Pre-wedding Noshies

[sivyaleah]

Next Saturday, the 24th, Tom and I are getting married at our home. We're doing a very small, low-key ceremony in the backyard (or inside if it rains). Right afterwards we're hosting lunch at a well known locavore restaurant nearby. It's only 10 people, intimate group.

However, I think we might need to have something to nosh on beforehand just in case anyone didn't eat breakfast. Plus, some beverages since the possibility of it being quite warm out, even early in the day (ceremony is at 11am) is always present.

I figured I'd buy a case of sparkling water, since I know we all drink that. Ice is no problem, my fridge makes a ton of it. But I'm not sure what to do about food. I certainly don't want to be the one preparing anything that morning or even the day before. It has to be easy to set up, and not too much because leftovers won't be eaten right away (we will be gone for a couple of nights after for a short honeymoon).

I considered ordering a platter locally but all of them require you pick up and well, I don't see us having time to do that in the morning. We expect the photographer around 10am. I don't want to have to be running to the market to p/u anything or even heat things up in the oven - the day will be stressful enough I'm sure!

Any ideas that will be easy to throw together, or can be prepared way beforehand? Again, not too much, nothing fancy just food to tide a person over until lunch at 12:30.

 

[Winchester]

Since it's morning, a fruit and pastry tray (or two) might be all you need. Ask somebody if they'd run for the trays for you. Coffee (let somebody else make it or throw it together ahead of time and just turn it on when you're ready), tea, and the water. You could even make up a nice area for beverages in your kitchen (do it the night before). Pretty napkins, heat-resistant cups, etc.

Lunch is at 12:30, so a tray (or two, depending on how many people you've invited) of fruit and pastries or cookies would be more than enough. Nothing exotic. Ask somebody else to do the running for you. And if you're worried about leftovers, you can always give them to somebody to take home.

And congrats!

 

[sivyaleah]

Since it's morning, a fruit and pastry tray (or two) might be all you need. Ask somebody if they'd run for the trays for you. Coffee (let somebody else make it or throw it together ahead of time and just turn it on when you're ready), tea, and the water. You could even make up a nice area for beverages in your kitchen (do it the night before). Pretty napkins, heat-resistant cups, etc.

Lunch is at 12:30, so a tray (or two, depending on how many people you've invited) of fruit and pastries or cookies would be more than enough. Nothing exotic. Ask somebody else to do the running for you. And if you're worried about leftovers, you can always give them to somebody to take home.

And congrats!

Perfect suggestion Pam. I had a feeling you'd be the one who would know what to do!
Love the idea of pastries and a fruit tray. Easy, and enough to tide people over.
I would have to run to pick up myself, everyone is coming from too far away and don't know the area.
I got the name of a local caterer recommended by the farm I get my market box from, so I'm calling her. Also, suggested was Whole Foods. They are only a 5 minute ride from home and it wouldn't take up too much time for me to run out for 1/2 hour early in the morning before I start dressing for the day.
In fact, now that I'm writing this, I can ask the bakery that I ordered the cake from to whip me up a platter for the house. I'm sure pastries will keep overnight fine as long as they are wrapped up well. We bought a box of various types last weekend from them and they were fine even 2 days later at room temp.

 

[AbbysMom]

Some of my family met here before heading to a bridal shower last year. I had a local bagel place make a tray with mini bagels, muffins, etc as well as getting a fruit platter.

Good luck! I hope the weather is perfect.

 

[sivyaleah]

Some of my family met here before heading to a bridal shower last year. I had a local bagel place make a tray with mini bagels, muffins, etc as well as getting a fruit platter.

Good luck! I hope the weather is perfect.

I could easily do this also, I have a couple of very good bagel stores nearby. Only one makes minis though, and only plain but that would probably be ok. If I got them late Friday they would be fine the next morning, or I can freeze them (I find they defrost in the microwave really well).
Thanks for this also!

