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4:39 pm
November 2, 2009
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geedaisy
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| Big Chicken | posts 15 | |
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Hi everybody! I'm not sure if I've ever posted on the forums or not, but I've been reading Chickens since right after the blog began. I could really use the help of all you great ladies here. My daughter is getting married the weekend after Thanksgiving and the budget is SUPER tight. She and her fiance don't have much money and I'm in anesthesia school and living on a starving student shoestring. (Yes, after being a struggling single mom for years I started college in my late 30's and now over 5 years later I'm still hanging in there.) She decided to just get a very small wedding cake and then have sheet cakes from Costco in the back to cut and serve the guests. We've decided to make the food ourselves and I'm in desperate need of recipes/ideas for great finger foods that we can do ourselves, but that still look good. Any ideas? We need a good punch recipe as well. Thanks!!!
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4:44 pm
November 2, 2009
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Jayne
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Cheese trays are easy to do. If you cut the cheeses and arrange them yourselves, it's alot cheaper. How many people are you serving?
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4:53 pm
November 2, 2009
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wvhomecanner
| | North Central WV | |
| Moderator
| posts 3017 | |
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There were some great ideas back when Shells thought she had to host that soiree at her house …. we need to find that topic.
Dede
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"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." ~ The Lorax by Dr. Seuss ~
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4:56 pm
November 2, 2009
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geedaisy
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| Big Chicken | posts 15 | |
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4:59 pm
November 2, 2009
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beeyourself
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You need things that will hold…and that can be made ahead of time.
Where is the reception…how many…what time of day…what part of the country (cold winter or mild)? Alcohol or no?
While we're "thinkin'"…why don't you head on over to the Welcome Forum and tell us a bit more about you…and we can welcome you properly there… I'm glad you've joined us!
http://tinyurl.com/mgbcq3
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5:02 pm
November 2, 2009
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beeyourself
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…also…will this be a formal or informal event? I've got my thinkin' hat on…
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5:06 pm
November 2, 2009
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geedaisy
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| Big Chicken | posts 15 | |
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The wedding is in Alabama, so not as cold as WV, but cold for us Southerners! It's in the late afternoon at sunset. No alcohol will be served. Right now we're looking at 40-45 guests, but that may increase a little.
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5:08 pm
November 2, 2009
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geedaisy
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| Big Chicken | posts 15 | |
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It's informal. Hard to be formal on a shoestring and my daughter is a very relaxed easygoing country girl. She doesn't like a lot of fuss and bother, but she does want a pretty wedding to remember.
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5:10 pm
November 2, 2009
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geedaisy
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| Big Chicken | posts 15 | |
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A big part of the problem is that while they've been engaged for 1.5 years, they just decided about 3 weeks ago to get married at Thanksgiving. She decided to do it then because family will already be in from out of state. That doesn't leave much time for planning a wedding!
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5:14 pm
November 2, 2009
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beeyourself
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I my opinion, a simple wedding is the most perfect wedding of all. It will be wonderful.
Let me think a bit.
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5:18 pm
November 2, 2009
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beeyourself
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In the meantime, study this… http://tinyurl.com/yhvomw5 …notice how you can use color and staggering the heights of food to make it look both appetizing and elegant. Think color…!
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5:23 pm
November 2, 2009
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Miss Dana
| | Georgia | |
| Mighty Chicken | posts 171 | |
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Hmm….one thing I'm thinking that is easy and can be fixed ahead and frozen is little quiches. They use very little eggs, a small bit of bacon and some onion, milk, cheese and flour and cream cheese. I've made enough for a group of 80 in no time flat.
I would also have some fruit…black grapes, strawberries, etc which can also be bought at Costco. And get your flowers there as well!
Truth be told, you might even save money by purchasing some appetizers from Costco for a party that size than buying the ingredients yourself.
Costco is so great for party trays.
You could also do a coffee and dessert reception. 
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"It's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it." Mama
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5:33 pm
November 2, 2009
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geedaisy
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| Big Chicken | posts 15 | |
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I'm really lucky to have a childhood friend who used to work at a florist. We're buying flowers and she's making up the bouquets and all of the flower arrangements. Thank goodness that's one thing we don't have to worry about!
