakfast item or appetizer with bagels.
  • I think it's fine to not have chicken as an entree choice.  But the other entree choices you have are not necessarily all around crowd pleasers.  There are a lot of people who don't eat pork and a lot of people who don't eat fish.  Unless it is a small enough guest list that you know most people's dietary choices, I think it's important to also have a vegetarian entree choice.  At least that would cover vegetarians and be a second option for guests who may not eat fish or pork. 
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  • Given the smoked salmon, chicken and waffles, and fruit as an app, this really does read like a brunch/lunch menu. Is that what you're planning? If so, it seems like your sides are a little on the heavy side. 

    I don't think you need chicken specifically as a main protein, but I agree that both pork and seafood are proteins that aren't universally appealing. I do think you can get around that though with a broader appeal vegetarian main if you'd rather not serve a second chicken. 
  • I would serve the smoked salmon as an appetizer (it really is an appetizer or brunch food) and the chicken and waffles as your other entree. But I think you still need something for vegetarians. You might have a vegetarian guest and not know it yet.

    In some parts of the US, mac and cheese can be a vegetarian main dish, but in other places, it is  a side dish, so you'd still need a vegetarian main. 
  • maine7mob said:
    I would serve the smoked salmon as an appetizer (it really is an appetizer or brunch food) and the chicken and waffles as your other entree. But I think you still need something for vegetarians. You might have a vegetarian guest and not know it yet.

    In some parts of the US, mac and cheese can be a vegetarian main dish, but in other places, it is  a side dish, so you'd still need a vegetarian main. 
    My H and I are on diametrically opposite sides of this debate.

    Him: Mac and cheese is an entree.
    Me:  Mac and cheese is a side only.  What else did you make for dinner, lol?
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  • banana468 said:
    MesmrEwe said:
    I'm going to presume you know your guests...  IMO - I'm okay with that menu, I can understand her perspective that it's different from the norm, but you're covering a protein that doesn't have add-on ingredients, chicken is also an app, components cover a wide variety of food sensitivities...  The only question is if you have a vegetarian in your guest list...  
    The thing for me is that I didn't necessarily know the exact dietary habits of all guests or THEIR guests.  My guess is that neither the OP does nor did you.  It's because of that that if she doesn't go w/ chicken that I'd add at least something, or add a line for "please advise of any dietary restrictions" so those restrictions can be accommodated.  A friend used to love her meat medium rare and now she wants it kept alive.  That's a major shift and she now is quite clear about what she will and won't consume. 
    We had 400, and were close enough with everyone that no one went hungry including the vegan BIL & SIL...  That said I do think the "Please advise of any dietary restrictions" is just good practice in general knowing what we now know of the prevalence of food allergies/intolerances for avoiding cross-contamination...  

  • I too think of smoked salmon as a breakfast/appetizer item so I don't know if many people would want that as an entry. Perhaps you could have it as an appetizer and add a chicken entree. My family would absolutely eat pulled pork, but as banana pointed out not everyone will.
  • I too think of smoked salmon as a breakfast/appetizer item so I don't know if many people would want that as an entry. Perhaps you could have it as an appetizer and add a chicken entree. My family would absolutely eat pulled pork, but as banana pointed out not everyone will.
    This is what I would do. I love smoked salmon but think it works better as an appetizer. And there's a reason that chicken is such a standard option at weddings and other events - most people will eat it even if there may be other types of meat they don't eat fr health or religious reasons. And while I like fish, a lot of people don't. 

    And I agree that you need to have a main dish option available for vegetarians. It's not fair to expect them to just eat the side dishes.
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  • There is nothing wrong with a different menu (i.e. not exactly what you ate at every cousin's wedding before yours) so long as it's a good menu.

    I don't think salmon is an appetizer, nor is it breakfast; I commonly eat a big salmon fillet for dinner, or have thin slices of it on my sushi. It's an entrée (unless you're one of those strange people who serves little salmon pinwheels with whatever that slimy stuffing is, in which case my picky eater self is disappointed you ruined one of my favorite fish with nasty sauce).

    I think macaroni works an entrée too, though my mother doesn't. She's been rather disappointed with me when she serves ham steaks and macaroni and I just eat a double portion of macaroni. "Don't you need some meat on that plate?" No, mom, I really don't.

    Also, for the love of all that is good and holy, macaroni and cheese has TWO ingredients, and they're right in the name: macaroni and cheese. No onions. No breadcrumbs. No sausage bits. No tabasco sauce. Do not attempt to dress up and "adultify" one of the most pure and simple culinary delights in a misguided attempt to not seem childish; the nostalgia adds to the savor. The only way to improve macaroni and cheese is to add extra cheese (mild cheddar, American, or Velveeta are the best...and yes even Velveeta is a cheese).

    Do note, however, that while mac & cheese is a fine vegetarian meal, it won't work for vegans who also won't touch your salad if it has crumbled feta or honey balsamic vinaigrette. And if you put bacon in your green beans, they won't eat those either (neither would I - why do people put soggy meat in beans? Bacon should be crispy, and beans should taste like beans).

