What's on you wedding menu?

[marose17]

^ It's best to consult the chef or the banquet manager for this type of query.  They're the experts on portions and servings. 

If you are having cocktails at your venue, it's a good idea to indicate the cocktail hour in your invite.

[lourd3ss]

marose17 chili1113 my thoughts exactly! I think that the problem is that Filipinos in general have been so used with buffets at celebrations (birthdays, christening, graduation etc) that it's automatically expected at weddings too. No offence and to each their own but I for one hate it. I feel like (some) guests attend weddings expecting a fiesta and (some) don't even have the courtesy of finishing the program before leaving. Anywayyy I hope that the menu at my wedding turns out as good as yours marose17. Kbyc agreed to have the final food tasting and mock up when my fiancé and I arrive in Manila- about 2.5 weeks until the wedding 😆.

[sunsetbeach]

Here's our wedding menu:

http://www.bridalpod.ph/wp-content/uploads/pat-dy-sarah-eric-25.jpg?1d313c

Regarding sit down and buffet:

I think I asked the same question already when I was still preparing for our wedding hehe. My original plan was sit down because it was a strictly formal event. I don't want my guests to be standing and walking and falling in line just to get their food. Parang not pleasant kasi sa sight. But... In the end, naging buffet din because majority of our guests wanted it that way. And yes, we did consult our guests.

So it would depend sa guests and budget of course. In our case kasi, sit down was cheaper compared to buffet. So medyo nag increase budget for food because of the change. So far, wala naman kami nabalitaan na hindi masarap ang food (ang sakit naman if hindi masarap coz it was not cheap at all). They liked the lamb and the beef

[Chili1113]

Cee05: Hello!! Im glad to finally have found another Polo Club bride here. Have you done your food tasting? Have you seen the new menus? They are so overpriced now. OMG.... so not worth it for Hizons!!! The similar sit down 6-course menu used to be priced at P1765 per head is now at P2900 per head. Are you kidding me? That's Manila Pen prices already with foie gras dishes and all, and more expensive than Sofitel. OH did you see their "Specials" for the cocktails? The cheese board and assorted charcuterie increased by so much too for exactly the same thing.

Im having my food tasting in January. Leaning towards having a sit-down dinner because I kind of can't imagine what the buffet presentation will be like. 

BTW who is your AE? Mine is difficult to contact. As in I had to write her a scathing email for her to reply to me.

[papemelroti]

^ It's best to consult the chef or the banquet manager for this type of query.  They're the experts on portions and servings. 

If you are having cocktails at your venue, it's a good idea to indicate the cocktail hour in your invite.

Thanks sis!We have decided to only have cocktails good for 30% of our guest. Hahaha one appetizer, 12 pcs in Fairmont is coming out at approx 2445/ net. Im not surprised but how i wish I can outsource this. My 5 course sit down is at 4,000++/pax na. Thats why I really did not pay a lot for styling, napunta lahat sa food. =(

[Cee05]

Chili1113: I haven't had my food tasting yet. I decided not to bug Stanley (my AE) anymore during the latter part of this year (aka Nov - Dec) since my wedding is on September pa I saw him though like a few weeks ago during the despedida de Soltera of my cousin and reminded him of what we previously agreed on 'coz I heard nga of the price increase. I told him yung old menu pa rin and he promised me naman that things will be okay/ smoother going forward after the holidays.

We most likely will go with the buffet because that's what both families want so I just let them be. I also doubt we'll be able to eat properly so ask long as most of them have a great time, then sulit na rin

Good luck with your food tasting and may we emerge victorious against the price increases and all the menu/ management hullabaloo. Hahaha!

[marose17]

^ If you can arrange with your banquet manager to supplement the cocktails with nuts like almonds, walnuts, trail mix, etc., do so.  Just buy bags of nuts and entrust the same to your banquet manager a day before the wedding.  The waiters will put them in nice containers on the cocktail tables. 

[InquisitorLavellan]

Kind of have a tentative menu at the moment but we still have to do our final FT when my fiance arrives. The food variety was paramount in our decision because we have relatives who are Jewish (not strictly Kosher but cannot eat pork of beef), typical Filipino guests who really need their pork and beef, [textspeak!] is Thai and prefers Asian cuisine that is not too Filipino, people allergic to seafood, people who love seafood and vegans/vegetarians.  Since we're having a lunch reception, we expect people to have light breakfast or no breakfast at all and our ceremony will be their first heavy meal of the day.


