Wedding menu planning

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Chris_with_a_knife

Assistant Cook
Joined
Jul 25, 2018
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Location
Montana
Hey guys,

So I am getting married at the end of the month and have put myself in charge of making the menu. We don't have money to get the whole thing catered, but are getting burritos from Chipotle as the main course (they will be cut in half so that people can enjoy other dishes as well [and it saves a lot of money]).

Question: What are some good tex-mex style picnic foods which will work well for a picnic and don't require a lot of work?

So far I have a cold quinoa salad (diced tomatoes, avocado, lime, etc...) and a fruit salad. Not everything has to be vegan, but having it cold would make it a lot easier.

THANKS!!!
 
You're going to need to be 100% in the moment, at your wedding. So it will be as important to have things you can make in advance, as easy things to make.


Chips and salsa at the tables. Then you only have to do set up, or someone does.


Have you seen the chocolate fondue fountains? There are nacho cheese fountains too. They look yummy. Or a large cheese platter or table.


Spicy rice, refried spiced beans, chili sauce/red/green.


Good luck and congratulations.
 
Cut the burritos slanted, I am melted here due the heat so I cant remember the word to make like triangle on one end.

You can make grill corn salad, cheese filled philo dough squares, potato taco filled philo dough parcels, pico de gallo, tex mex dip.


Make you own food is a good idea, but make sure you have people who can help you and make sure you keep it cool and correct temperature before servings so no one gets ill.
 
Have you seen the chocolate fondue fountains? There are nacho cheese fountains too. They look yummy. Or a large cheese platter or table.

That certainly is an interesting idea. Not sure if I can convince my Fiancee that melted flowing cheese is a good idea though. :chef:

I like the idea of the different sauces though :yum:
 
Chris, thank you.. This heat wave is killing my brain.

Great you have help, make a lot of different pirogi's/ parcels/ pockets or what you will call them with different fillings, freeze them a head and that will help you .
 
I can't suggest dishes to serve as I'm not on your continent but I used to run a private party catering set-up When I was unemployed so a few general tried & trusted points may help.


1. Keep it simple and cold. You don't need to be worrying about something burning in the oven while you're taking your vows.

2. If having the cake made professionally keep it simple - it will be "classier" and also less expensive.

4. I don't know whether you will be having alcohol but you may be able to negotiate "sale or return" with a local business. Same may apply to soft drinks

5. Get helpers. Write down EXACTLY what each one should be doing and give them a copy and keep one for yourself. Make sure they understand what is required of them and keep on top of what each of them are doing - supervision is very important. The time spent doing this is worth it in the long-run. It's also a good idea to have helpers serving, or at least supervising, on the buffet table - it avoids those at the front of the queue scoffing the lot and leaving just left-overs for those at the back.

6. You can hire serving equipment and cutlery and plates, etc. It ups the expense but looks better than a mish-mash of odd plates, glasses, cups and saucers and plastic knives and forks and saves you panicking if there isn't enough of something. Make sure that you can return the hired stuff un-washed. (Most companies do this in the UK but I don't know about where you are.)

7. Some guests will insisting on perambulating while eating their food. Make sure you have food that won't end up on their neckties and shirt fronts. (That's not reverse sex-ism - it's the voice of experience!) Also if there are to be children present you'll need to make food allowances for them. They won't like all the food and, unless well brought up, will loudly make the matter clear.

8. It might be a good idea to have a "children's table" with an adult in charge (School teacher, Scout Master or Mistress, Lion Tamer or similar) unless you are sure of their manners and behaviour. Again, I know this sounds mean but I have been at too many weddings spoiled by juvenile bad behaviour.

I hope the above is a help and everything goes well. Best wishes for the future. Above all, remember that it's yours and your partner's special day - enjoy!
 
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Burritos from Chipotle as the main course

Bean and corn salad (add fresh cilantro and lime)

A simple cabbage slaw made with cabbage, lime and cilantro (no mayo)

Macaroni and pea salad (cold and mayo based) . This one has cheese and bacon but you can find lots of variants and kids like this. It would also be realtively cheap to make. https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sunny-anderson/peas-and-pasta-salad-recipe-1925173
Here's on with ranch: https://www.hiddenvalley.com/recipe/peas-and-pasta-salad/
I've attached mine to this post - for 100 folks or more.

Cubed Watermelon w/ a light drizzle of syrup made with sugar, lime juice, rosewater and fresh mint (simpler than fruit salad, cheaper and holds better - no browning)

Chips w/ salsa and guacamole

Cake - preferably chocolate ;)
 

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Macaroni and pea salad (cold and mayo based) . This one has cheese and bacon but you can find lots of variants and kids like this. It would also be realtively cheap to make...I've attached mine to this post - for 100 folks or more.

Cubed Watermelon w/ a light drizzle of syrup made with sugar, lime juice, rosewater and fresh mint (simpler than fruit salad, cheaper and holds better - no browning)

Thanks Janet!
 
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One more suggestion here... I recently had to throw an outdoor bash for about 140 folks. I used a menu similar to the one I suggested a few posts back and served almost everything in metal pails like this: https://www.amazon.com/Behrens-1210GS-10-Quart-Galvanized-Steel/dp/B000NNKWCU

They were lined with either brown parchment paper or large slow cooker liners(dry and wet foods) and gave some casual continuity to the tables. Serving bowls for large crowds can be a challenge and often wind up being a random collection of stuff that doesn't look great.

We took this a step further and added colored mason jars for dips and as vases for flowers both on the serving table and eating tables. It had a distinctly county causal vibe and was cheap.

BTW - Congratulations on the impending marriage :)
 
The bucket idea is good, we used two, stack them and they left a 15 cm gap between bucket one and two, which we filled with ice, kept the food cold and food safe and we even manage to freeze the bottom layer of hummus.
 
Well some one did use icecream scoop and got a cone and fed it some one as joke.
 

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