What about burgers?

I know I mentioned in my previous post that I was thinking of a menu that consisted of BBQ'd chicken, mashed potatoes and vegetables but what about going in another direction? Others have blogged about weddings that go in a different directions and before I really didn't like the idea for myself but now I really am liking the idea of burgers and other picnic fair (maybe I'm just hungry).

I really like the idea of a wedding that is more of a family/friend reunion. A low key, casual event but food is very important to me and I don't want people to feel like I'm cutting corners so I've stayed away from the idea of a burger style menu previously.

What do you think? For those that know my friends and family would they be receptive to this, if presented with a bit of class?

Cooking for a Crowd

I wish it was more popular to cook and cater your own event. I find it extremely difficult to find resources online for people that want to prepare their on food for their weddings. Basically I've given up searching for 'catering your own wedding' and moved to wordings like "cooking for a crowd" and looking for tips on hosting a family reunion.

It annoys me that everywhere I look I'm basically being told that its too hard and I should just hire someone. I'm considering the idea of hiring someone to provide the BBQ'd meat but honestly I think that would be the part that my father, his friends and my uncles would love to look after since my parents host, with their best friends, an annual pig roast for 50-100 people depending on the year. My father and his friends spend the day enjoying their beers and tending to a spit that roasts the pig. If they can do that I'm sure they could manage BBQ'd chicken.

Before the annual pig roast my mother delegates to her friends different dishes to prepare and it becomes a bit of a potluck. I don't want a potluck. I want to prepare a consistent menu across the board for all the guests and that's where I'm currently looking for advice and inspiration.

What should I prepare in advance? How would I best keep food cool and then hot with out renting a professional kitchen or spending a fortune?

Currently I'm leaning towards a menu like this:

Salad - not sure type (served Family Style)

Main Course - BBQ chicken, mashed potatoes, creamed corn, roasted vegetables & dinner buns (served Family Style)

Desserts - selection of pies and cakes (buffet style)

Tempting

I have been wanting to purchase a Badge-A-Minit 1 1/4" Button Maker for a few months now, okay honestly its been a few years, but I don't know if I can justify a purchase that will run me approximately $150 after shipping and button supplies. I want it, then I can make cute buttons for prizes at my spring picnic! Or just because buttons!

But do I need it? hmmmmmmm.....

Adding to the DIY and Shopping Lists

As beautiful as flowers are I find it very confusing why people willing spend hundreds to thousands of dollars on bouquets and arrangements for their weddings when they will die within a week and you have nothing left over.

A friend of mine that was recently engaged, joked that she wished her fiance was like other guys and didn't care about details so she could plan it her way. She said he told her that she could pick the flowers with out his input, she said that was great but she doesn't care about flowers that much, and really has no strong opinion on them.

Me too, me too....

I've attempted over the years to dry the arrangements and corsages I get for sentiment purposes but they end up in a box under my bed or accumulating dust some where, so I just toss them in the garbage.

What a waste.

I figured I would be a grocery store flower purchaser when my time came or if I was lucky (like my sister was) pick them from a friends garden.

And then I saw these felt and button flower bouquets from Pricess Lasertron (via Green Wedding Shoes ) and fell in love.

Apparently she's creating DIY felt/button flower kits soon that she'll be selling on her Etsy site. She already made up button flower kits last month and when I went to her Etsy site they are already gone!

I plan on purchasing a felt flower kit when they come out and then I'm going to add vintage buttons to my shopping list this year for things to be on the look out for at yard sales and second hand shops. I think this is a great way to personalize your wedding, have a lasting keepsake and well, they are just so awesome.