I need help for wedding starters with all these requirements!

[ThisMustBeMyDream]

My lovely wedding venue have given us free reign to suggest some starters as we like nothing on their (really quite extensive) menu. Yes, I am a fussy eater! And what I do like, DP doesn't!
Main course will be a roast, followed by sticky Toffee.
Things I do not like: most meat (other than chicken, bacon, ham). Fish. Cheese other than cheddar, mozzarella, halloumi. Risotto. Soup is ruled out (too messy, not special enough!).
Things I'd normally have as a starter: tomato bruschetta, tomato and mozzarella salad, garlic bread.
Things DP doesn't like: tomato. Goats cheese. Olives. Courgette. Cumin. Tacos.
DP nornally has a meat or fish starter.
We can only have one starter option for everyone to eat so also trying to keep it to something most will eat (barring dietary requirements).
The only potential we've come up with is bacon and cheese potato skins. Not sure if this works with our menu though!
Please help this stressed couple out so we can send a list to our venue to work with (so they don't hate me for being such hard work!).
Thank you kindly!

You're all wasting your time replying to. OP will never be happy with any suggestions.
Leave her to it.

I've been to many weddings where the portions are miniscule and ended up having a McDonald's later on. It doesn't matter if the sun is beating out of the sky at 100 degrees or you've snow up to your armpits, a small in the middle of the plate dinner isn't going to have you sweating or freezing your arse off so you can have what you want.

You have to remember that this is Mumsnet and people get full on a leaf of lettuce !

If you want potato skins, have them. In all honesty marrying up courses is rarely done now unless you like and want that and choose this style of dining. This is your wedding, you can have what you like, potato skins can be topped with anything, you can have them as fancy as you want, they can Criss cross them, line them up like soilders , if this is what you all like then get them.

The canapés aren't for you. Chances are you wouldn't get near them anyway as you will be too busy with photos etc after the ceremony. You get them so your guests aren't starving while they wait for the meal which is considerably later than lunchtime... If you're doing speaches after your meal, also be prepared for whichever of you is talking to be too nervous to eat much...

But I honestly think you're over thinking this. Just get bruschetta or soup or something simple and ask the venue to do you and your dh an extra plate of the main if you're worried he'll be too hungry without a starter. Or ask them for extra trimmings/bigger portions and leave out the starter (tbh, if your tasting session has left you worried about portion sizes, talk to them about it - you're paying them a shed load of money, so get them involved in solving the problem!)

What about asking them if you could do no started and they make the portions bigger?

Hang on, so you picked the venue because of the food. But you didn't like the food?

There are bigger issues here than the starter.

Halloumi fries! 🤣

Why pick the venue if the food is awful! Did you go for style over substance! Just as long as the photos look good for Instagram it's doesn't matter if your guests go hungry! There's nothing worse than lack of food at a wedding!

You don’t like canapés, but your guests will be hungry. You are hosting other people. I’ve been to similarly timed weddings to yours and hated the fact there were no snacks or canapés.

Wedding breakfast is nearly always served a bit late too.

I wouldn’t want a roast and sticky toffee pudding in July, not even a small portion. It’s not the size of the meal, it’s the type of food.

Elope.

We have donuts and crisps for the guests prior to dinner.
The photos have nothing to do with the choice of venue. Budget was the big decider. But the menu choices swung it - because we thought there was a lot of choice (and there is - they have 3 different 3 course meal menus with multiple choices on each menu, sharing plate menus, skewer grill menu, pie menu, plant based menu, a sharer roast menu, tapas sharing menu, Mediterranean grill, bowl food). I didn't anticipate the food not being what we wanted.
We can't change venue as we have paid a deposit that is too large to back out of. We need to make the food work, and given they have given us free reign - there is no issue. We just need to think of something.

Would it possibly work better if you and your DP both came up with a list of what you do like, spot anything that is on both lists, and then see if any variations of one of those is also something that would work for your guests?

We like the roasted peach one. I'll ask the venue about it as im aware my vision and theres could be totally different again! Not sure what croutes are though.

What about a fancy individual quiche, you could have ham in that to satisfy the meat eaters, with a crunchy salad and something tasty drizzled on.

Melon and Parma ham

I think we've come up with something. There is something on the plant based menu that provided they add mozzarella on to, I'm sure I'd be happy with it. DP is now looking through the extensive menus to see if there is something that ticks his box plus the rest of the guests! 🤞
I didn't think of altering what was on the menu. I usually discount the plant based menus anyway as I don't want to eat vegan as I enjoy some cheese, as well as cream, eggs etc.

Donuts? And a roast and sticky toffe pudding? In July? 🤣

I was thinking that, I've had donuts at a wedding in the evening but not as a canope before the main meal

Yep. Mini donuts and crisps. In July. You do know the chances of weather over 20 degrees at the end of July in England isn't that high, right?! If its a heatwave then I'm sure we can provide fans and ice water. And cope as we usually do!

Do you both eat chicken? If so what about souvlaki or satay? Or smoked chicken salad?

Do you eat eggs? You could have a cheese and bacon frittata?

cheddar and caramelised onion tart?

We have donuts and crisps for the guests prior to dinner.

Well, that is certainly a new one on me!!!

Donuts and crisps not uncommon at all…see pics!…I hope you have a great day @ThisMustBeMyDream

Mini pizzas 🍕 for starters would fit. Carb heavy but you like carbs so why not.

I don't envy your 'What's for dinner, darling?' negotiations ...

God no.
Beetroot is rather niche. A lot of people don't like it, and if it gets dropped on clothes it stains dreadfully.

We had warm bacon and potato salad as a starter. Was lovely.