Wedding Blog
Our “acceptance” percentage? The final tally falls into the 45% range. That means we have a total of around 65 guests attending our lil’ shindig. You’d think I’d be disappointed but, to be honest, I’m excited for the intimate experience it will now be. I’ve talked a little bit about our food-and-beverage minimum. That, combined with our lower-than-expected head count, means that we have to fill out our order to match the price minimum. Otherwise, we’ll end up paying a lot for very little, when we could be getting more.
So, what are we considering adding? Quite a bit.
1) Our BBQ menu now includes another dish:
Cole Slaw (source)
And, since we last spoke about our menu, it’s also been updated with Black Bean Burgers with Chipotle Aioli instead of BBQ chicken legs, and a tomato, mozzarella, and basil salad as our veggie.
2) On top of the above changes, we’ll be upgrading with a fairly plain “Field Green Salad”, which includes pickled leeks and Vermont cheddar, to either one of these:
-Bartlett Pear Salad with Bleu Cheese, Candied Pecans, and Banyuls Vinaigrette
(source)
-Heart of Romaine Salad with Blue Cheese Cream and Tomatoes and Lardons
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3) We’ve added a light beer to our alcohol selection: Amstel Light, so our guests will have the choice of two keg beers (wheat beer and nut brown ale) and a bottled option.
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4) We’re not only throwing in a signature cocktail, we’re upping the regular house tequila, Cuervo Gold, to Patron Silver. Yippeeeee for margaritas!
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4) Our wines have gone from their cheapest level to their second best! Our choices?
Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc from the Marlborough region in New Zealand
(source)
McManis Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon from Sonoma, California
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5) We’ll now be having a champagne toast (it was originally going to be a toast with whatever our guests had in hand).
We’ll be serving Gloria Ferrer N/V
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6) Late-night snacks. We’re thinking sliders (mini-burgers) and onion rings. Since we’re eating dinner at 5:30 PM, I figure we might be hungry right around 10 PM.
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Of the above, what is your favorite upgrade? What is your least favorite item? We may have to cut one thing and I’d love to know what’s least popular. Is the champagne toast unnecessary? Do we hang onto our original salad to save $5 per person on a more elaborate salad?
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Share this post: The Upgrades
Yummy, I’m all about the late night snacks!! So wish we could do little sliders and milkshakes or something 
I would say either axe the champagne or the salads. (if I had to pick one to get rid of though it would be the champagne. Not everyone will drink it, or be drinking any alcohol for that matter) The burgers are a great idea. We had our wedding at an Italian venue, and we had them bring out stone cooked pizzas around 10 and it was a huge hit. Your food looks fab!
That’s so awesome that you get to upgrade so many things…. but kind of sucks that you have to spend that money no matter what!
The late night snack sounds awesome- I’d skip the salad upgrade if you can’t do it all.
PS Our guest list was 60 plus three kids- it was absolutely perfect. I heart small weddings!
We cut our champagne toast to save money. I don’t think it matters whether you have the champagne or not. I have noticed at other weddings that most people don’t tend to finish it. My fave is the late night snack - sliders & onion rings = awesome!
Your menu sounds delicious!
Love the late night snack idea! And the Bartlett pear salad sounds delicious. If you’re going to have champagne available anyways, it would definitely be fine to have guests toast with whatever they want. Maybe give them a heads up that toasts are coming so if someone really wants to toast with champagne, they can go get a glass, without you having to provide everyone with a glass?
As a guest I would be completely excited about the late night snack! The pear salad sounds scrumptious as well, and certainly plates better than the hearts of romaine salad.
I think you could save a bit by forgoing the champagne toast. I think it is completely unnecessary, and if you were going to skip it anyway, than the decision should be easy.
I would also suggest maybe cutting out the baked beans side option on the original menu. Would that help? You have so much food!
I think the champagne toast can go — people will be fine w/ toasting w/ whatever they have on hand, and probably a lot wouldn’t change drinks even if the champagne toast were offered.
I’d keep the light beer, because people seem to like to have a light beer option. The late night snacks look super yummy. Upgrading the wine seems like a not a bad idea assuming there’s an actual difference ($10 to $20 bottle? yes. $40 to $50 bottle? maybe not so much).
The salad could also go either way. While field greens may seem a little plain, you’re pretty much gauranteed everyone will like it. However, the bartlett pear salad looks delish!
My fav is the Patron Silver upgrade (altho I do have to admit it seems a waste to put that in margaritas) only because it’s a huge price jump from Cuervo to Patron. I would either cut the Amstel Light or the Heart of Romaine Salad dependant on if you have another “simple” salad.
Yay for menu upgrades!
Fantastic menu! It’s like stylized laid back. We love Kim Crawford Sauv Blanc and buy it in cases. Gloria Ferrer sparkling is very nice (have you been to their wine caves in Sonoma?). Great choices on everything!
I recently went to a wedding where they had the late-night snacks — it was a HUGE hit. Your guests will love it.
Personally, I would suggest getting rid of the champagne. It’s lovely, but not everyone likes it — often times, I see a champagne toast where people take one sip of the champagne during the toast and go back to their original drink.
I’m so excited to see your recaps!! Your wedding sounds like it’s going to be wonderful.
I think your original salad sounds pretty good, and it sounds like the most universally-appealing one, so I wouldn’t bother upgrading that.
The black bean burgers sound great!