 

[artiemom]

Bagels do not have to be defrosted in the microwave. You can leave them on the counter overnight. I do wrap them separately.. but you can double them up, before freezing. If you get the bagels the day before, just put them in zip lock bags, and they will be fine..

And can you just get some mini muffins, croissants.. a pitcher of mimosas? Just Proseco and OJ... . add some bottled water.. and you are
done.. Have one of your close friends or relatives be in charge of this area.

a small station in your house.. small table for food, one area for disposable plates, napkins, and drinks..

You can get all this stuff at a Costco or BJ's.. if you have a card.

One stop shopping.. and they do have some very nice disposable plates, cups, napkins and cutlery..

 

[sivyaleah]

Bagels do not have to be defrosted in the microwave. You can leave them on the counter overnight. I do wrap them separately.. but you can double them up, before freezing. If you get the bagels the day before, just put them in zip lock bags, and they will be fine..

And can you just get some mini muffins, croissants.. a pitcher of mimosas? Just Proseco and OJ... . add some bottled water.. and you are
done.. Have one of your close friends or relatives be in charge of this area.

a small station in your house.. small table for food, one area for disposable plates, napkins, and drinks..

You can get all this stuff at a Costco or BJ's.. if you have a card.

One stop shopping.. and they do have some very nice disposable plates, cups, napkins and cutlery..

I find that regular size bagels do well overnight also. I guess I also could just cut them in half since I'm sure most people won't be filling up on a whole one. Our lunch is set for 12:30pm, and it would be a shame to fill up at the house! I can set up the night before.

I did intend to have a bit of champagne after our vows, so we can do a little toast before leaving to eat. No alcoholic drinks at the restaurant - it's BYOB but being it's early I don't want to have people getting drunk anyway. Most are driving home right after our meal.

It's a very quick/low key day. We ourselves are heading out around 3pm into NYC for a couple of nights only. The girls watching Cocoa and Casper were only able to stay 2 nights. We could have boarded the cats but I am not crazy about the idea and the one professional pet sitter I found I felt wasn't going to give them the amount of attention needed right now being Casper has kidney disease and needs better daily monitoring. Luckily, Tom's friends are very adept in cat care and thrilled to be away from home a couple of nights (they are in their 20's and still live home).

We considered driving somewhere quiet and tranquil but we really enjoy NYC and never have the time to be there to take advantage of all it offers. We're staying in a very fancy hotel (with a terrace!), going to see a Broadway show (A Doll's House Part 2 with Laurie Metcalf and Chris Cooper (hubba hubba!), eat good food, maybe visit a couple of museums, and sleep without cats waking us up lol.

 

[Winchester]

You know, Laurie, we'd all love to see some pictures of your day! Best of luck and I hope everything works out just purr-fectly for you!

 

[artiemom]

Yup, pictures would be great!!

Have a wonderful time.. most of all, ENJOY your day.. it is your day to celebrate and enjoy with your closest friends and family....

Do not stress.. everything will work out.. it is all done for love!!!

 

[2Cats4everLoved]

sivyaleah - I know I've seen you around the threads once upon a time. Congratulations on your wedding.

1st, I'm not sure how long you will be in NYC, if you do decide to go down that route, but City Streets starts on the 5th of Aug which is always fun. A Dolls House was awesome, you'll love it. Not sure if you're familiar with Rosa Mexicana but the one in Union Square is the best and has the best Pomegranate Margarita's, two of those with a double guac is enough to fuel you up for a pleasurable walk through the Village down to to Little Italy or Chinatown for some great dumplings. Also, don't rule out Duplex, it's a famous piano bar in the West Village off of 7th on Christopher. All the workers sing, and have been on Broadway or are headed for Broadway, and they're comedic timing is stellar, laughing is all you will experience, it's small and downstairs is where all the action happens, great cucumber martini's. If they know it's a honeymoon, you will be treated like a King and Queen.

I recently hosted a Christening morning gathering, and I made different flavored cream cheese dips, a few savory and a few sweet, one was thinned with sweetened sour cream to work as a dip for cut up fruits, tastes like cheese cake.

