Posted by Patti Wellington on Tue, Feb 23, 2010 @ 09:48 AM
World-renowned chef, Wolfgang Puck, in a recent interview reveals his wedding catering trends for 2010:
“The use of organic and sustainable ingredients are more popular than ever, and couples are more knowledgeable about food these days” says Chef Puck, “Caterer’s that shop at the farmers market and think about seasonality are important. Organic and sustainable products are appealing to a lot of wedding couples.”
In the current economy, comfort foods have become even more popular (think burgers, pizza, ribs, pot pie and risotto.) Comfort doesn’t have to mean pedestrian. “At a wedding, you can serve hors d’oeurvres like Kobe beef burgers, wild mushroom risotto, smoked salmon pizzas, braised short-ribs or a single pot pie with lobster." His advice to dazzle your wedding guests – upgrade ingredients and prepare them with great expertise.
“One of the more popular trends now is to serve a small cheese course right before the wedding cake,” says the famed gastronome, “it’s very chic.”
Another popular trend is for your wedding guests to see the food being prepared. “Having the chefs out in front cooking for the guests is the latest thing,” he says. “It’s fun for the guests to see real professional chefs at work making food that is cooked to order. This is especially good for hot appetizers and the main course.”
Personal touches are very important in what you should do. “Heart and love should inspire everything,” says Chef Puck. He likes to ask the bride and groom what they like to eat and then take it and add a twist to everything, giving them something better than what they are used to for their wedding reception.
These are the type of tips that I pass on to my wedding clients when they approach me and ask for something different for food options at their wedding reception. I always let them know all of their trends, however including one or two of these trends into their wedding meal is enough to take it from ordinary to extraordinary.
Posted by Patti Wellington on Tue, Feb 09, 2010 @ 05:01 PM
The average wedding reception – featuring passed hors d’oeuvres, a three course dinner, dessert and open bar – can run anywhere from $100 and up per person, depending on where you live, the time of day or year, and the type of food you choose to serve. Significant sums of money can be saved by holding the wedding reception during the day rather than in the evening, or at a less busy time of year.
When planning the wedding dinner, use your caterer as an ally. Together, go over each aspect of the reception – food, drink, and rentals, wedding cake – and determine how important each is to you and where you’d like to concentrate your money. To keep costs under control, consider a lower priced chicken or fish main course; save more pricey beef and lobster dishes for hors d’oeuvers.
How the wedding dinner is served will also affect the price - waiter service, surprisingly, is often similar in cost to a buffet. French service, in which guests are served from a platter at the table, requires more staff and is therefore more expensive. You can also do without the desert course and simply serve the wedding cake with some fruit to end the meal. Liquor will be billed either by what the guests drink (consumption per bottle or per drink) or by a set price that’s usually factored into the food costs.
A caterer will usually provide - and charge extra for - things such as cake-cutting service and bartenders; ask ahead of time and get quotes for each and include them in your wedding budget/estimate. It may be less expensive to let the caterer or reception hall handle everything.
Always ask exactly what is covered in the catering package and about extra charges, including tipping waiters and bartenders. Doing all these things will allow you to figure out ahead of time what the best course to take with your wedding reception, with no surprises at the end.
Posted by Patti Wellington on Fri, Jan 01, 2010 @ 04:37 PM
Congratulations on your Wedding Engagement! Here is the third part (of my three part series) on getting engaged.
The third and possibly largest decision you are going to make regarding your wedding is choosing a ceremony and reception venue for your wedding day. So here are some tips to get you started:
The Dream Wedding Venue – I suggest visiting all of the wedding venues that you like, even if you think they are out of your price range. Some wedding venues are very flexible with pricing if you choose a Friday, Sunday or even select a wedding date that is in the off season (November to April).
Wedding Dates – Try to be very flexible with all the wedding dates that your dream venue has available. Visit all the wedding venues that you like then talk about what dates they have open; do this before you even look at their wedding menus – if they don’t have your date, the don’t waste your time looking!
Wedding Budget - Since you already know your wedding budget (see part 1 of this series) you can dedicate more time at the wedding venue having what is called a site inspection and meeting with the sales team. They will explain all of the wedding polices, procedures and provide you with all costs associated with their wedding venue.
