Imagine That, Food First

As you can probably imagine, food was pretty high up on my list of priorities when planning the wedding. So much so that we booked a caterer before we booked a venue. For anyone out there that has planned or is planning a wedding- you know that is probably not the smartest move because many places don’t allow outside caterers. Right off the bat I had narrowed our prospects, but hey, that’s me. Food first, we’d figure out the rest later.

It all began a year before our big day when we met the ladies of A Catered Affair at Taste of Nashville where they were dishing out little corn cakes topped with pork tenderloin. Talk about smitten. If anyone had been issuing tickets for loitering, I would have gotten one at their table.

But it wasn’t just for the food, it was also the eye candy- a huge photo backrop of their private event space, Events @1418. My dream space for our wedding was smack dab in front of my face: loft-like with exposed brick and hardwoods, plus a rooftop deck. I couldn’t wait to see it in person!

A few weeks later we found ourselves standing in the middle of the space, sadly facing reality. It wasn’t big enough to accommodate our group. You see, our goal was to have the ceremony and reception all in one location, and this just wouldn’t work for that. But if any of you out there need a unique venue for a reception, a rehearsal dinner, a shower, or just a big party for yourself, you should definitely check out this space.

Even though it didn’t work for us, all was not lost because shortly after booking them as our caterer, they came to the rescue with a space that was perfect for us. Our little gem, Aerial. (More to come on that later in the week)

Do you wonder what someone like me wants to serve her guests? Well, there were certainly many ideas I had in mind that were shot down because they were a little too “out there” for our crowd. But when it was all said and done, I was happy with all of our choices, and there is no doubt in my mind that our guests were because they talked about some of these for months after. So my advice is this: choose foods that you love, reflect who you are or where you’re from, that taste good (duh), and are something unique that people wouldn’t be eating every day.

Now, some food porn.

Blackberry Pork Tenderloin
served with sweet corn blinis and garnished with roasted corn relish and fresh blackberries
(the dish that wowed me at Taste of Nashville)

Carribean Crab Cakes
crab cakes topped with a spicy apple slaw and a drizzle of citrus aioli

Artichoke Tartlets
artichoke hearts blended with assorted cheeses baked in a phyllo pastry cup


Florentine Stuffed Mushrooms
button mushrooms filled with a blend of fresh spinach and three cheeses

Smoked Gouda Grits Station
smoked gouda grits topped with low country shrimp and diced tomatoes
or
choice of: sauteed mushrooms, chopped chives, caramelized onions

Me chowing down on the shrimp & grits– no one had to worry about this bride not eating!

Other items not pictured:
Vegetable crudite
Indonesian Chicken Satay with spicy peanut sauce

A Catered Affair
and
Events @1418
1418 Church Street
Nashville, TN 37203
(615) 321-2394

http://www.thebakeshoppe.com/

Photo credit: Inara Studios