Marcus and I got married in June. It's taken me a while to go through the photos, and I wanted to do that before I told you about our catering company. Everyone says that no one remembers food at weddings, except to say that most of it is bad and some of it is inedible. I didn't want that to be the case for our wedding. Um, I'm a food blogger. That would be a crisis.
We wanted delicious, seasonal food that would be a treat for our friends and family. We tested quite a few catering companies. Most fell in the bad wedding food category: gluey potatoes, rubber chicken, sickly sweet salmon, and gray tuna that would make the likes of Eric Ripert gasp.
We finally found Star Catering through the Neighborhood Restaurant Group, owners of some of our favorite restaurants: Birch and Barley, Churchkey, Rustico, the Evening Star, and Planet Wine. We decided on Star Catering because of our tasting. We went on a Friday night. It was just the two of us, a chef, a manager, and a hostess. They served us an amazing dinner with wine, and instead of telling us about them, they asked lots of questions about us. And previous to meeting us, they did their homework and checked out our venue, Cabell's Mill in Centreville, Virginia. I'm surprised they didn't offer to rub my back, the service was that good. Based on the deliciousness of the food and the level of service, we were sold.
Mary and Marcus Wedding Menu
Star Catering
Passed Appetizers
Fava Bean Crostini
Lamb Skewers
Onions Tarts
Maryland Crabcakes
Dinner
Bibb Salad with Fresh Strawberries and Grilled Fennel Drizzled with Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing
Grilled Steak with Thyme Mushrooms and Gnocchi
Parmesan Crusted Chicken with Creamed Israeli Couscous and a Sundried Tomato and Basil Vinaigrette
Dessert
Ice cream sandwiches
Cupcakes by Modern Domestic
DIY Signature Cocktail: Hooch (Vodka Infused with Strawberries and Rhubarb)
Our guests raved about the food. RAVED. People who never talk about food commented. We were thrilled.
Other things that made it our own:
My friend Denise made the outdoor signs from an old wooden door. So lovely. Thank you Denise.
My sister, Noel, made the printed signs. She's a graphic designer. You should hire her for your event. She also does blog headers--cheap!
I made my favorite pepper jelly for favors.
Marcus' Mom, made a Korovai, a Ukrainian bread cake.
The sign above reads: "The Korovai is a traditional Ukrainian wedding bread that symbolizes community. The parents of the newlyweds greet them with bread and salt. The Korovai is adorned with ornaments of baked dough: two birds represent the couple, and other ornaments represent family and friends. The entire arrangement is surrounded by a wreath of periwinkle, a symbol of love and purity. It can be shared with the guests as a symbol of good luck and future prosperity." The bread cake was lovely and it was nice to include a bit of Marcus' Ukrainian heritage.
After all the planning, it was exactly what we wanted: a lovely party to celebrate us, with the people who mean the most.
Photos by Alexandra Boule-Buckley a great photographer and lovely person.
