A summer wedding is a wonderful time of year to tie the knot. Think of all the wonderful wedding food that can be served during this time of year. Fruits and vegetables are abundant around this time. Use them to your advantage. The fruits and vegetables can not only serve as food, but as decorations, as well.
Wedding Food
There are many different foods that can be served at a wedding reception. It all depends on the type of wedding you are having as to what kind of food you will serve. If it is a traditional wedding here is a noodle recipe that will serve around 90 to 100 guests. Make a double or triple batch if you are having more guests at your reception.
Creamy Veggie Noodles Recipe
1 and 1/2 gallon chicken broth
1/2 pound of chicken soup base
5 pounds of medium egg noodles
3/4 pound of butter or buttery spread
1 can cream of mushroom soup (46 ounces)
2 cups celery, diced
2 cups peas, fresh or thawed
2 cups carrots, shredded
2 tablespoons salt
pepper, optional
water
Since this recipe is designed to serve a crowd, it will be best to use a large canning cooker for cooking. The cooker needs to be able to hold approximately 20 quarts. Begin by adding the chicken broth into the cooker. Use water to fill the cooker up to about 3/4 full.
Add chicken soup base to the cooker, stir, and bring to a boil. Add noodles, celery, carrots, peas, and salt. Stir and bring back to a boil. Stir again and cover. Turn off heat and let set approximately 40 minutes. In a separate medium pot brown the butter. Add mushroom soup to the butter, heat, and add to canning cooker. Stir. If desired, cream of chicken or cream of celery soup can be substituted for cream of mushroom soup.
Serve corn on the cob, rolls, and a salad to finish off the meal. The salad can be set on the table as the wedding centerpiece, if desired. A large bowl of salad in the center of each table will serve the purpose of a centerpiece and cut out a lot of extra cost, as well. The guest can eat their salad while waiting on the bride and groom to arrive at the reception. Have bread sticks or crackers available on tables for guests to eat with their salads. Be sure to take advantage of garden food that will be abundant at this time. Raise your own garden or visit a farmer’s market.
Wedding Centerpiece
Small ferns can be placed on the table as centerpieces for a summer wedding. It is simple, yet elegant. You will need to speak to a nursery or florist well in advance so that they can be prepared for the number of small ferns you will need.
Small glass globes filled in the bottom with pebbles and sand could serve for a beach themed wedding. Or, even if the honeymoon will be at a beach. The whole wedding, reception, and honeymoon could be tied in together. On top of the sand or pebbles add a sand dollar or shells and place the globe in the center of the table on a single palm leaf.
Another centerpiece idea is to have tall glass containers. Fill them with different types of fruit such as: oranges, lemons, limes, and so on. Invert the container onto the table and add a candle on top (which will actually be the bottom of the container). The fruit can be sent home with the guest and there will be less clean up. More is not always better, so keep it simple. Incorporate the fruit into a fruit salad to serve at the reception, as well.
