Chocolate banana bread pudding with whiskey caramel sauce – so delectable!

Jolyn | Luxury Wedding Planner
Nuance Occasions
780.486.5310 ext.1

Not something for an inexperienced caterer to play with, but this ice cream station can be a showy spectacle for your guests to watch and enjoy.

This day, we had a chocolate ice cream – the most velvety smooth ice cream I’ve ever had before. I’d love to help you incorporate a liquid nitrogen ice cream bar into your wedding reception or for a fun wedding treat!

Jolyn | Lifestyle Wedding Planner & Designer
Nuance Occasions
780.628.6457

Each venue and caterer has very different policies surrounding tastings, so you’ll want to be sure to check with your venue or caterer in advance about what their policy is.

Generally, tastings are only offered for plated menu service – sorry, if you are choosing a buffet option, tastings aren’t offered because it’s impossible to prepare small portions of each of the varied items for an appropriate tasting.

Tastings are usually offered within the 3 months prior to your wedding – close enough to ensure you can choose from the current menu, but still enough time to make changes or substitutions in your final menu.

Chocolate Mousse at Fairmont Newport, California - during ABC Wedding Planner Conference 2008

Here’s a couple tips to ensure you get the most of your tasting session:

• Schedule in Advance. Schedule your tasting a couple weeks in advance, to ensure your chef has time to order ingredients that may not be standardly in their kitchen (such as fresh seafood or unique dessert ingredients).
• Give Chef Some Freedom. Although you’ll pick the main entrees, allow chef to recommend the best seasonal vegetables and starch to be paired with each dish
• Share your thoughts. Be sure to share with the chef any of your thoughts (too much sauce, would prefer a different presentation, etc) but keep in mind your guests may not share the same opinion. Your ultimate goal is to select a menu you’ll love, but will also be widely accepted by your guests.
• Seek Professional Guidance. If you love all the options and can’t decide which salad to serve, ask your Chef for recommendations about what will pair well with the rest of your meal selections. Don’t hesitate to ask your Chef for their wine recommendation for your meal pairing as well.
• Enjoy the experience. Enjoy becoming familiar with the taste, smell, visual presentation and personal care and attention your Chef will put into helping you plan the most perfect wedding meal.

You don’t want to rush yourself – so make sure you plan to spend approx. 2-3 hours at your venue meal tasting. Take notes, and while your meal is still fresh in your mind, make your final menu selections and pass them along to your venue or catering coordinator.

My couples love the menu tasting when it comes along on their planning tasks to complete. I hope you have the same experience at yours!

Jolyn | Luxury Wedding Planner
Nuance Occasions
780.628.6457

This ceasar salad was presented in a fried cheese bowl with maple smoked bacon – the most incredible ceasar salad I’ve ever had.

Jolyn | Luxury Wedding Planner
Nuance Occasions
780.628.6457

Free range chicken pan seared brushed with stone ground mustard, served with creamy spinach gnocci – delish!

Jolyn | Luxury Wedding Planner
Nuance Occasions
780.628.6457

Now, before you start thinking I’m a lush (LOL) – I actually love using shot glasses in a more untraditional sense!

Shot glasses are a perfect single serving glassware item, that can be used in many ways. I love getting creative about our cocktail hours and incorporating fun and unique ways to use a shot glass!

In the traditional sense, offer your guests a signature shot instead of a signature drink – like Christine & Gavin did with their peppermint schnapps with candy cane embellishments (a perfect way to warm up at a winter wedding!). A signature shot can be less expensive than a full signature cocktail – just make sure you have a cap placed on the quantity you offer guests.

In a more untraditional sense you can use a shot glass to create single-serving sizes of your favorite foods!

At the recent wedding of Candace & Peter - you’ve seen our cookies and milk - our groom loved his cookies and milk, so we had to find a way to incorporate it into the day. With so many kids in attendance at their wedding, this was a perfect cocktail choice!

Need some more ideas for what you can serve in a shot glass…

1. butternut squash soup with mini grilled cheese sandwiches on top
2. sweet potatoe fries (cut shoe string style)
3. yogurt dip with cubed fruit on kabobs set on top
4. cocktail sauce with a 2 shrimp hanging on the edge of the glass

Shot glasses are easy for guests to manage & is the perfect size for small portions. And they are easy to dress up too for presentation.

Get creative when thinking about how to present the appetizers during your cocktail hour! It’s a perfect time to infuse your personality by sharing your favorite foods with your guests!

What other food and beverage items can you think of that would work well for serving in a shot glass?

Jolyn | Luxury Wedding Planner
Nuance Occasions
www.nuanceoccasions.com