Would you like this at a winter wedding?

[cometinmoominvalley]

Hello, I'm in the early stages of planning my wedding and thinking about food. As the wedding will probably be in February I want to make sure the food is hearty and warming (and the drinks too).

At the moment I'm thinking of having lots of baked camemberts with veg to dip in as a starter, maybe fish and chips for a main course and a selection of puddings like banoffee pie, lemon meringue pie and others (plus lots of fruit available, things like grapes, figs etc). As well as some bubbly I'd like to offer mulled wine/ cider and maybe hot chocolate too.
Does this sound like too much? Too heavy? Obviously if people are there for a while they will want a decent amount to eat but I don't know whether this would be seen as over the top.
What do you think?

I would love all that but really anything mulled screams Christmas to me.

Well I don't like cheese, chips or the puddings so I wouldn't be happy. How about some massive pots of chilli/curry/hotpot with different breads and sides. Hot puddings with custard would be a winner for me

I think it sounds lovely- maybe a pudding with chocolate?
Think better to keep it simple- too many options can be chaotic.

I wouldn't do the mulled wine-agree with PP it feels very Christmassy for February.

Because obviously its Feb now and Spring starting to be in the air. I wouldn't fancy mulled wine-think fizz and cider-maybe regular wine?

Sounds perfect to me!

I think the key to pleasing as many people as possible is to have food that can be deconstructed a little bit.
When I serve baked Camembert dip I have a selection of vegetables and breads. Everyone has something to nibble on even if they don’t like cheese or are avoiding bread, or allergic to celery.

I’d suggest a second mains option to suit a broader range of palettes. I know a fair few people who hate fish, and as many more who would fret about the carbs!

Pudding ime is often a course that people skip so I’d opt for 2 choices (and a choice of mains) rather than lots of puddings (and no mains choice). I’d go for a definite pudding (eg banoffee or tiramisu or bread and butter pudding) and a flexible one like ice cream with fruit and sauce, where people can opt for just fruit or no sauce etc.

But I have to say I personally love your menu and am sitting her salivating

Thanks for the replies! Maybe we could offer a veggie chilli option as well as the fish and chips for people who don't like it or are veggie?

Would definitely have a selection of breads, nice crackers alongside chopped winter vegetables to dip in the camembert. Maybe I should have another option for dipping in case people don't like cheese (or can't eat unpasteurised stuff)? Houmous doesn't seem that special but I can't think of anything good as an alternative.

I see what you mean about the mulled cider etc. I just really like a warm alcoholic drink. We'd have beer and wine available too I think. Perhaps I'll skip the mulled stuff though, it does rather say Christmas.

Maybe chai instead of hot chocolate? Nice and warming and a bit less of a sugar rush.

Will definitely have fruit as an option for people who don't want heavy pudding (with cream). I do like the idea of bread and butter pudding actually, it's more of a wintery comfort food which is what I'm aiming for. Maybe I should go traditional British for the pudding options. I'm not bothered about having a wedding cake per se.

Don’t have chilli at your wedding- such a basic and budget option

Is it early Feb? It's only the 17th today and it's been very springlike here for the past week, not hot drink style weather. I love a good mulled wine or hot cider when it's cold but they've disappeared from all the pubs now. I'd shift to January if you're doing a hot comfort food style menu, when it'll be colder so people will get that warm craving feeling.

I love your menu options, Camembert and fish and chips sounds incredible. I'm not a coffee drinker but live off hot chocolate in December and January.

I like baked camembert, fish and chips and banoffee pie but together they'd be far too rich, I'd go for a less fatty main course, something that isn't fried.

I also wouldn't want mulled anything, I'd stick to normal drinks. Hot chocolate as an alternative to tea and coffee is a nice idea, as long as it's a good quality one, not instant or with added flavours.

I wouldn't say banoffee and lemon meringue are that wintry — I'd be going for crumble and custard!