Wedding Caterer - Ask the wedding venue if their facility only offers in house wedding catering or do they allow outside wedding caterers on their property. Sometimes you can find a more reasonable wedding caterer but the venue charges a large fee to allow them on their property to prepare the food. Also, try to have the wedding venue provide all catering options to you on paper. This way you can both go back home, read through the information and make a well-informed decision.
As soon as you have selected your venue and wedding date, you can start to plan out your wedding day service providers. Good luck with your plans, and again, happy New Year!!
If you require additional information please contact me at weddings@occasionsniagara.com
Posted by Patti Wellington on Thu, Dec 31, 2009 @ 09:42 AM
Champagne is typically drunk during celebrations and is a staple at weddings when toasting the bride and groom. The best part of champagne at a wedding can be the act of uncorking a bottle, which if done properly, can be quite dramatic (depending on the venue and experience of the person opening the bottle). Have you ever seen anyone use sword to chop the cork off of a bottle??
The other most popular time for serving champagne is when we ring in the New Year. Here are some tips for using champagne you will always remember, not just for weddings but also for any special occasion - or just to show off!
Chill - The first step is to make sure the champagne is chilled correctly. The best serving temperature is about 40 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit.
Ice Bucket - If you need to chill a bottle quickly, get a bucket, fill it with ice and water, and stick the bottle inside for about fifteen minutes. Never put a bottle of champagne in the freezer to get it cold, it might explode.
It’s all in the wrist - Here's the trick to opening up a bottle of champagne: turn the bottle while holding the cork, rather than the other way around. Never use a corkscrew or cork pull like you would with an ordinary bottle of wine. The carbonation of the champagne creates pressure in the bottle that could send the cork flying across the room or into someone’s eye.
Pouring Champagne to preserve the bubbles - Remove the cork cautiously; you want to hear a soft, muted pop. The softer the pop, the more carbon dioxide you preserve. And since the carbon dioxide bubbles are what make champagne special, you don't want to waste them by spraying foam all over the place.
Serve in the proper glassware - Always serve champagne in a tall flute or tulip shaped glass. Pour only about an ounce into a glass and then wait for the rise of the bubbles to subside. Pour again, filling the glass about two-thirds full. Return the bottle to the ice bucket until you serve again.
P.S. Happy New Year!!
Posted by Patti Wellington on Sun, Dec 27, 2009 @ 06:29 PM
Here are some of the tips that I have learned by using sparklers at my weddings:
Sparklers can get very stinky and are only permitted outdoors. Before you purchase the sparklers check with your wedding venue regarding the rules for their facility. I would also check with the local fire department about the rules in your area. Let the fire department know that your going to have them at your wedding and abide by their rules.
Have buckets of water or sand nearby for wedding guests to extinguish their sparklers or place them once they're used up.
I suggest using a 2-3 minute sparkler at the wedding, they seem to work the best - this gives you enough time for the wedding photographer to shoot some cool shots.
Sparklers light better from a direct flame and not from matches. I suggest lighting a few votive candles and have the wedding guests light them from the candle. You can also light the sparklers from another sparkler - so people can "pass the flame."
Do you have any questions or want more information about wedding planning? E-mail them to me and I'll contact you with an answer. Who knows, I might even write an article on it and post it in my blog. weddings@occasionsniagara.com
Posted by Patti Wellington on Sun, Dec 27, 2009 @ 11:13 AM
When I first meet with a couple I always ask them to describe their vision of the wedding day as they see it. It always includes this grandiose reception with all the trimmings. As we continue to meet and take the wedding dream to reality, and pricing comes into the picture, sometimes a couple will say to me " my Aunt Paula" has offered to make my wedding cake as her gift to us. Or the grooms "Uncle Bob" is going to take our wedding photos - he has a really good digital camera. This is the time when I will quickly explain to the couples why not to use family and friends when it comes to their wedding day.
