Page 48 - Real Weddings

THE EVENT
VIBRANT OCCASIONS CATERING
VIBRANT OCCASIONS CATERING
STERLING IMAGEWORKS PHOTOGRAPHY
or something that they know their guests are going to absolutely love because they’re not going to get that at everybody else’s wedding,” said Christen Byrd, creative director. “I know we even did [a wedding] recently where [the couple] had the ice cream truck speci cally roll up in the middle of the reception to sur- prise people.”
CHILDHOOD FAVORITES
When it comes time for dessert, some cou- ples opt to avoid or downplay wedding cakes in favor of something simpler. A cookie-and- milk bar, doughnut holes, soft-pretzel stations, pie pops or dessert shot jars push creativity and sweetness to new levels.
“You’ll have guests of all ages at your recep- tion, and favorite childhood treats like cotton candy are perfect for everyone to enjoy,” said Miah Sanders, owner of Lemon + Puf, an or- ganic cotton-candy cart service in Conway that offers more than a dozen avors. “Cotton candy brings back memories, and while it will put a smile on the kids’ faces, our surprising a- vors, such as champagne, will also be a hit for the grownups.”
She added that watching cotton candy spinning can be entertaining to guests, creat- ing a fun atmosphere. Do-it-yourself dessert stations, such as s’more-making stations, ice- cream-sundae stations and hot-cocoa bars, can also be big hits, Byrd said.
COMFORT STATIONS AND BARS
Couples who love comfort food can put it on display with a mashed-potato bar, a mac- aroni-and-cheese bar, a gourmet popcorn sta- tion or street-taco action stations. Krikorian said his team usually asks couples what they like to eat and draws inspiration from their favorite foods.
courtesy of metro creative contributions by sarah declerk
Taste e difference
UNCONVENTIONAL WEDDING IMENU IDEAS
n 2018, both Princess Eugenie and Meghan Markle stunned the world at their royal weddings by choosing con- servative gowns with clean lines and
minimal adornments.
“The best weddings are the the ones that
re ect the couple’s own unique personali- ties,” said Serge Krikorian, executive chef and owner of Vibrant Occasions Catering in Benton. “It’s much more interesting for the guests to attend a wedding that is not a repli- ca of all the weddings they have attended in the past. This includes the menu the couple choose to serve.”
Celebrating with delicious, unique foods can make receptions that much more amaz- ing. Here are a few unconventional offerings couples can consider.
GRAZING TABLES
Couples can encourage guests to mingle before the meal by offering a grazing table of appetizers, such as fruit, vegetables and cheese. These items are ideal for grazing ta- bles because they provide a beautiful display without being overly lling, Krikorian said.
“A grazing table can be a great distraction for guests when the couple doesn’t want to do a rst look, and pictures are going to take a little longer after the ceremony,” he added.
BITE-SIZED BURSTS
Tapas and a movement toward small bites have started to take hold at wedding receptions. Such a choice allows guests to try many different avors without lling up too quickly. From sliders to mini grilled-cheese
sandwiches to soup shots to bite-sized pizzas, many of these small bites feature avors bor- rowed from familiar comfort foods — just presented on a miniature scale.
“We are catering more and more events with small plates — small servings of completely composed dishes,” Krikorian said, adding that a recent wedding offered four different options, including hand- made Italian meatballs with creamy Al- fredo noodles, and cheesy grits with Cajun shrimp and sweet corn relish. “All the guests were able to enjoy the wide variety of different foods,” he said.
BRUNCH AND BRINNER
Receptions serving brunch or brinner — breakfast for dinner — have become in- creasingly popular over the past few years, Krikorian said, adding that couples enjoy comforting meals of biscuits and gravy, chicken and waf es, bacon and eggs. “I think we are going to see more and more brinners in the next couple of years,” he added.
FOOD TRUCKS
Outdoor weddings can be enhanced with the addition of trendy food trucks. These restaurants on wheels can inject burgers, sandwiches, international delights, crepes, noodles and so many more avors into a wedding. Food trucks can also offer dessert. Loblolly Creamery in Little Rock offers an ice cream truck for weddings, as well as freezers and other options for couples who cannot accommodate the truck.
“People just want something different
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