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See for yourself why the Travel Channel rated this spot the one-number wedding destination! |
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Humphreys Half Moon Inn & Suites offers weddings in paradise with lush tropical gardens and the perfect backdrop for your ceremony and receptions. |
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A Secret of North County, the perfect venue for a beautiful and elegant wedding. |
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Artistic photography with an edge |
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Classy, experienced, professional & fun! |
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The beautiful Grand Tradition Estate is a perfect venue for your wedding! |
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Trend Report: Catering
By Johanna Baena of Continental Catering
Throughout catering history, bountiful and cascading displays of food were commonplace at events. Food waste was a non-issue and “green” was nothing more than the color of the kale that adorned buffet tables.
Today, there is a rapidly growing demand for environmentally-friendly fare. Local, organic and sustainable foods are no longer a luxury, but a responsibility. Small plate stations offer a trendy approach to bridge the gap between the old and the new. What was a 20 lb. round of beef is now a locally-sourced 4 oz. tenderloin medallion on a parmesan crisp. A 5 gallon pot of soup is now a 2 oz. shot of chilled organic cucumber and avocado gazpacho. Overgrown and obese wedding cakes have been replaced by sleek and sophisticated handcrafted cupcake trees. Small plate stations allow your guests to choose what and how much they want to eat, therefore eliminating unnecessary food waste. It’s both, chic and green!
So what’s chic about your momma’s cooking? Well, nothing really but comfort food has quickly moved to the top of the catering hierarchy as one of the most requested menu options of 2010. However, this may not be the food you remember growing up. Gourmet mini sliders and truffle aioli-infused potato wedges have taken the place of your everyday burger and fries while still offering the element of comfort that your guests desire. After all, what’s more comforting than a dessert “grilled cheese” sandwich with a shot of warm vanilla rum (formerly known as grilled cheese and tomato soup)? Made-to-order vanilla Vodka and Baileys mint chocolate milkshakes will conjure memories of good times gone-by without sacrificing on style and flavor. Food traditionally enjoyed at casual get-togethers has been transformed and elevated into cuisine that is good enough to eat at your wedding.
The introduction of comfort food as reception fare demonstrates the change in how we see weddings. This event has transformed from what once was a formal affair to an untailored and intimate gathering. The evolution of fine cuisine has crossed the boundary of predictable and moved to the spontaneous. Grandiose buffets with fountains and ice sculptures now come in the form of a food truck. This alternative brings new meaning to freshness, serving a-la-minute plates to your guests. This may invoke images of construction workers waiting in line for a stale and unimaginative sandwich but rest assured, this food is anything but. Rosemary chicken kabobs and beef street tacos topped with salsa fresca and guacamole will restore your faith in these meals on wheels. Good things may come in small packages but sometimes they also come in oversized food trucks.
Much like food trucks, picnic-style weddings are quickly gaining momentum as a trendy and out-of-the-box style of service that allows your guests to experience gourmet cuisine in a casual, laid-back environment. The formal sit-down dinner has given way to interactive hot dog, nacho and cotton candy stands. Choosing relish and mustard on their freshly-grilled hot dog or jalapeños and sour cream on their nachos, offers your guests a unique way to personalize their culinary experience. The notion of “one menu fits all” is a thing of the past. Now you have the opportunity to offer your guests a meal that is as unique and different as they are.
On the other hand, if you’re not in the mood for choosing toppings but would still like a menu with an international flare, then Spanish tapas are for you. With more and more couples aiming to inject their personality into the big day, tapas offer an out of the ordinary and unpretentious approach to serve your guests. Take their taste buds on a culinary journey with Ancho chicken served over smoked gouda grit cakes or savory crab cakes topped with pumpkin seed crema. Allow them to experience the exotic with chimichurri beef tenderloin brochettes and Catalonian spinach empanadas stuffed with cheese, pine nuts and raisins. If flavorful is what you’re looking for, these hearty and zesty delicacies are guaranteed to please your palate. (p.s. Continental Catering makes Spanish tapas so good you’ll never see food the same way again.)
So you’re reading this article to see what the trend is. What’s hot? What will make your wedding better than the rest? Well, you’ve read about several great trends in wedding catering but step back from this article and others like it to realize something, the trend is YOU. The trend is whatever you want it to be. Green, minimal, comforting, interactive, international or whichever way you go, trendy or not, 2010 demands that you not be governed by circumstance and tradition. Break the mold and make your wedding yours!
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Continental Catering
Continental Catering
Continental Catering
Continental Catering
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