Wednesday, January 28, 2015 • Wedding Guide
pancakes than a dish of pasta.
Omelet stations, croissants and a
bevy of other breakfast table fare
can be enjoyed any time of the
day.
Dim sum
Dim sum allows guests to sam-
ple different foods without filling
up. Carts of dumplings and other
small plates of appetizers can be
wheeled around so everyone can
choose what they want and what
they want to avoid.
Gourmet comfort food
People love familiar comfort
foods, but now gourmet comfort
foods are shaking up wedding
receptions. Mac-and-cheese with
gouda and brie or chicken pot pie
with a puff-pastry crust are a few
offerings that can add glamour to
down-home cooking.
Food with a show
Instead of passed foods or buffet
stations, couples are opting to
make food an experience for
guests. An oyster bar with a chef
serving fresh seafood or a dessert
master whipping up flambé is a
feast for the eyes and mouth.
Interesting buffet stations
Keep guests on their toes with
various meal stations. A bountiful
display of artisanal cheeses, fruits
and breads will be a cheese lover’s
dream. These stations also can be
appetizing focal points around the
room and ensure all guests get a
bite of what they like best.
Family style
Rustic and informal weddings
have grown in popularity. Rather
than food being brought to the
guests or participants lining up in
buffet lines, family-style dining
allows guests to share conversation
and pass the peas at the same time.
Larger, rectangular tables allow
more guests to sit with one another
and serve themselves food from
community plates located in the
center of the tables.
Food and beverage pairings
Food-forward wedding couples
are offering guests mouthwatering
appetizers matched with a cocktail.
A slider and a craft beer or a
dumpling and a shot of saki are
examples of this trend.
Nontraditional ‘fake’ cakes
Instead of a multi-tiered cake or
the cupcake fad that is starting to
fizzle, couples are now opting for
something new. Desserts that
mimic the look of cake, but aren’t
quite that combination of sponge
5
and frosting are trending. Crepes,
pies, cookies, and doughnuts are
acceptable and can add a creative
spark to the cake-cutting ceremo-
ny. When offered along with
dessert stations, guests can certain-
ly get their fill of sweets.
Vegan and gluten-free options
Chances are one or more people
attending the reception will be on
a restricted diet. Rather than rele-
gate these guests to dining on side
dishes and patchwork meals, cer-
tain couples are building entire
offerings around vegan and gluten-
free foods.
Couples are getting creative with
their food and beverage offerings
at their weddings. Guests never
know which culinary wonders they
will encounter as they gather to
wish the newlyweds well. —Metro