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4 Comments
M
July 11, 2018
There are 2 issues that happen at almost every wedding I've attended or heard stories about.
1. Be mindful of timing.
a)If the wedding festivities will take up the whole day, make sure everyone is fed properly. If it's a one-site deal, have food available throughout the day, and not just dinner, whether it's an on-site restaurant guests can use, or bites on your own dime. If travel between venues is involved, include snack/lunch recommendations to guests, especially those from out of town. Also make sure you and your wedding party have food throughout the day.
(Too many stories about wedding parties who weren't fed all day, or couples who didn't get to eat their own carefully selected meals because they were pulled away for something and the servers took their food away, or guests digging through bags for snacks while waiting, or everyone getting tanked at open bars on empty stomachs.)
b)Choose foods that can stand up to delays, especially for large weddings. If you *must* have that steak or time-sensitive dish, plan the event to minimize the potential for delays (traffic issues, rain delays, long-winded speeches) that lead to heat lamp-killed or cold food.
2. If you want a stocked bar for great (or even okay) cocktails, you *must* request skilled bartenders. Requesting a well-stocked bar doesn't mean the bartender the venue will hire will know how to use it. Wedding bartenders can do the very basics of spirit+soda, but are easily stopped by any classic cocktail.
(A conversation that actually happened at a wedding that planned a well-stocked open bar: 'Hi! Could I have a gin martini?' 'What?' 'Gin martini.' 'I don't know what that is.' 'It's gin and dry vermouth.' 'We don't have that.' 'Yes, you do.' 'No.' 'Yes. It's right there.' 'Where?' 'Right there.' 'Oh. I don't know this drink. How do you make it?')
1. Be mindful of timing.
a)If the wedding festivities will take up the whole day, make sure everyone is fed properly. If it's a one-site deal, have food available throughout the day, and not just dinner, whether it's an on-site restaurant guests can use, or bites on your own dime. If travel between venues is involved, include snack/lunch recommendations to guests, especially those from out of town. Also make sure you and your wedding party have food throughout the day.
(Too many stories about wedding parties who weren't fed all day, or couples who didn't get to eat their own carefully selected meals because they were pulled away for something and the servers took their food away, or guests digging through bags for snacks while waiting, or everyone getting tanked at open bars on empty stomachs.)
b)Choose foods that can stand up to delays, especially for large weddings. If you *must* have that steak or time-sensitive dish, plan the event to minimize the potential for delays (traffic issues, rain delays, long-winded speeches) that lead to heat lamp-killed or cold food.
2. If you want a stocked bar for great (or even okay) cocktails, you *must* request skilled bartenders. Requesting a well-stocked bar doesn't mean the bartender the venue will hire will know how to use it. Wedding bartenders can do the very basics of spirit+soda, but are easily stopped by any classic cocktail.
(A conversation that actually happened at a wedding that planned a well-stocked open bar: 'Hi! Could I have a gin martini?' 'What?' 'Gin martini.' 'I don't know what that is.' 'It's gin and dry vermouth.' 'We don't have that.' 'Yes, you do.' 'No.' 'Yes. It's right there.' 'Where?' 'Right there.' 'Oh. I don't know this drink. How do you make it?')
Eric K.
July 10, 2018
Great tips! Yup, the best wedding I've ever been to was the one where I was greeted with a cocktail. Needless to say, the ceremony was very bearable.
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