A Perfect Wedding

This weekend, two amazing friends of mine were married against a backdrop of shimmering Gulf waters that sat calmly below the kind of cloudy sky that threatens showers but never delivers, leaving us instead with breaks of intense afternoon rays and the most powerful sunset I’ve ever seen. The bride walked down an aisle of beach designated by trims of white rose petals, glowingly gorgeous arm-in-arm with her adoringly proud father. A beautiful ceremony and personal vows kicked off a night infused with romance, sentiment, fun and, most importantly, killer eats.

Now, I find I am “always a caterer, never a guest,” so, although I haven’t been to many weddings, I have eaten my fair share of wedding hors d'oeuvres, entrees and desserts. And, I am not just saying this because the bride is one of my closest friends… this food was A-plus, seriously spot-on. 

Let’s start with the cocktail hour.  The deep, cool sounds of steel drums set the tone as we enjoyed cocktails on the beach and a bit of Caribbean fare.  Conch fritters, crab cakes, coconut shrimp and skewered Jerk chicken held us over until dinner while we oo’ed and ahh’ed over the picturesque wedding and the beaming newlyweds (and snapped about a hundred group pictures, taking maximum advantage of the good lighting).

A few soft notes of the dinner bell slowly transitioned the group from the sand to the beach house for a plated dinner. Sitting on the second floor of the oceanfront hall guests started on a bit of a deconstructed Ceasar salad, a circle of romaine holding up a crouton and salad mixings while the view slowly turned from pink and orange to navy blue. After a champagne toast from the father of the bride, we indulged in a surf-n-turf of fresh mahi-mahi and filet complemented by a delicious little pierogi. We were, thank the lord, spared from the typical catered veggie mix of green beans and carrots shaved to a point with stalks kept on for show and instead treated to simple spears of asparagus and a bed of potatoes.

Before burning off every single calorie we consumed with some serious dancing, we finished off our meal with cake layered with a subtle frosting of either mocha or peanut butter.

All in all, it was an incredible wedding and I can speak for all the guests when I say we are genuinely lucky to have been a part of it and to feel an extension of even just a fraction of the love, support and adoration Laura and Brian have for one another. Once again, congrats to the bride and groom!