One thing guests always look forward to, or dread, is the meal at a wedding. Being a vegan/vegetarian, I know I have sometimes wondered "what will I actually eat other than bread?" And it was funny when a veggie friend had actually exclaimed excitement for our wedding as they knew they would have something to eat! But, once the ceremony is over, it seems like food takes the focus for a bit. It is compared to other weddings, it is talked about afterwards and people usually have an opinion on how it went. Overall, we got positive feedback on the meal and dessert, so I thought I would share with you more about the small, local shops we used to pull off our big day!
The Main Meal
Our menu was very simple, out of necessity, but it also went with the simplicity of the event. Free range, organic grilled chicken seemed to be the best option, as we could truck in grills and prepare it fresh. We added in asparagus because it is Devin's favorite veggie, then potatoes and quinoa for starches. Our vegan option was chickpeas with cauliflower - I honestly cannot remember what it was like I was so busy on the day - but I do remember people saying that they liked it!
I really loved working with Jackie - she met with us so many times - driving out to the horse farm and at her cafe. She was a great sounding board to round out the menu and had ideas but also listened to ours. On the day of the wedding, she worked hard with her staff to make sure everything was in order, and other than a "good luck" she ran the show without me, which was amazing. Her staff helped with the dessert table and cleaned up perfectly!
Overall, we were very pleased with Jackie and the Orange Glory Cafe staff! You can like them on facebook and visit them for lunch if you are downtown during the week! As a caterer, I would highly recommend her!
Plenty of Pies - and cupcakes too!
Right from the start, I knew I did not want a wedding cake. I think they cost too much, taste awful and I did not want to go cake taste testing (I do not mean to offend - I really and not a cake person and didn't want to spend a ton). Luckily, Devin agreed - so we went with pies and cupcakes. I have always loved pie, growing up on my grandmas amazing creations it was hard not to. And when we first started dating, I am pretty sure I made a pie every time Dev came over for dinner. I like pie. I cannot lie. This led us on a different quest, but one that needed a bit of creativity and communication. I wanted pie, but I didn't want it in ugly pie tins! So, through years of saving and a few wedding registry gifts, I had amassed nine glass pie pans. Now, I just had to find someone willing to make pies in my pie pans! Cue Paternico's Bakery! They may have looked at me a bit funny as I carted a 30lb bag into the store, but they did it! I did not have any pie, but they looked and smelled amazing!! Most were gone by the time we got done, and I heard rave reviews!
We loved Paternico's because they are a small, local shop - that just moved into a storefront in our neighborhood after working for years out of the Public Market. They are literally around the corner, and they do so much more than pies! They do an assortment of Italian cookies and some cakes and non-fruit pies (like peanut butter!) that looked amazing when I was in the store. If you like them on Facebook, you can see all the lovely creations they make! If you are in the area, or stop to see us, be sure to visit!!
Cupcakes! Bet you will never guess where we got such yummy cupcakes!
Best Bartender
When we were planning, I really wanted to have a backyard wedding where we could do whatever we wanted. But once it became clear that we could not do that, we moved on to plan B, which was the Equicenter. The Equicenter, to cover their liabilities, needed us to obtain a bartender and one day liquor license. And I was told it was not an option to have a "dry" wedding. So, based on a tip from our "go-to" guy at the Equicenter, we contacted Ted Stryker from Rochester's Top Shelf Bartending Services. They applied for the license for us, told us that we needed to acquire and gave us options for sodas and juices. We were able to pick out our own wine and beer, which we tried to tailor to our guest's preferences.
I only saw our bartender a few times, and kept calling her Heidi... but apparently her name was Holly. Oops. But I liked her and I liked the service before and after the wedding. I liked that she was trained to not serve those who were too inebriated, but knowing our guests, it would not be an issue. But I was still thankful I did not need to worry about guests driving home after too many! Rochester's Top Shelf really did live up to their motto "go enjoy your party, we've got this." They do small and large events, so if you are in need of sort of bar tending service, I highly recommend this professional and reasonably priced services!
Overall, we thought we did well for food and drinks. What did you think? We worked hard to use small, local businesses and hope to drum up some continued support from our guests and other readers. Any input on their services could be helpful to their efforts! But specifically in relation to our event, what did you think of the food, drinks and desserts? Clearly we can't go back and change anything, but for anyone else planning large events, input here might be helpful!
We hope you had a great Monday!
Much Love
The Wades
No comments:
Post a Comment