Appetizers
Crisped Beef Ssam Spring Roll
Bruschetta Al Fungi
Smoked Fish with Mango Tarragon Salsa

Soup:Truffle Three Mushroom Soup

Salad: Asian Salad with Wanton Crisp

Pasta
Noodles: Fettuccine and Penne
Sauces: Pesto with Sundried Tomatoes and Spaghetti Meatballs

Carving Station
Slow Roasted US Beef with Classic Mushroom Gravy and Hickory Sauce
Lechon

Entrée
Chicken Sambal
Fish Fillet with Mango Salsa
Pork Salpicao with Grilled Vegetable and Mashed Potato
Farm’s Harvest

Steamed Rice and Crispy Beef Rice

Quesadilla Station and Dessert Bar


Drinks
Dalandan Juice and Soft drinks
Coffee and Tea

[Chili1113]

cee05: How was the food in your cousins's despidida del soltera? Was it a sit down or buffet? Are you allowed to order from the old menu?  I told my AE, Ching that if we wont be allowed to order from the old menu that we will cancel our reservation. She told me clients who booked before Oct? can order from the old menu.

LOL--- I think they made a bad choice in changing their caterer. I know someone whos getting married in January and really insisted on bringing in their own chef. They are only ordering their soup, salad, and dessert from Polo.  But main dishes will be prepared by Chef Jessie. OMG though I cannot imagine the corkage fees.

[grrrlscout]

Hi guys, anyone here know of a Baguio-based caterer na papayag na may idea na kami anong food we want, we just need someone to cook it for us? From what I read here kasi parang may set menu na ang caterers? What if may specific na kaming gusto na menu? Pumapayag ba silang ganun?

Thanks in advance!

[corpse_bride]

^ how specific, sis? Like set na kayo with what you want or you wanna customize with what they could offer? Coz usually with sets from caterers, you could customize naman with what they have na.

My menu's so blah. Yet to make kulit with the venue AE & caterer to tweak it once makapag meeting kami ng maayos. What annoys me the most is they cannot do a 6 course menu. 5 at most nangkulit pa ko ng todo (successful pangungulit #1) Here it is.. (Well the options I'm considering)

Option 1
Smoked Prawns with Pomelo & Radish
Three-mushroom Soup with Créme Fraiche
Walnut & Apple Salad with Assorted Lettuce & Zesty Dressing
Slow-cooked US Angus Beef
Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce

Option 2
Fresh Mushroom & Spinach Ravioli with Chive-Butter Sauce
Cream of Cauliflower with Croutons
Warm Grilled Pear & Frisée Salad with White Cheese Dressing
Black and White Sesame Crusted Salmon
Bavarois Praline

Options for cocktails
Menu 1
Tuna en Profiteroles
Spanakopita
Chicken Almond in Tart
Cherry Tomatoes with Laguna Cheese & Pesto

Menu 2
Crab Salad en Bouchée
Parmesan Taquitos
Marbled Potato Stuffed with Blue Cheese & Walnuts
Hummus with Dip

Free Hors D' Oeuvres options (successful pangungulit #2)
Set A
Tea Sandwiches
Tuna en Profiteroles

Set B
Ham Pinwheel sanwich
Seafood in Barquettes

Set C
Vol-au-vent with Chicken ala King
Beef Empanadas

Vegetarian Menu
Vegetable Terrine
Spiced Pumpkin Soup
Asparagus Salad
Ratatouille with Quinoa
Fresh Fruit Slices

Children's Menu Options
Menu 1
Cream of Squash Soup with Apples & Bacon
Pan-fried Fillet of Fish with Basil Cream Sauce; Chicken Nuggets with Dipping Sauce with Coleslaw & Baked Mac & Cheese
Brownies, Panna Cotta with Fruit Poppers & Leche Flan

Menu 2
Cream of Mushroom Soup
Batter Fried Fillet of Fish with Tartar Sauce; Southern Fried Chicken Drumsticks with Tossed Peas & Corn and Spaghetti & Sweet Sauce
Fruit Salad with Cream, Deep Fried Oreo Pops & Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have thoughts (or qualms haha) for every item. I'm very specific with food kasi. If blah pa din, yung APEC menu nalang! Haha thoughts?

[Chili1113]

^You Option 1 for the sit-down dinner sounds good=) I always tend to choose the sit-down dinners with steak/beef as the main course since it is bound to be a bigger crowd pleaser. Plus you have the smoked prawn appetizer and salad to please the seafood lovers =)

[corpse_bride]

^ that's what I'm leaning towards too. I'm worried lang with their portion sizes. Baka not filling enough. Baka it's like what I saw with an event na almost degustation portions. Most of our guests are used to Chinese Lauriats kasi. Also, very vague their descriptions ano? No cooking methods given. Beef what? safe to assume it's roasted.. Then the desserts are very blah.. I don't wanna be one of those hosts that spends on everything else but the food..

[Chili1113]

^Perhaps you can tell them to change the desserts? Thing about bread pudding is that it isnt really a favorite.

