When sketching out your wedding budget, you can expect to spend about half on your catering and venue. So it’s super-important to find a caterer you’re happy with and select food that you are excited to eat. But it’s not all about how your food tastes (even though that’s a big part of it!) – finding fun, creative, and user-friendly ways to present your meal is essential. This is especially true during cocktail hour, when your guests are trying to balance mingling, drinking, and eating all at once. That’s why we’re fans of these hors d’oeuvres which can be eaten with one hand.
Soup Shooters: Choose your favorite soup, but serve it in a tiny glass for easy sipping. Depending on the season, you can serve hot (chicken consomme with mini matzo balls, anyone?) or cold (tomato gazpacho) varieties.
“One Bites” on a Spoon: If you’ve been watching the new TV show “The Taste,” you probably know that it’s completely possible to create a composed dish with layers of flavor on a small spoon.
Anything on a Stick: From Asian chicken to macaroni and cheese to sushi, many of your favorite hors d’oevures can be put on a stick for easy eating.
Cones: They’re not just for ice cream anymore! Serve tuna tartare, smoked salmon, even barbeque chicken in waffle cones so guests can eat them with just one hand.
Two-in-Ones: Grilled cheese and tomato soup, mini hot dogs and beer – think about items that go well together and stack ‘em!
What hors d’oeuvres are you serving at your wedding? Tell us in the comments!
Quick Tip: Plan that each guest will eat six to eight hors d’oeuvres during cocktail hour – and make sure you have some extras!
Every bride wants to look her best on her wedding day, no matter which one-of-a-kind, custom-fit dress she bought, but in order to look her best, she needs to feel her best too. Starting a regime of eating better and exercising months or weeks before your wedding will help you and your future hubby look healthy and feel refreshed the day of. Here are our top picks (and skips) to eat before and after saying, “I do.”
1. Oatmeal
For breakfast, enjoy a bowl of oatmeal sprinkled with chia seeds. The oatmeal keeps your blood-sugars steady and absorbes glucose while the chia seeds, which are the highest source of omega-3′s, keep your skin glowing from head to toe.
Are you searching for a winter signature cocktail for your wedding? We’ve picked our favorite signature cocktails of the season: candy cane martini, classic eggnog, cranberry champagne (especially for New Year’s Eve) and Bailey’s hot chocolate (to keep your guests warm). Aromas of peppermint, cinnamon and chocolate are bound to fill the air with these cocktail ideas. Cheers!
Now that fall is coming to an end, winter color palettes of white, gold, red, green and black will be featured in lots of weddings-and even on cakes. Fall in love with these winter-inspired cakes that have pine cones and branches as rustic accents, fresh red roses and holly berries and all that glitters gold. You can have any of these combinations to add character to your cake. In fact, you can get even more in the spirit of the holidays by choosing a distinct cake flavor like pumpkin spice, gingerbread, caramel buttercream or chocolate peppermint. These flavorful cakes will make it hard for your guests to resist having seconds. For more inspiration, check out our winter wedding cakes photo gallery.
Planning an engagement party or bridal shower? Make the hors d’oeuvres and centerpieces mini with these fun “shot glass” ideas. Presenting the food makes a great presentation, and allows for people to easily have conversation without holding a fork and knife. Plus, who doesn’t want a mini milkshake or mini french toast. Yum!
Clockwise from top, left: Photo courtesy of Rochelle Myers Catering; photo courtesy of Pure Kitchen Catering; photo courtesy of The Barbeque Exchange; photo courtesy of Milan Catering & Event Design; catering by Lola’s Cafe and Catering, photo by Uplift Photography
