It’s not about having a 5 star gourmet meal or saving tons of money by cooking your own food. It’s about the experience your guests receive. The food could be average, but if they have a good time, most often, the quality isn’t always noticed.
Having said that, the quality of food is very important. When you marry those two aspects together, you will get a truly phenomenal result.
Amy Shackelford, Director of Catering and Event Sales for City Club Fort Worth says that there are several elements to consider when trying to provide your guests with a food experience. She suggests offering dinner stations instead of buffet or a plated dinner. “Dinner stations where guests have small plates of food give the feel of a cocktail party instead of a super formal dinner. It provides variety in food selection and alleviates the time guests have to stand in a line to get their food”.
Stations are also best for bite-sized pieces of food. “We are seeing a trend in mini foods. Something where a guest can pop it in their mouth and go. It’s rare to have 100% seating at weddings, so having stations with smaller foods helps keep the guests moving around”, says Rachel Pullium, Catering and Sales Manager for Gil’s Elegant Catering.
“Our mini Kobe burger live action station is very popular. It’s a gourmet food item, but more approachable than a steak,” continues Rachel.
Photo By City Club Fort Worth
Photo by Gil's Elegant Catering
Photo by Gil's Elegant Catering
It’s also important to think about the time that your wedding and/or reception is. This is crucial when providing your guests with the best possible experience. Most guests will expect brunch, lunch, or heavy hors d'oeuvres from 11am – 4pm. Anywhere from 5pm and on, guest will expect a full meal, whether you choose buffet, stations or a plated meal.
One word of advice...Make sure you eat some food in an area away from your guests before your big entrance. This is advantageous for several reasons. First, you get a chance to eat the delicious food you so meticulously picked out. Second, you actually get food in your body. And lastly, eating away from your guests guarantees an un-interrupted meal. If you eat with all your friends and family, you will hardly be able to put a bite of food in your mouth before someone is trying to congratulate you.
If you have a wedding planner, make sure you have their staff set this up for you. Otherwise, plan these arrangements with your facility personnel.
After dinner, custom dictates that you cut and serve your wedding cake. That tradition is hard to break. However, the ‘groom’s’ cake tradition, is evolving. Couples are now choosing to do cupcake or donut towers. Candy bars or desert bars are also becoming more popular. But Amy Shackelford and her team at City Club have a unique desert option for couples. They have created a Banana’s Foster station in lieu of the groom’s cake.
“Guests seem to really enjoy the Banana’s Foster desert station because of the interaction between them and the chef. The chef cooks on [portable] stove tops and the rum causes the flames to shoot up- it’s always a really fun aspect at a reception. Then the guests can choose whatever toppings they want,” says Amy.
Photo by City Club Fort Worth
Photo by City Club Fort WorthJust make sure to pay extra special attention to the food…your guests will appreciate it and you will be able to enjoy your day so much more. Maybe even savor it.
No comments:
Post a Comment