Many thanks to everyone who helped with recipe ideas & strategy for the wedding this weeekend.

traca

Well-known member
Posted on my fridge is a quote, "When is the last time you did something for the first time?" I was looking at that quote with when my friend announced her sister's wedding...and asked, "Would you cater it?"

I agreed and this weekend, two months of planning came together. The wedding was at the bride's parent's house on Whidbey Island..with 44 guests. I shopped all day on Thursday then caught the ferry for Whidbey. We unpacked the car by 9:30 PM and I was in the kitchen by 8:00 am for prep on Friday.

Thankfully the bride's mother thought to get me some help for the wedding on Saturday. The wedding started at 1:00 PM and the house was swarming with guests & family by 11:00 AM, making me regret I didn't get more food prepared the day before. Somehow I managed to block out all the activity and focus on the food. (Normally I'm very chatty but I warned everyone ahead of time that I would not be during this time..."Please understand my focus will be on the food." I think that helped aleviate some distractions.)

The guests were seated in chairs on the lawn for the ceremony, which unfortunately, faced the patio door & the kitchen behind the bride & groom. I tried to keep a low profile & activity to a minimum during the ceremony (the sliding glass door didn't have drapes.)

Thankfully I'm considered a family friend and they accommodated my request for some extra time with an extended cocktail hour. (We planned for one, but they stretched it, thankfully!) I set up a charcuterie & cheese plate, roasted olives, marinated mozzarella balls, and a layered goat cheese, pesto, sundried tomato spread.

The food turned out great and I was pleased with the range of flavors. I was especially impressed with the spiral-sliced ham from Trader Joe's, the roasted asparagus (a staple now at my house), the layered cheese & pesto spread, and the strawberry spinach salad (the dressing is insanely good).

Recipes are under filed under the menu tab. Link love below. (PS. You'll see two potato dishes and that was the bride's request. I offered scalloped potatoes or potato salad, she wanted both.)

http://eat.at/swap/forum28/416_Pacific_Northwest_Wedding_-_Kelsey_&_Jason

 
Great work, Traca! I have to laugh at the idea of your prep behind the glass doors

being the background to the ceremony. It's a good thing you're a mellow person--a real prima donna might have been seen having a meltdown over the MOB's unscreened help.

You're a natural!

 
Nicely Done! Will pics be posted on your blog? Lovely menu. I would not have

thought the roasted asparagus would hold up well.

 
Yeah, I envisioned them facing the 10' hedge but then I turned around an saw the chairs. Oof!

 
I hope so. The photographer specifically took photos of the food. RE: Asparagus...

I roasted it a almost 400 degrees because I was running behind, but it turned out well. Nice char on one side, al dente in the middle. I lined up the asparagus on the platter like soldiers then ran a 3" strip of sauce across the middle of them.

 
PHOTOS! The photographer fired off a couple quick shots & sent them this morning.

I have more but haven't had a chance to think about them yet.

The bowl used for the strawberry salad is the family's bowl (known affectionately as "the popped corn bowl"). All the rest are platters I've collected, mostly from thrift stores. The bride's 6 1/2 year old neice helped me polish a few pieces the day before the wedding. So cute!

We were scrambling to get food on the table and ideally I would have minced the parsley a little finer on that asparagus. Ah well... smileys/smile.gif





 
Wonderful photos Traca!

The food is beautiful and the dishes compliment each other so well. I absolutely love Pat's recipe for the Tuscan sliced steak on the bed of arugula dressed with the parm and the lemon-garlic vinaigrette. It always looks impressive and guests go nuts over it (plus it's so easy to put together!).

 
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