My partner of 3 years proposed to me in the weekend. I had no idea (we had of course discussed it) and I just thought we were going for a sunrise walk to the top of Mount Maunganui.

It was a real movie moment and thankfully his friend was roped into snapping some really lovely and candid pics for us.

Although we wont be doing the traditional wedding, being older - GAWD 46years, having 4 boys between us and him being married before, Id love to have a bit of tradition in terms of food.

Whats traditional wedding fare? Even family wedding traditions?
What did you have for your wedding?

Vanessa

PS Ive just remembered an Italian sugared almond tradition I think my uncle had and the taste stuck with me. I love that idea especially as my dads Italian.

No ideas on the food, but congratulations

How lovely - congratulations!
Old fashioned I know, but I love a proper rich fruit cake, beautifully decorated as the wedding cake. Mud cakes etc just don't seem right to me.

Too right, Heather. And the new 'fad' or 'in thing' of having cheeses instead of cake appals me. I only ever go to a wedding for the cake......... well, not quite, but you know what I mean.

I know you wanted traditional food ideas and that your heritage is part Italian, but what about the other part(s) of your heritage and your partners, too. Maybe you should research some of those food traditions.

Not food related, but my daughter had a lovely idea (don't know where it came from): she had 3 large candles on the ceremonial table, the outside two alight and the middle one unlit. The Mother of the Bride (me) and the Mother of the Groom came forward straight after they had said their vows and we each picked up one of the big candles and then both of us lit the big unlit candle in the middle at the same time, thus joining the two families.

Oh, and congratulations to the pair of you and your families.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/08/2017 05:45AM by Lorna.

Congratulations Vanessa,wonderful news.Pinterest website usually has helpful ideas.

What a lovely idea with the candles, thats really sweet. Ive never heard or seen that before.

A fruit cake - yep traditional and my partner LOVES it, sadly I can't stand mixed fruit BUT Id say it would be making an appearance in some form. His mother has passed on her recipe (Xmas cake) to him so he might be making that himself.

We are a long way off planning/setting a day but I love hearing about ideas and traditions to remember and cherish.

Vanessa

Congratulations Vanessa, but re food keep it to what is special to you... also whole set up of venue might dictate what food is served..

Oh congratulations, what lovely news!

Hmm I don't really know what I think of as traditional wedding food.

When Ed and I got married it was second time round for both of us and my criteria was to have some of my favourite food.
Funnily enough 16 years later I can't actually remember what we did have except to say that the cheese boards were magnificent.

One of the best weddings I went to was a fancy 'help yourself' type with BBQ King prawns, fresh fish and scallops. It was complimented with fresh salads and crunchy bread. Simple but quality ingredients - perfect for a hot summery afternoon.

A friend of my sister had her wedding at home and for the dessert they had a Mr Whippy van come and serve fancy Mr Whippys to all the guests, apparently everyone loved it.

Congratulations, Vanessa! We had a garden party so it was all finger food and I catered it myself. (Not actually on the day! But we were young and poor and the challenge also sounded fun.) I made a traditional fruit cake and had it professionally iced, but these days I would go for another flavour. Some people also brought things (arranged in advance) - my bridesmaid made trays and trays of her famous cream puffs and a colleague of my (now former) husband brought lots of chocolate logs. I don't think I can recommend any particular food, although I wish I could find the recipe I used to make the most yummy satay chicken sausage rolls.

I agree with the go with what you love idea. Funnily enough I wrote a blog post many moons ago and Ive just re read it.
I LOVE the sound of the menu, my tastes havent changed a bit (It was written prior to even meeting my fiance).

Here goes...

(Written about 7 years ago)
WEDDING BANQUET!
OK hold your horses no ones getting married…
So last night whilst putting Jake to sleep clearly I had too much time to think so thought I would be productive and design a menu for a wedding!
I have no idea why but here goes, its my idea of a perfect feast!

To begin…
Bluff oysters Au natural of course served on ice whilst sipping champers and cold beer. (2017 - Im adding G+Ts, Mojitos and Bloody Marys to the beverages)

Entree
SEAFOOD – Japanese sashimi platters with the freshest salmon and snapper served with the usual as well as Japanese seaweed. For the non raw-fish brigade BBQ ed garlic prawns and scallops (of course with the roe!!!) Finger bowls provided!
(2017 - add green lipped mussels OR a bloody good seafood chowder)


Main
On the BBQ – the best eye fillet (MR) served with Bearnaise sauce, Caesar salad with anchovies, spinach/beetroot/red onion salad with a sweet berry dressing, a bean salad reminiscent of KFC and either dauphinoise potatoes or hand cut crunchy fries. Good job Ingrid is now a meat eater HUH! (2017 - hand cut fries all the way)

Dessert
Lemon tart – very zesty with berries and creme fraiche. maybe something chocolaty – haven’t got that far… (2017 - Kohu road icecream and pavlovas with berries as well)

The cake
A profiterole tower. chocolate dipped and filled with the most luscious creme patisserie stacked up in a tower and enforced with spun sugar. (2017 - a drip cake made by Spongedrop Mount Maunganui - chocolate and espresso flavour)

Cheese board with dessert wine and port
A really delicious Blue, Feta, gooey Bri and a strong tasty hard cheese.

Coffee – REAL coffee made by a barista served with a square of russian fudge.

Midnight snack
Bacon butties with tomato relish.

Delicious – anyone keen for a wedding???

Forget it being a wedding menu Vanessa.. I will just go with the menu. I have major salivations going on in my mouth after reading the above!! And congratulations of course

Vanessa, that menu sounds perfect.

Reading your menu, please may I come too, Vanessa? Oh and by the way, congratulations.

Congratulations Vanessa. Sounds so delicious. Can I stand in line for the leftovers, please?

Congratulations on the wedding!! Very exciting

I think to a degree anything goes now, but a wonderful celebration involving delicious food and a degree of ceremony and tradition makes it special. I love the menu above!! I have been to BYO weddings, BBQ weddings and foodtruck weddings. Two were camping weekend weddings....

For me

Te foodie traditions I like the most are
- bubbly drinks to toast
- delicious nibbles
- a lovely cake to admire and share

And I also love the day after BBQ or brunch or lunch which is always a lot of fun.

Ohhhh yes bubbles for sure. We had some French bubbles the evening we got engaged, it was served in beautiful glasses, in an ice bucket and topped up. It had a fine bead and was a stunning way to celebrate. Ive never been a big champagne drinker but for an occasion its wonderful.

Suggest you add something for non-fish eaters to the first two courses, but other wise looks good. I love a good steak, chips and salad.

Congratulations! What fun you will have planning your special day. Enjoy

Oh yes forgot about the non fish eaters, I was just thinking about myself LOL
Im not good thinking up vegetarian things, I usually start with protein. Maybe just platters with roasted vegetables, pestos/tapenade, olives and nuts and pull out the amazing cheese platter afterwards.

A vegetarian option for dinner??? Homemade filled pasta with beautiful summery and herby sauces?

Vanessa

This is only just on the topic of food but last year I made sugar cookies for a friend's wedding to use as party favours. They were both plain and chocolate dough, round with heart shaped cutouts inside (see attachment) , I sandwiched two different ones together with icing and put each in a wee cellophane bag with a tag. I had considered using a stamp to put their initials or names on each biscuit but the stamp didn't arrive in time.

Ohhhh what a cute idea, I love the stamped initials as an idea too.
I really love the hand made idea - made with love and who doesnt enjoy things that are made this way in a mass produced world.

Thanks for the idea
Vanessa