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5:42 pm
November 2, 2009
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Jayne
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I agree with Dana, with Costco, or Sam's Club, you may be just as well doing appetizers that way.
Another thing we did for our son's wedding on the cheese tray, we sliced the cheese and then cut it out with small cookie cutters into shapes. We used Shell shapes since they had a beach wedding. Use the leftover ends and pieces to add to baked dishes later.
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5:50 pm
November 2, 2009
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beeyourself
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I have posted a chicken salad recipe…that looks wonderful on crackers…or in the cheese puffs I posted with the recipe. I think crackers would be your best bet – because sticking it in cheese puffs would be time consuming and they'd get soggy…and you don't taste the wine (use a good drinking wine – not those cooking wines you see on shelves) it just enhances the flavors…and since it's only 2 tablespoons, no one is going to get loopy. I've also served this in a pretty crystal bowl…surrounded by crackers.
http://tinyurl.com/yal9v7l
You need helpers…to prep while the ceremony is going on. Do you have friends that would do this for you?
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5:51 pm
November 2, 2009
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beeyourself
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Finger sandwiches (ham, chicken, egg salad) are also great…tiny biscuits with southern ham are also wonderful.
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6:56 pm
November 2, 2009
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Pete
| | WV | |
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If you can find a place to borrow (think of a church, or a friend who has a good sided china collection) some platters, trays, plates, cake stands, that sort of thing, you can put out a beautiful display of things that don't really match but coordinate very well.
For instance, all glass, of many patterns and sizes all look good together. All metal also looks fine. I'd be careful of mixing too many types of serving pieces together. Metal and glass can look good together, but glass, and two or three kinds of metal and some china thrown in as well can just look messy. (Doesn't have to, but can easily get out of hand.)
Guess what I'm saying is that the simplest (and cheapest) of foods can look so elegant if presented well, while the most expensive food going can be made to look tacky very easily.
It's going to be a busy few weeks, but what a lovely idea. And saving for everyone because the family will all be there anyway!
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Anulos qui animum ostendunt omnes gestemus!
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7:37 pm
November 2, 2009
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okbarb
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| Super Chicken | posts 537 | |
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Various fruits – strawberries, bananas, grapes, pretzel sticks, marshmallows, angel food cake with a chocolate fondue fountain. Small sandwiches, veggie trays, nuts, mints, cake and punch and call it a day.
I have done more weddings and showers than I care to think about at this late date and they were all lovely in their own way. My daughter's was not over the top but reasonable and we did a sit down dinner with brisket, potato salad, macaroni salad, beans and rolls. Had a reception later with a band and margarita machine (far west TX so we were dancing the cumbia!) and had a blast.
Expensive does not mean better. Love and attention to detail will. Visit the $$ stores, Big Lots, etc. for decos and Sam's or Costco for food. It will be magnificent.
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There are only two ways to live your life: one is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.
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7:47 pm
November 2, 2009
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Shells
| | Vancouver Island, British Columbia | |
| Superstar | posts 1184 | |
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The spinach balls recipe is one that will freeze well and they are an easy finger food.
Perhaps rent a chocolate fountain, surrounded with fruit, pound cake, etc. its a nice easy way to present a sweet. Long skewers to dip the fruit or make fruit kabobs ….
Wrap melon slices with a nice slice of ham … delicious
Tiny brie and apple open face sandwiches ….. french baguette slices, slice of apple, slice of brie, quick broil … even once they cool they are nice (can also use pear)
Bake brie and crackers ….. top a round of brie with chopped pecans, brown sugar and frangelico .. broil and serve with crackers. Alternatively you can use dried cranberries, chopped pecans, brown sugar and a bit of liquid (usually a liquer)
Angels on horseback ….. waterchestnuts wrapped with bacon, marinated in a soya sauce based marinde, broil and server (alternatively can use smoked oysters)
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8:54 pm
November 2, 2009
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geedaisy
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| Big Chicken | posts 15 | |
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These are all such great ideas! She would love the chocolate fountain. We would love to have a shrimp and grits station, but I'm not real sure how to make that happen with just us doing it. A few weeks ago I attended a school reception that had a shrimp and grits station that was so yummy. The grits were served in martini glasses. The whole thing was very pretty. I would love to be able to duplicate that. I'll have to think on that one and see if I can come up with something.
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