If you want to continue to have a good relationship with this person, then don't use them - especially if they aren't professionals. No matter how great they are, the quality will be disappointing and not be what you think you're going to be getting. Also, if any trouble arises, it will create some animosity that'll be hard to let go of. You'll always remember how "Aunt Paula" wrecked my cake or "Uncle Bob" missed the kiss.
There's a great website that showcases what can happen if you let "Aunt Paula" make your wedding cake. I've included a few examples today but I highly recommend you going to this site and taking a look around. Not only is it hilarious but it's true. Put yourself in the position of those people whose cakes showed up at their weddings.
A big thank you to www.cakewrecks.com for this awesome website!!!
Do you have any questions or want more information about wedding planning? E-mail them to me and I'll contact you with an answer. Who knows, I might even write an article on it and post it in my blog. weddings@occasionsniagara.com
Posted by Patti Wellington on Sun, Dec 27, 2009 @ 11:01 AM
I love the holiday season for weddings! You can choose to go with a winter theme or host a full-blown Christmas wedding; and decorating is so fun and easy, with everything available in abundance.
Having a signature drink is now a staple at all weddings; it gives you a chance to show off some of your personality with whatever drink you choose to have. Here is one of my favourite cocktail recipes for a Christmas wedding (or at your Christmas party).
Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer Cocktail Recipe
1 1/4 oz light rum
2 cubes ice
1 1/2 oz lemon juice
Fill to top with Cranberry Juice
1/2 oz grenadine
1 lemon wedge as garnish
Directions
Mix the light rum, lemon juice and grenadine. Add the ice cubes and fill to your own taste with Cranberry juice. Add a wedge of lemon on your glass and voila!
Warning - too many of these and your nose may turn a little red!!
Posted by Patti Wellington on Sun, Dec 27, 2009 @ 10:04 AM
Everyone wants a wedding like none other, but most couples don't know how to achieve it. Your ideas don't have to cost, they just have to be personal and creative.
When I work with couples, I really want to find out what their likes and dislikes are - what do they enjoy doing in their spare time, where did they meet, where are they going. Plus, we like to see what their favorite restaurant is and why, what colors do they like and what their favorite season is. All of these questions will help us create a real unique, fun-loving celebration.
Here are some really great ideas to work with. Hopefully they'll inspire you and help reveal your personal styles.
1. Locate the perfect location for your wedding
Finding the best spot to host your event will be the biggest test. Hosting a wedding in a local ballroom will provide a very different tone than having it in an old historical building. Try to research all the venues in your area so that you can locate a very distinctive venue just for you. Check out nightclubs, movie theaters, city top venues, trendy restaurants or art galleries. If you don't have access to those types of properties, try to covert one that will transform into your vision. With lighting, linens and all sorts of décor you could really transform a venue to the point where it may be unrecognizable. Think outside the box and call around to all the places you have come up with. You may be surprised at what's available in your area.
2. Colors and Textures
Build your venue up with lots of color and stick to using monochromatic palates, whether you use all oranges, violet, or blue colors, use your favorite ones. Try setting up different size tables using different types of shapes (some circular, square, and rectangular), then use different textures of fabric around the room. Some tables could have stripes; some solid and others could be silky or have a fun pattern. The color scheme will still remain the same. This will give your event some real personality.
3. Re-Arrange the table pattern in the room and have a variety of different centerpieces to add interest.
Arrange the tables in a more non-traditional manner. Then have three or four varieties of centerpieces placed on the tables in a non-uniformed fashion. This will really add interest to the room. Some guests may have been to the venue before, but this will be a completely different look. The centerpieces can be tall, some will be short, and others will be a mix of the two.
4. Bring Comforts of Home to the Big Event
If you're working with a massive reception hall, make it warm by adding lounge furniture to the space. If this is something you cannot afford, try having more tables but smaller amounts of guests at each. It will feel intimate to your guests. Also, add some nice ceiling and wall treatments to the venue and this will help the space feel smaller. You can also achieve this by getting a lighting expert in to place images on the walls and dance floor. Think of an enchanted garden look.
Do you have any questions or want more information about wedding planning? E-mail them to me and I'll contact you with an answer. Who knows, I might even write an article on it and post it in my blog. weddings@occasionsniagara.com