Lol ok greendale! Fish and chips isn't exactly posh either is it? It needs to be something we can make and serve loads of easily. Not planning to have a very formal wedding but I do want people to eat well. Curry would be a different option I suppose. Or a poshed up macaroni cheese? Tagine? Not sure. I just think it shouldn't be something that would be weird to serve alongside fish and chips so that limits things a bit.

@Meet0nTheledge that's what I was wondering, put together is it just too heavy?

They just don't sound special enough for a wedding i think. Fish and chips especially. Plus it does t strike me as particularly warming and hearty either.

I would be thinking along lines of boeuf bourgingon, chicken casserole etc instead to meet that brief.

Is this a catered event by hotel etc or are you doing food yourself?

For our winter wedding we had a roast dinner and then crumble with custard for after (or fruit with icecream) and people seemed to enjoy. I think your menu sounds lovely. I would prefer hot chocolate to chai, but like both and I don’t drink so lovely to have an option other than orange juice.

I love the hot chocolate idea but agree mulled wine is a bit Christmasy.

Your food sounds lovely bit could be a bit heavy all together. If you wanted the fish and chips you could have chip cones and mini fish in the evening perhaps? Then have something else during the day?

A desert with custard is perfect winter fare. Crumble, bread and butter pudding, chocolate fudge cake.

I thought beef stew would be nice but some people are funny about mixed up foods.

I'd probably go for a carvery with a vegetarian option for a winter wedding (no need for starters) with something like apple pie/treacle tart for dessert.
Still simple and should be comparitively cheap.

I think what you offered in your original post sounds absolutely fine

We had a large wedding and gave our guests plenty of choice, meals had to be ordered in advance, and we still had several people complaining they didn't like anything.
I've been to weddings and functions where I've not particularly liked the food offered but I've never let on to the hosts as to me it's quite bad mannered. I'm not going to starve if I skip a meal for a few hours.

Now, if I was organising a wedding or large function, I'd keep the thought that you cannot please everyone all of the time. The previous post suggesting the items are 'broken down' so even if you don't like cheese you can still eat the veg sticks etc is excellent. It's nice to be accommodating but I think ultimately you should pick something that you feel is a good meal, and stick with it.

Agree there should be an alternative to camembert (I cant stand the stuff and I'm sure I'm not alone). Also some people may not like communal dipping, as theres always one rotter who will bite the end of their dipping food and then stick it straight back in the dip

For the main, what about individual pies?

what on earth is wrong with Chilli as an option? why should the OP spend money on a more expensive option just because its a wedding? As a guest I would think it a great idea - love the baked camembert too. btw, hummous can look really nice when served in a large dish with a drizzle of oil and some chopped herbs scattered over the top - presentation is important, even on the 'low budget' options!

OP I'm not a particularly fussy eater but I wouldn't eat anything you've suggested so far.

But I would eat most of the PP's suggestions.

IMO for a wedding the mains should be something that the majority of people will eat & provide a decent choice as that's the main meal people will eat that day.

Although I'm not a fan of Camembert anyway I would avoid any food that I'd be sharing with people I don't know well/may never have met before - not everyone is religious about double dipping 🤢

The fear of people double dipping in February when Norovirus is probably at its peak is putting me off the Camembert. Sorry.

@Dextrodependant mini fish and chips for later is a good alternative, thank you. I hadn't had any good ideas for that yet! In which case I'd be thinking along the lines of boeuf bourginon for the main (not keen on carvery type meals although I do love a proper home cooked roast dinner). Not really worried so much about the budget (although I'm not planning to go too crazy), more having nice food and a relaxed atmosphere. We're inviting 50-60 people between us so it won't be massive wedding.

We married in January a few years back and had Winter Pimms as a hot alcoholic drink.

www.anyoneforpimms.com/recipes/pimms-winter-cup

@whiskeysourpuss that's fair enough although I think they're all pretty mainstream food choices so maybe you're a tiny bit fussy?