Exciting news, friends!!!! I have been asked to direct my first wedding by a dear friend from my hometown. I have been super blessed to help her thus far and am looking forward to her May wedding! If you would like to follow along as she journals her wedding journey check out Wedding Planning 101 on Living Like LaLa.
At long last, now comes the time in the Wedding Wednesday series that I get to talk about my most favorite thing— the food, dessert, and cakes of course. Certainly I would leave the very best for last! #nomnom
As of now I am not planning to continue Wedding Wednesday posts next week into the month of January. If I come up with additional time I may decided to post on other relevant topics such as showers, thank you notes, registering, name change, and pre-marital counseling in the future. If you would be interested in information of the sort, please let me know so that I can continue to create posts for those who are currently wedding planning and may benefit.
If you enjoy reading blogs not only written by people you know, I would like to introduce you to Caroline at The Broccoli Hut. Caroline blogs about many food related topics. However, while plundering through my blog roll I noticed that she was posting Wedding Wednesday information. By clicking on the link provided above you will be taken to her entire collection of wedding posts that include absolutely everything you will need to know that I might have missed or not yet covered. Her posts include information, advice, helpful tips, and tricks on choosing jewelry, welcome bags, wedding party gifts, favors, invitations, rehearsal dinner invitations and protocol, music for the ceremony and reception, and a TON more. Reading her blog reminds me of reading my binder. It should be very helpful to those of you currently planning. :)
In case you missed the other Wedding Wednesday posts:
1) Decor (Reception and Ceremony) Click Here
2) Flowers Click HERE
2) Flowers Click HERE
3) Reception Food and Cakes (TODAY!)
4) Photographer Click Here
5) Make-up/Hair Click Here
6) Wedding Random Extras Click Here
7) The Dress and Shopping Click Here
Reception Food
Now, we chose a reception venue that requires the couple to use its own catering service for the wedding. We decided to keep things simple, as to not cause out of town guests to have to travel elsewhere. Therefore, all wedding events of the weekend took place at the church in different buildings. I had no problem with this arrangement whatsoever, as I knew the quality of food items that Tony and I wanted to have served. As mentioned before, our reception was more of a fellowship time with friends and family. We did not host a traditional, sit down dinner. All foods served were finger foods, fruits, or small items that did not cause subjective problems or need a seating menu.
Our caterer presented us with the option of having a buffet or a collection of themed stations. We chose the station option and I think it turned out well given the crowd and limited area of space for serving and presenting. We had a drink station, fruit/vegetable and cheese station, food station, two cake stations, and sweet station. The food station set up had just about everything that you can think of- dips, crackers, meats, sauces, breads, ect. If you can name it, it or something similar was there.
TIP- Tony and I actually did not truly eat. It is very difficult to try to eat something in between talking with guests and taking photos. In turn, we brought a picnic basket with plastic containers for our caterer to fill with items from each station for us to take as we hit the road. Once we arrived in Birmingham we were able to sample a few things while getting ready to leave for our Honeymoon.
TIP Also, this is all in a matter of a opinion- I allowed anyone affiliated with the wedding to bring containers to take extra food home in. I am not sure what people actually did after we left, but this is an option that you may choose to offer to family and friends. No matter the number of people invited or the number of people that will attend the wedding or reception, there will definitely be extra food, regardless. Certainly plan to not let food or money go to waste all to quickly. Do what you can to save what is extra.
Sweet Treats
Our sweets table was an idea that my director helped me with. I loved her sweets table at her reception and wanted to mimic certain aspects of it while including ideas Tony and I had. Her husband actually built the stand that the donuts are displayed on! How awesome and crafty? Sending a HUGE "Thank You" to Roy and Amber Vice over at Sugar, Spice, & Everything Vice. Check out Amber's blog as she continues to journal her journey to becoming a future Mom. Baby Hayden will be here before long!
The sweet treats table is a pretty big hit right now with wedding receptions. Some Brides may opt for only the bride and groom cakes. Other Brides may want additional sweets. It all is a matter of opinion, budget, and personal desire. It is very well your day. Do as you please.
We knew that we wanted this table before we even knew what type of food to serve! Tony and I decided to have the centerpiece of the table as a display of Krispy Kreme donuts. Surrounding the donuts was our favorite types of assorted candy in different size clear shaped vases or jars. I provided clear bags with pictures of diamonds and twist ties for friends and family to fill and take home. I found 200+ bags at Michael's for less than $5. I bought all of the clear vases and jars at JoAnn's in separate purchases using weekly coupons. I think spent approximately a total of $150+ on the vases and candy.