Hay, I want to customize my menu also. But I don't think it is a good idea since I am ordering the old menu from my venue. Customizing it will mess up the scheme and they might charge me a whole lot more based on their new pricing scheme. But seriously, Cream of Asparagus for the soup just sounds so 80s hahaha

I am leaning towards a sit-down menu but will decide after attending a wedding this week which is serving a buffet menu. I will observe the flow of the guests.

[corpse_bride]

Hahaha kulit the so 80s thing. Isama mo na yung bread pudding sa 80s feel.  Who's your caterer ba? Mine's Via Mare. Ang mahal pa per head for just 5 courses. 6 (not including intermezzo) with others na. Hirap magig specific with food.

I hava question for cocktail food. We have a long gap between the Church ceremony to the reception. With the crowd we have, usually konti lang goes to the church. Or if they do, they go home muna to rest. Most of them arrives late for the reception. Is it ok to just order for a 100? We bargained din for the free ones so dapat they'll make enough for 200 or so. We want to start on time din naman so food will be served immediately. I'm just wary with the PG (sorry for the term, but I mean it with affection) guests. Like my BFF (refer to previous posts in other topics) he's a big guy kasi. He cannot grasp the concept of fine dining even if he thinks he's social. He'll even forego of even being a pescatarian for a day daw. This is a guy who made reklamo to a bride that the steak portion at Antonio's was small. Ugggghhhh

[Chili1113]

^hahah ang 80s ng feel every time I hear "Cream of Asparagus" and "Fillet Mignon" which is the menu I am looking into hahahaah. Kulang nalang meron "Caesar Salad" haaaay My caterer is the one and only current in-house caterer of my venue-- Hizons. But goodness, they charge about double compared to the usual Hizon's prices. Hehe I emailed Hizons kasi directly to investigate. This is why I am allergic to the new menu and prices they rolled out at my venue.

Ive attended a wedding with Via Mare and the food was good. They are a bit expensive though but I remember the food was better than the other usual caterers.

As for cocktails, I haven't decided yet. I have 250 guests but I am planning to order only good for 100 guests for cocktails. Planning to serve the ff for cocktails:

Cheese Board: Three-way cheese balls,  Edam, Camembert, Blue Cheese, Manchego, Brie, Dried Apricots, Figs, Plums and Berries.

Assorted Charcuterie: Salami, Pastrami, Parma Ham, Shublig, Bratwurst, Hungarian, Chorizo Iberico,  Green Olives.

Assorted Breads and Spreadables: Breads, Lavosh with Twist puff pastry, Chicken Liver Pate, Salmon Mousse, Parmesan Mousse.

Leg of Ham Carving Station: Bone-In-Ham with Honey Pineapple Glaze, and Pandesal

[InquisitorLavellan]

I was wondering, if caterers and events places generally allow people to bring their own appetizers? We plan to do small tea party in between the ceremony and the reception and we plan to get our own digestives and biscuits from Tesco or Marks and Spencer's.  Tea and coffee will be provided by the caterer as part of our add-on.

[Chili1113]

^depends on your agreement with the venue/caterer. For instance in my venue we are allowed to bring nuts, pretzels, and chips to add on to whatever you will order from them.

[mimai1122]

mimai1122: Thanks for sharing the menu of the wedding you helped with!

Hi, again, Chili1113! You're very welcome! It was a fun wedding kasi medyo casual lang the motif Anyway, both your sit down and buffet spread make me hungry! Haha!..But, yes, I agree with corpse_bride, it will depend on what type of wedding/reception you are planning. If it's casual lang like my friends' (the one I helped coordinate/organize), buffet is a-ok. If formal siya, better siguro if sit down kasi mas organized and mas, well, formal.

For a sit down meal, you can have the lechon sliced/cut up and placed in a serving plate, para it can be placed on the tables. The only thing na naka-buffet style in that one formal wedding I attended were the desserts. At least, the dessert buffet won't be as crowded as the regular buffet.

What's most important, though, is that you and your H2B agree. You should both be comfortable with your choice, so you won't have to worry about it when the big day comes. Whatever you choose, just be sure that it will be convenient not only for your guests, but also for the two of you.

Good luck, sis!

[grrrlscout]

Hi corpse_bride, specific as in ito na yung gusto naming pagkain sa reception Gusto kasi sana namin medyo low-key and chill lang talaga, pati food. Kahit di na masyadong fancy, basta masarap. Kaya may gusto na kaming menu, kailangan lang talaga namin yung magluluto at mag aasikaso. Kaya lang parang wala atang nag ooffer ng ganung service.

Parang pinaka gusto ko yung Option 1 sa menus mo. Set C for the appetizers. Pero parang di naman appealing to kids yung children's menu?