So what exactly is crudites? Basically, it is a gourmands term for a vegetable display. I get a lot of clients in search of that item that will make the table look lush, fabulous, colorful, and still be familiar to guests. A fresh vegetable display can be a simple tray of fresh veggies or an ornate display with height, color, etc. Below are some great pics from the net and from our personal files of past events.A great caterer can tailor your display for contemporary or classic style depending on your event.

Remember you gotta have some great dips to accompany or its just simply an overrated produce section. Some of our favorite dips are Balsamic Cream, Roasted Garlic Herb, Dijon Pecan, Green Goddess, Poppyseed, Smoky  Blue Cheese,  or Sesame Ginger.

Veggie Shots are a great addition to the crudites as well. They offer guests a walking portion with dip ready to go!

Sorry I havent posted in the past few weeks. Besides being super busy with weddings and new brides we are re-doing our shop. The Parthenon- Even with all the rain, the day turned out beautiful. 300 Guests- 4 Stations and a custom ice cream bar. Danielle was a great bride to work with and we had such a great time planning her special day. Her menu consisted of 2 pasta stations, 2 carving stations- bourbon brown sugar pork loin with sauces & prime rib, fresh fruit displays, hot buttered seafood dip, farmers market grilled veggies, veggie shots, and an assortment of salads.

We also did a great ice cream station with an array of toppings.

What a season!!!!  Well, the economy is certainly on the rebound!!  We are busy!  September reigns again as the busiest wedding month of the year. While I have not much time to blog I have definitely had a lot to write about.

If you are looking for some inspiration for your reception or event here are some links that I just love.

Fauchon www.fauchon.com Click on the catering section and then the sublinks. Check out the other items too because if you are a luxe bride the favor ideas will drive you mad.

Mash & Co- Caterer in Great Britain

www.mashandco.com

http://www.creativeedgeparties.com/

Manhattan Based Caterer- Website is too original!!!  Voted New York City’s Best Caterer

Let us know if any of these ideas insprire your reception. They have def given us some new ideas and thoughts . Enjoy

I had the pleasure to work with Mary Natalie of Weddings by Mary Natalie for a great July wedding. The couple- Amy &  Andy picked out a crowd pleasing menu that included a mini salad display, Maryland crab muffins, strawberry almond chicken tarts, a Bruschetta station, and other items. The family was a dream to work with and I enjoyed them every step of the way!

Southern Events handled the rentals and they are always a great company to work alongside.

Here are some amazing photos that Photo Graphix took and shared!

Modern Mini Salads

Assorted Bruschetta w/ Fresh Basil GarnishI love this pic with the shots and the ring!

Maryland Crab MuffinsSweet Mango Chutney Bruschetta

I had the pleasure of meeting and working with Ryan Harris, chef of the Patterson House here in Nashville. Sarah and Ryan were planning an ultra modern chic reception at one of my fave places, Aerial.

I’ve had  the honor of working with several chefs for their wedding receptions and its always fun + stressful. They know food as well as I do!

Ryan has trained/apprenticed at some of the top restaurants in the country so we really had to create some great dishes for his big day. Sarah was so very nice and sweet along the way of the planning process.

So here is the menu that they decided on and some SOOOOO fabulous picks of the final product.

Ornate Fruit & Cheese Board/Chicken Satay/ Canapes & Crostini/Pan Seared Brisket/Caprese Salad/Spinach Salad/Strawberry Balsamic Salad/Blackened Pork Loin/ Shrimp Cocktail 

We’re starting to see a new trend emerge… mid-week weddings! Since there is such a demand for time on the weekends, some couples are hosting their weddings during the week instead. These weddings can be just as beautiful and lavish as their weekend counterparts. However, weekday weddings are often a wonderful way for couples to save money or plan a wedding quickly since most vendors and venues are not heavily booked during the week.

What a wonderful idea— so easy and relaxed compared to a busy Saturday and it makes the honeymoon departure much easier for the couple. Here’s to more mid-week weddings!

This is a super cool idea that I saw on Birmingham event planner, Kathy G’s blog. 

This is the ultimate way to to save money and get the vendors you want !

Mike and Lisa Cunningham were so great to work with on the planning of thier reception. They knew exactly what they wanted and the fact that have great taste made it even easier. The vendors they chose were a dream to work with. Austin of Last Minute Planners was super organized, Debbies Weddings & Things made florals that blew my mind, Covered with Icing made a magical super yummy cake, and Gina Bilyeu was a fantastic photographer. It was soooo hot that day, but we made it happen. Lisa picked out some of the most luxurious linens, china, and table pieces that really made the venue pop. The blues and gold really made the Parthenon have a royal feel.

We prepared over 18 different hors d’ oeuvres for the reception and also made a super refreshing white sangria. Below is a photo recap of the food, florals, and table design. We ordered several signature pieces to coordinate with the Parthenon’s vibe with the marble, granite, and Grecian style . ENJOY!

This past weekend we had the pleasure of catering the reception of Laine & Pete Barnett at Spring Haven in Hendersonville. Even though it rained all day the event turned out to be extrodinary. Everything came together and this reception was an ecclectic mix of modern and very traditional elements. Laine was so much fun to work with and her family is awesome. Laine & Pete   created a cute site to offer family and friends the oppurtunity to share thier journey of pre-wedding planning: www.laineandpete.com    A Town & Country look was created with engraved silver, mini trumpet vases, and threw in some modern with large glass cylinders for the bridal table.

On to the Menu!!!!

The menu was really unique and gave us the chance the really offer some variety!

A sushi display that we created the serving pieces for- thank you to my fiance for coming up with these cute bamboo and wood pedestals.

We had a variety of maki, Nigiri, and nori stacks. I also made Korean sweet radish and seaweed salad spoons. There was a variety of exotic soy sauces including a roasted mushroom and sweet citrus. This display came out so neat! A friend of mine is a sushi chef and created the maki rolls and also gave advice on the other varieties. 

The menu also featured a cute cake from the Bake Shoppe that was yummy and a Gooey Butter Cake for the grooms cake.

Some other items on the menu were:

Artichoke & Shrimp Beignets with a Lemongrass Sauce, Beef Tenderloin Carving Station, Mashed Potato Martini Bar, Chicken Saty, Mini Grilled Sirloin Burgers, Caesar Salad Bites, Chutney & Bacon Toasts, An Artisanal Cheese Display, and Carolina Style Shrimp & Grits.

This past weekend we had a great wedding for Laine & Pete Barnett. I will be featuring a lot of pics from their reception later on this week.

One of the items on the menu was a sushi station. Being a sushi addict I called on my good friend Chou who is an expert in the field. I left the difficult pieces to her and I created some simple tasty sushi.

Lots of pics because I just think they came out too fab!

Fresh Wild Salmon with Pearl Black Sesame Seeds

Nori Stacks & Bento Balls

Nori Stacks

So the Nori Stacks are something neat that I saw in Martha Stewarts Hors D’ Oeuvres Book several years ago. They are a great conversation piece and taste just as great as any sushi roll. Basically, it is stacked sushi that’s it!

Making the rice for the sushi takes just as much time as the rolling, cutting, and forming. We meticulously made the sushi rice, washing, seasoning, and even cooling it with a large hand held fan.

Thank you so much Chou for coming and spending the day at my shop. Cant wait to share all of the pics and how beautiful the display came out of our lovely sushi.

BTW, these are all my pieces that I made. Chou’s look much more traditional and pretty!