Cakes
Wedding cakes are extravagantly priced, but they sure do make for an elegant addition to the reception. Some Brides are beginning to opt for a non-traditional take on the wedding cake, which I have seen turn out successful and awful. We actually never met with our cake decorator for both the bride’s and groom’s cakes. Like with everything else, I gathered ideas for cakes via many hours of searching Pinterest. I found a few cakes that I liked the designs of. Then, I found a few cakes that I knew Tony would like the designs of. Together, we picked out different aspects from each picture to make our own design. This design was then given to our caterer who worked with our cake designer on the details of each cake.
I will admit that our cakes did not turn out exactly as we had hoped. However, we were given a bit of a cut on the price beforehand simply because of travel fees and some other tidbits, so Tony and I could have honestly cared less about the display of our cakes. Our wedding day certainly was not going to end just because our cakes did not turn out exactly as expected. Equally, the cake is demolished at some point during the reception anyway. Admittedly, I do not even remember what the two pieces of cake I had at the reception tasted like. I am dieing to dive into our top layers come our anniversary in June!
My cake had vanilla frosting, of course, and was made up of the traditional white cake with layers of vanilla butter cream, chocolate, and strawberry. There was a fourth layer of cake, which was only fake filling. I took a very classic stance on my cake.
My table was somewhat simple in display. I had our toasting glasses, serving pieces, a over sized Bridal portrait, and a set of napkins near with my bouquet.
TIP- Make sure you order cocktail napkins (for the drink station and cake tables) and dinner napkins (for the food tables). I completely forgot about ordering dinner napkins until the last few days before the wedding. Guests had to use super small cocktail napkins for their food plates, which I hated. This was not that big of a deal since we did have napkins, but it can be a minimal inconvenience for some guests and especially young children.
As for the groom's cake, it was very much an Alabama fan cake. It had butter cream frosting and tasted of red velvet.
Tony's table was very over the top, just the way he imagined. He told me what his ideas were and I was able to run with them, creating a little bit of a man space in a room full of feminine aspects. I included everything from his graduation medallion, a graduation photo, signed Alabama football from Nick Saban, Mark Ingram jersey, and a few elephant decor items.
TIP- Toasting glass, cake toppers, and serving pieces are items that a caterer typically will provide. I wanted to have them to save, so I bought our glasses and two sets of serving sets on The Knot for under $50 during a Christmas promotion. I was able to have each item engraved with our wedding date and names for free by using another promotion. [Check this website daily for offers! Submit your information for their email promos each day]. You can choose to either borrow these items, ask your caterer if he/she will provide these items, or buy them yourself. Depending on your style and personal desires, the prices range anywhere from $20-$100+
TIP- The cake stands are also items that the caterer will typically provide. However, we decided to rent our cake stands from the rental company where most of our other decor came from. I did not really care for the stand to have grapes on it when my cake was not grape. Also, Tony did not want a feminine stand, which was completely understandable. Once again, these types of decisions are based all on a matter of opinion. Be sure to not leave them out though because it must all be considered.
TIP- Try to make the cake swap as non confrontational and messy as possible. If you think it may get messy, be prepared with a towel and proper clean clothes to change into. Our caterer actually stood behind us and directed us on how to cut our cake properly, as to not make an awful ugly gash or mess. Plus, I made Tony swear that he would not do any harm to my dress before we swapped cake. All in all, everything worked out well.
TIP- Tony and I decided to cut our cake as soon as we walked into the reception. Once the cakes were cut, guests could begin going to get their piece. This alleviated any problems of lines or waits for those who had already made their rounds at the other food stations. Also, some people will only come to the reception only for cake.. Just something to think about.
TIP- Cake Cutters: Sometimes catering services provide cake cutters. Other times I have noticed that bridesmaids cut the cake. Depending upon what you want to do, you can do just about whatever with serving the cakes. Tony and I wanted everything very personal. Therefore, we had family friends at his cake and my cake. We wanted to honor many people throughout our wedding day and this was an additional option for recognizing people who were not involved in the wedding ceremony.
Considering that you will be criticized behind your back for whatever choices you make while wedding planning, try to at least make the choices that appeal to you and your groom's philosophy and not to what most people would prefer or push on you. It really only matters what you want. In the end, it is your day.
TIP- One last tip before I close out Wedding Wednesday, if you are looking for information on vendors or coupons for gifts and favors you will be able to find a ton on TheKnot.com. If you make a Wedding Website you will be asked if you want to be included in promos, drawings, and coupons. This is the only way that we were able to find such decently priced favors and wedding party gifts. Also, I recently had a friend tell me that she and her groom-to-be WON A HONEYMOON! Be sure to take advantage of all offers throughout your wedding journey!
What kind of food/cakes did you have or do you imagine for your wedding?
Until next time- Happy Blogging!
PS- I am going to be blogging an additional post later today on make-up discounts from the P&G eStore. Be sure to come back and check out all the deals you could need for wedding make-up!
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