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!

Tiny cheese tartlets/mini quiche type things can be delicious if done well and are a better match with the rest of your menu. These are also easy for venue to prep so can perhaps offer option of veg - red pepper/mushroom/onion/ham/asparagus filling. Also quite carb-ish.

Or perhaps a chicken terrine with toasts or green salad? Spiced veg terrine as meat free alternative?

Both of these fit the roast and sticky toffee pudding vibe. As portions are mini perhaps may not be too heavy overall for summer wedding.

I do think trying to do a starter from a different cuisine like Indian/Italian/Mexican sounds really jarring with the rest of your menu.

I don't know why you ruled soup out as "it's not special enough", your main and dessert are going to be lovely I'm sure, but are not in any way special? They are something you'd have for a weekly roast. I really cannot see how bruschetta or potato skins fits? I'd do something like melon or soup and melba toast.

@ThisMustBeMyDream what do you and your DP eat when you eat together? It sounds very difficult when neither of you can agree on common foods. Do you have separate meals at home?

Well, that's the problem solved. Nobody is going to want a starter if they are full of crisps and doughnuts!

As there are menus with specific choices do you get to add options even if you do get a suggestion from here or elsewhere that you want?

Caesar salad?

Ham hock terrine is chunks of ham pressed into a loaf tin, sliced and served like a pate even though it isn't spreadable. Ask them not to add mustard seeds or anything you don't like. It's a tasty filling starter and usually has a bit of salad and a chutney or sauce on the side.
It meets all your criteria except the fact that it isn't hot.

What are some starters you and your OH would normally choose when you go out for a meal?

Why not just have bacon and cheese potato skins, since you both like them? Who cares if it goes, its your wedding and you can choose what you like. You dont sound like youre looking to be that traditional anyway. Actually, thinking about it, I think it might go quite well with the crisps and donuts tbh

How about Complan, served intravenously?

10 reasons why: 1. suitable for meat eaters, pescatarians, vegetarians and vegans; 2. low cost so will be within budget; 3. novelty value in being served a complete food usually reserved for invalids; 4. nutritious so will make up any vitamin shortfall from roast main and sticky toffee pudding; 5. filling and sustaining to offset small portions offered for main and pudding; 6. tasteless so accommodates all food preferences and none; 7. gender-neutral and classless so no guest will be discomforted; 8. motivating for kitchen and waiting staff, who get weary of plates and bowls; 9. additional photo opportunity, which can be amplified by offering guests a colour of tube to co-ordinate with their outfit or to reflect the colour theme of your special day; 10. tubes can be used by guests between starter and main or main and pudding to play Jack Straw's Castle.

Highly recommended. It worked a treat at our wedding and friends and family still talk about it now, 22 years later.

I've just noticed that this meal is dinner so you may want to ask the kitchen to add a mild sedative to the Complan to help people get a good night's sleep after the excitement of the festivities -unless there is dancing, of course!

You eat chicken and he prefers a meat starter. There is a tempura chicken starter with a chili sauce on their menu. Perhaps the objection is the sauce? What about the tempura chicken with a milder sauce, something more in your preferred flavor palette?

But you can get a roast dinner and sticky toffee pudding anywhere, even in Wetherspoons!

On my wedding day I hardly ate anything I was too busy with all the talking and doing things and the adrenaline high meant I wasn't hungry either. I'm really not sure it's worth all this hassle to find something you'll both like.

However my go-to starter that hasn't already been rejected would br caramelised balsamic baby onions to have with crusty bread and butter.

Small chicken caesar salads

OP, it's just the starter. It shouldn't be this hard. You need to compromise and cater to your guests. Just pick something and shrug it off

I was going to suggest caeser salad too
or halloumi and sweet chilli or a smoked chicken salad

Honestly you are so fussy!
I would go with what will be most popular with your guests and forget your needs this time. Its about making guests happy

Soup everyone likes. Leek and potato?

Banana wrapped in bacon. The recipe I use is vaguely curry, but there are lots of variations, eg, https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/234433/bacon-wrapped-bananas/

And why sticky toffee pudding? It's SO boring. At least make it amusing with spotted dick...

Snails.

I did think about

• Scallops and black pudding

According to the OP, prawns are now fish, so no prawns and presumably no scallops either- because they too are now fish!

Omg just have sausage and chips
what’s the point of if I don’t like food

Avocado? In some shape or form?

A lot of people don't like bananas.

A lot of people don't like bananas.

Perfect thread to remind us why fussy eaters are a pita. Just eat what's in front of you! Being so restrictive is ridiculous.