Planning Your Beach Wedding Food

One of the great things about San Diego is that you can have a fantastic beach wedding. If you’re planning a beach wedding, though, you’ll want to have a menu that suits the surroundings. Here are a few wedding menu ideas that are perfect for your beach wedding.

• Seafood: This is a natural choice for a beach wedding. With the ocean as a part of your wedding, make its bounty a part of your menu. From seared ahi tuna bites and calamari to fish tacos and grilled prawns, there are plenty of fabulous seafood options available for any style of wedding.
• Barbecue: Think about the great fun of a beach barbecue pit, and use that for your big day. Elegant twists on barbecue favorites, such as hamburgers, ribs, and grilled vegetables, can give that smoky flavor while still being formal.
• Iced desserts: No trip to the beach is complete without some ice cream! Grown-up versions of icy treats are a great end to your beach wedding menu. Think about gelatos and granitas in exotic flavors.

For more great ideas for your beach wedding, or any San Diego area event, give us a call today!

Groom's Cakes Are a Great Addition to Your Wedding Menu

The tradition of the groom's cake might date back to Victorian times, but they've been growing in popularity over the past few years, particularly here in Southern California. The idea behind them is that they offer a chance for the groom to have a cake that suits his taste. It can also be decorated to reflect his hobbies.

A groom's cake can actually be any type of dessert. Cheesecakes are a favorite choice for many grooms, but it is also very common to choose a different flavor of cake or even a fruit dessert.

The groom's cake can be served at the same time as the wedding cake, as a smaller late-night treat, or even before the wedding at the rehearsal dinner. Whenever it's served, it's important to choose a delicious dessert that will taste as great as it looks.

If you're looking for help creating the perfect menu for your San Diego area wedding, or want to know more about groom's cakes, get in touch with us today!

Chicken or Beef? How Many Menu Options Should You Offer

We've all been given that typical choice -- chicken or beef (or vegetarian) -- when we've attended other people's weddings. But when you're planning your own nuptials, you might begin to wonder how many choices you need to offer.

More couples are opting to let their guests choose between two vegetarian options or one meat dish. Others don't want to go through the trouble of selecting that many dishes.

The reality of most San Diego wedding menus is that there is no set rule for how many options to offer. It is still the standard practice to ask guests to choose their meal ahead of time, though, unless you're choosing a buffet style service (in which case, you can also have many more meal choices available). It is also up to you whether you provide guests with set menu items or a more vague choice by main ingredient.

The chicken/beef divide also isn't always the go-to set of options. Consider offering a fish choice in lieu of one of the meats, or letting the difference be between mild and spicy.

If you want to know more about how a San Diego caterer can help create the perfect menu for your wedding, get in touch with us today!

Wedding Dress Cake Gives Inspiration

Combining cake and couture, a British baker has created a $9,000 wedding cake in the shape of a bridal gown.

The six-foot confection went on display at the National Wedding Show in Birmingham, England. It is the handiwork of the Fairytale Cake Company and contains 17 layers of cake, buttercream frosting, and jam.

Of course, this isn't the first cake shaped like a wedding dress. There have been several bride-shaped cakes that gained internet attention for their life-like nature (and slight creepiness when it came time to cut the cake!). While this cake is a stunning example of what can be crafted with sugar paste, royal icing, and sugar pearls, we're not sure how any couples would want it for their wedding.

What this dress cake does show, though, is that there's no limit to what a wedding cake can be. Along with the world's most expensive wedding cake, another British creation that combined traditional tiers and a whole lot of real diamonds, this cake can give you an idea of what you might or might not want for your big day.

Whether you want to go all out with a life-size copy of your dress, or want to go much more casual with a table of cupcakes or cake pops, your cake can be a great part of your day and your wedding meal. To talk about what sweet things we can bring to your big day, give us a call!

Top Wedding Food Trends

A San Diego wedding most often boasts a wedding cake.  But what about other trendy food ideas?  After all, this is a once in a lifetime day and you want to make a great first impression, right?

Cocktail weddings are on the rise, late-night snacks and really local menu ideas are here to stay.  So how will you make a splash at your wedding?

Here are 3 top wedding food trends to consider:

MAD MEN INSPIRED COCKTAILS

Re-think a sit-down reception dinner and go for more of a cocktail party, inspired by the cocktail hour era of the 1950s and 60s. Serve old-school cocktails (like gin and tonics and whiskey sours), hire a live big band (or ask your DJ to stick to the classics), and order up a menu of heavy hors d'oeuvres and food stations.

FAMILY STYLE TABLE SERVICE

 Give your sit-down dinner reception more of a dinner party vibe by having dinner passed family-style. So instead of plated meals, each dish is passed around the table for guests to help themselves.

LATE NIGHT BITE

Just as the evening is nearing the end, surprise guests with a late-night snack. Treat everyone to milk and cookies, hire a taco cart, or serve cheese and fruit as a special treat before sending guests on their way.

Authentic Flavors has plenty of catering ideas that will make your San Diego wedding truly memorable and unique.  Give us a call, and let's chat about your upcoming event.