    Chicken is a fine menu item, but by no means required; since you mentioned loving salmon, I presume pulled pork is your fiancé's choice and he's no more interested in nixing it than you are in dropping fish (personally, if it were me, I'd swap the pork for chicken before I'd swap salmon for chicken; I much prefer fish to pork). If you're worried about someone wanting chicken - ESPECIALLY if you've got kids in the mix and they're the ones you're worried about - get some frozen chicken nuggets and bake them in the oven at the venue (I assume it has a kitchen if you're able to serve a multi-course meal). It's not fancy foo-foo food, but neither is pulled pork.

    There's nothing wrong with serving non-traditional wedding food so long as it's things your guests actually want to eat, and I'm willing to bet there's at least one person on your guest list who'd be perfectly satisfied with chicken nuggets.
  • @knottie#s she specifically said smoked salmon which is often a brunch item or appetizer. Yes salmon filets are entrees. You have been posting a lot so why don't you pick a name so we all recognize you and get to know you!

  • There is nothing wrong with a different menu (i.e. not exactly what you ate at every cousin's wedding before yours) so long as it's a good menu.

    I don't think salmon is an appetizer, nor is it breakfast; I commonly eat a big salmon fillet for dinner, or have thin slices of it on my sushi. It's an entrée (unless you're one of those strange people who serves little salmon pinwheels with whatever that slimy stuffing is, in which case my picky eater self is disappointed you ruined one of my favorite fish with nasty sauce).

    I think macaroni works an entrée too, though my mother doesn't. She's been rather disappointed with me when she serves ham steaks and macaroni and I just eat a double portion of macaroni. "Don't you need some meat on that plate?" No, mom, I really don't.

    Also, for the love of all that is good and holy, macaroni and cheese has TWO ingredients, and they're right in the name: macaroni and cheese. No onions. No breadcrumbs. No sausage bits. No tabasco sauce. Do not attempt to dress up and "adultify" one of the most pure and simple culinary delights in a misguided attempt to not seem childish; the nostalgia adds to the savor. The only way to improve macaroni and cheese is to add extra cheese (mild cheddar, American, or Velveeta are the best...and yes even Velveeta is a cheese).

    Do note, however, that while mac & cheese is a fine vegetarian meal, it won't work for vegans who also won't touch your salad if it has crumbled feta or honey balsamic vinaigrette. And if you put bacon in your green beans, they won't eat those either (neither would I - why do people put soggy meat in beans? Bacon should be crispy, and beans should taste like beans).

    Chicken is a fine menu item, but by no means required; since you mentioned loving salmon, I presume pulled pork is your fiancé's choice and he's no more interested in nixing it than you are in dropping fish (personally, if it were me, I'd swap the pork for chicken before I'd swap salmon for chicken; I much prefer fish to pork). If you're worried about someone wanting chicken - ESPECIALLY if you've got kids in the mix and they're the ones you're worried about - get some frozen chicken nuggets and bake them in the oven at the venue (I assume it has a kitchen if you're able to serve a multi-course meal). It's not fancy foo-foo food, but neither is pulled pork.

    There's nothing wrong with serving non-traditional wedding food so long as it's things your guests actually want to eat, and I'm willing to bet there's at least one person on your guest list who'd be perfectly satisfied with chicken nuggets.
    A few things:
    As  @ILoveBeachMusic pointed out there's a big difference between smoked salmon and salmon filets.  Smoked salmon is served as a breakfast item with a bagel and cream cheese or possibly as part of a charceuterie board or maybe with a salad.  It is an acquired taste (one I don't have) and not served in large portions usually due to the overwhelming salty/smoky flavor.     

    Macaroni and cheese may have two ingredients if you're making it on a stove top and going with a packet When served as a baked option it requires a cheese sauce that begins with a roux which has butter and flour and then milk is added to the sauce.  Only then can you add in the cheese(s).  Putting cheese on macaroni with nothing else is going to lead to something that shouldn't be served.  Some recipes (including the one I use for a make ahead batch that can be frozen) call for chicken broth/stock.  The tabasco sauce or pepper used adds a pinch of flavor because it can taste bland otherwise in the same way that spray can cheese lacks depth of flavor.  Bread crumb topping (or broken potato chips) adds a crunch and contrast and also helps prevent the baked noodles on top from turning so crispy that they can only be chewed on your back teeth.   Also note that depending on the recipe or cheese it may not be vegetarian or vegan as the stock is not vegetarian and some cheeses require rennet that's made from the lining of of a cow's stomach which makes it not a vegetarian meal either. (Parmigianino Reggiano is a cheese that would make the dish not vegetarian either). 

    Many people CAN make a meal of macaroni and cheese but as more and more people are watching their diets, they need a meal where the carbohydrate is not the dominant option especially when there are often other carbohydrates in a wedding meal (like crackers, cheese and cake).  Because of that, a meat or meat-substitute is usually offered OR the mac and cheese has some kind of additional protein baked in it like ham steak, andouille or lobster (which is overkill and masks the flavor of the lobster imo).   


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