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We looked at caterers and compared prices and types of foods until our heads were exploding. My dad couldn't understand why we had to "feed people" at all. Sometimes we were going to cut our losses, scrap the whole thing and elope. We just wanted all of our loved ones to come together and celebrate with a meal.
Then my mom came in and saved the day with fresh, amazing ideas like a magical wedding fairy.
She volunteered to be in charge of having a homemade dinner. For 250 people. I guess when you're a mother of nine, 250 doesn't sound like anything you can't handle? As promised, she executed the most gorgeous, Provencal meal full of the flavors of her culture. Everything I am about to share was her brainchild and it made our dinner a true experience I will never forget!
Isn't she lovely?
To the French, mealtime is more than a time to fill your stomach; mealtime is an experience. They do not eat quickly, and they certainly do not start to clean up once the last bite has been taken! It is customary to eat slowly, to talk and to sit at the table for hours. We wanted to incorporate this cultural aspect in our wedding, so instead of having guests serve themselves from a buffet or be served one plate at a time, our dinner was family-style. The dishes were placed with all of the food on each table. This way, our guests could leisurely enjoy their meal and one another, indulging in seconds and thirds without having to get up.
Unlike in the United States, the most important meal in France is lunch! Lunch is usually a hot meal and dinner is a simpler meal that is served cold or at room-temperature. In the summer, dinner will likely consist of cold meats with sauces, cheeses and a salad. This added an easy element to our meal because nothing had to be served hot! I was nervous about this part since it is so counter-cultural to have a cold meal at a wedding, but in the end I loved it. I thought the outcome was delicious and authentic to French cuisine.
The menu was centered around key Provencal ingredients such as olives, basil, peppers, garlic and herbes de Provence. (Provence is a region in the south of France, so we share a lot of common ingredients with Italy.) Every table had a menu and we thought it would be fun to have it written in French!
Now this is where our community came into play! The way we made it all happen was to accept the help of dear friends who brought the food together.
Medaillons de porc aux herbes de Provence: We served sliced pork loin marinated in herbes de Provence and grilled, accompanied by a variety of sauces (see below). One of our close family friends, who happens to be an amazing chef, grilled all the pork at home. It was delicious!
Salade au basilique et capres: this is also called panzanella salad, which has been a family favorite of ours for many years! The big, chunky croutons were made ahead of time, as a bunch of my mother's sweet friends united to chop the different vegetables for the salad. The result was colorful and full of fresh flavors! Here is the recipe for our panzanella salad.
Poivrons rouges braises: Another family friend generously roasted 130 peppers for us the week leading up to the wedding!
They were then peeled, sliced, marinated in olive oil and served as a bright veggie side.
Cornichons: These tiny, traditional French pickles are a usual addition to a summer dinner. If you had your eye on a 12-pack of French pickles, and I know you did, knock yourself out.
Tapenade d'olives and sauce a l'ail citronee: two delicious dips from Trader Joe's! Tapenade is a blend of seasoned, finely-chopped olives and the other was a lemony garlic sauce.
Confit d'oignons: This was a French onion marmalade, made in advance by my mother and put in tiny glass jam jars. It added a sweet flavor to the savory meal. Check out this recipe if once again, you can't live without this interesting French staple.
Plateau de fromages: Every table featured a substantially-sized cheese platter. Such a crucial part of French meals! We decided to go with our family favorites: large portions of brie, goat cheese and Boursin from Trader Joe's. Pain Pauline, a hearty French country bread from Trader Joe's, paired perfectly with the cheeses. I have heard from several people that this was their favorite part and I happen to agree!
Gateau a la vanille ou au chocolat: This is where it gets reeeaal fancy, you guys: chocolate and vanilla Costco sheet cakes.
Our wedding cake: A dear friend of mine offered to make our cake as a gift. She created a Bailey's buttercream wedding cake that was a big hit for my new Irish leprechaun husband and I. I still feel a little bit bad that the guests didn't get to eat it too!
Alcohol: Bartenders served kegs of Blue moon, Boulevard and Coors Light. Our wine of choice was Costco wine. We toasted with fake Costco champagne. Cheers to Costco!
For the Littles: Freshly-delivered pizzas, lemonade and popsicles won over hearts at the kids' tables. We were really hoping to win over the hearts of any parent who wanted a side of peace and quiet with their meal. Do kids even eat at weddings???
Looking back, I can't say enough about the pictures we don't have of all the generous souls who made this dinner happen. All of the hands working behind the scenes, in their own kitchens and in the Church hall, made it so that we were able to have this dreamy feast. Thank you to my one-of-a-kind mother, who dreams big and then makes the dreams come true so gracefully.
Photos: Calley Watters Photography