I also did Mexican Bean squares and Breakfast Squares - Mexican is where you take crescent rolls lay them out on a cookie sheet and bake in one whole sheet, when it browns, top it by spreading refried beans 1st layer, then sour cream mixed with a packet of taco seasoning, then top layer is shredded cheddar, then sprinkle minced scallions. Do the day before and serve cold. Breakfast is same, flatten the crescent rolls to make one sheet, bake it, then layer with cheese whiz, ham and fresh tomato, again, you can serve cold.

I got different pita chips and cannoli chips to dip, along with some cut up veggies. We also did mini muffins and bagels which I got from Costco. One tip, stay away from everything bagels, nothing worse than smelling garlic breath. LOL

Best to you. Hope

 

[sivyaleah]

2Cats4everLoved Thanks for that incredibly detailed information!
A bit late as we married on 6/24. We wound up having the ceremony at home, as planned, and all I did was make a nice seasonal fruit salad, bought some yummy pound cakes from our local farm, and a few other lighter items. I'm glad I didn't go out of my way as most people only had a bite or two.
Once the ceremony was over we took everyone out for lunch at a local locavore style restaurant which is one of the best places in the state. Lunch was wonderful and we ran home after, gave more last minute instructions to our cat sitters and booked it out to NYC.
We splurged, stayed at the Loew's Regency on Park Ave. Had a "Terrace" Suite which was enormous with a wrap around terrace over looking the avenue. Just perfect. Saw A Doll's House (glad we did, it was excellent), had a lovely and memorable lunch at Cafe Bouloud. Mostly relaxed as if we lived there and it made us remember how much we each loved being city dwellers way back when.
Got home - the sitter friends had no problems at all and the cats fell in love with them and vice versa. I have to pinch myself that everything went as smooth as it did!

 

[2Cats4everLoved]

LOL, My eyes were reading it as July, YES I'm getting old, just one more issue. haha

Nevermind, lolol

Well it certainly sounds like you had a wonderful time in the Big Apple. I love hearing that. I just love this city with all my heart.
Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Cheers to wishing you many years of marital adventures

Well, if you ever need NYC Tips, feel free to ask. Congrats again.

 

[sivyaleah]

LOL, My eyes were reading it as July, YES I'm getting old, just one more issue. haha

Nevermind, lolol

Well it certainly sounds like you had a wonderful time in the Big Apple. I love hearing that. I just love this city with all my heart.
Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Cheers to wishing you many years of marital adventures

Well, if you ever need NYC Tips, feel free to ask. Congrats again.

We had a great time!
FYI, I'm a native NY'er. I grew up in Brooklyn, was in NJ for some years but eventually found my way back to the city. Lived there again for about 15 years or so and now again back in NJ (the lure of having a home and yardspace!).

I've always worked in New York also. I know my way around, but it's always good to have another person's perspective and suggestions. Now that we live back in NJ, we tend to lose touch of everything it offers, hence why we decided it would make a perfect place to spend some time and do things we typically don't get to!

 

[AbbysMom]

Random post, but I live an hour from Boston and rarely go. We really should go more.

Also, I don't live super far, but have never been to NYC.

 

[sivyaleah]

AbbysMom Oh you should do this some time. I've been to Boston, but NYC has it's own very special vibe in comparison to other major US cities.
Truly, it's my favorite place to be out of everywhere I've been. We would move back in a heartbeat if able to afford living there. Well let me rephrase that. We can afford it, just don't want to. Saving for retirement is way more important now!

 

[2Cats4everLoved]

Random post, but I live an hour from Boston and rarely go. We really should go more.

Also, I don't live super far, but have never been to NYC.

You should really hop on down and stay for a weekend or a few days during the week. There really is nothing like NYC.

My husband was just in Boston last weekend for work, my schedule didn't permit me to go darn it. lol

I have a good friend from Boston, and she taught me that Lynn Lynn ditty, and every time I hear Boston, I can't get it out of my head. LOL