Yum yum yum! Can I come??? If it were me, and I HAD to cut something out, it would probably be the wine upgrades- very few people can tell the difference, so unless you have a lot of big wine drinkers, I don’t think anyone would notice. I would keep the champagne toast- I think it’s very elegant.
LOVE gloria ferrer, keep that for sure! I would probably cut the salad upgrade if you had to cut something. I’m hoping to do the late night snack as well, I think it’s really thoughtful to your out of town guests.
my fav upgrade? burgers and onion rings! and i say go for the bartlett pear salad.
love all your upgrades, i’d probably axe the salad though. With the added side dishes, i think a field greens salad would be plenty! Love all the beverage upgrades though!
If you have to drop something, drop the champagne toast–a lot of people don’t even like champagne/won’t drink it. But I agree that it’s nice to have! I would have said the salad, but the upgrade salads sound soooooo good. 
I love the late night snack, mmmmm sliders. I so wish that was a possibility at our wedding, but oh well.
I would probably axe the salad upgrades if something has to go.
I wish I was going to your wedding, the food looks so amazing!
The late night snack is an awesome addition. But I have to admit– my favorite upgrade is Patron Silver! Cuervo Gold is not a bad tequilla, but I LOVE me some Patron Silver. Mmmmm…..
What fun! I love the midnight snack idea. If I were you, I’d nix the champagne toast and keep the rest!
I would nix the champagne. That bartlett pear salad looks amazing!
Love the midnight snack idea and the upgrade in tequilla. I went to a wedding recently that didn’t do champagne toasts. As soon as the toasts started I was thinking, hey I don’t have a glass of champagne, and then I realized nobody did. In the end, it didn’t matter.
I actually really like the midnight snack and salad upgrades… those are my favorites!
I vote for nixing the salad upgrade. I would be beyond pleased with the vermont cheddar and leek salad- sounds looks and probably tastes like a premium salad to me! I also love cheddar…. and loathe blue cheese. So this is a very personal opinion. I love your choices! What a pleasant last minute decision to have to make!
oh, this is so bad to read an hour before lunch. yum, yum, yum
Wow, I love that you get to have so much food. That first salad looks delicious too! Would it be too mean of me to ask how much your food minimum is? It just always seems like so many brides get a ton of food, and I wonder if they are paying a lot more money than I am or if my caterer just way overcharges.
I love the sliders too! Your wedding looks like it is going to be a ton of fun!
Fun! That’s awesome that it’s working out so nicely; I’m sure all of your guests will appreciate the upgraded food - looks sooo good~!
Everything looks really yummy. We estimated 75 and ended up with about 65, it seemed to be the perfect number. Good luck!
I’d cut the Champagne toast first. the salad would be my second choice since 5 dollars a person seems a lot for the upgrade and your veggie side is kinda salad like.
yay for late night snacks…YUMMY! that romaine salad is making me hungry :] I say cut the champagne toast (unless you and your guests really like champagne) I think we’ll just have our guests toast to whatever they’re drinking. best wishes to you :]
First– I want to come to your wedding and eat… of the upgrades, I specifically want the late night snack (Yummy in my Tummy after a long day of partying)
Second– if you have to give something up, I would say the champagne toast– most people will already have a drink and from experience going to weddings, I’ve seen lots of glasses with only a sip taken from them– seems like a waste to me (and with your upgraded wine choices who wouldn’t want to toast with that!?)
I think I’d like to be a guest too! I say nix the champagne toast. That bleu cheese salad looks AMAZING!
I love the alcohol upgrades. To me it seems like people remember the fun times the most and better alcohol leads to more fun times!
Least fav is the salad upgrade, most fav is def the margarita!!! And to answer your question about the toast I would keep the champagne toast. It alll sounds delish!
I’d cut the champagne toast for sure. All the rest of the upgrades are great though! I <3 the late night snack (wish we were having one, but dinner will not be till 7:30 and the reception is over at 11:00, so I don’t think we’ll need it).
The salad with the Bartlett pears looks FAB-U-LOUS btw!
I hate blue cheese and I know a lot of people who are adverse to it so out of everything you listed above, I say stick with your original salad. Everything else sounds wonderful! Especially the sliders & onion rings for a late night munchie!
Several things…
I had a small wedding–76 people total (destination for probably 80% of invitees) and LOVED it.
Your upgrades sound so delicious. I think sticking with your original salad will be great. The others are nice, but not everyone likes bleu cheese even paired with pears… Mozzarella/Tomato/Basil is liked by more people, at least in my circles.
That sauv blanc is ridiculously good. Have you considered cava or prosecco instead of champagne? I know you have the money to spend because of “No” RSVPS but you can get a lot of bang for your buck. Either way, everything sounds GREAT.
I would say the -Bartlett Pear Salad with Bleu Cheese, Candied Pecans, and Banyuls Vinaigrette and the late night snacks are the better upgrades. I don’t drink tequila but the upgrade from Cuervo Gold to Patron Silver is like going from shopping at Walmart to shopping at Barney’s.
I’m a fan of the bubbly so I wouldn’t cut that. Instead I would cut the cole slaw. They probably will make a lot and people won’t it that much quantity.
I so wish I can go to your wedding CB!!! It’ll be tons of fun and indulgence ; )
I love the late-night snack! The Pear salad looks great, you can never go wrong with tomato, basil, and mozzarella salad, and those black bean burgers sound delicious! if you have to cut something I would skip the salad upgrade or maybe the coleslaw. Either way, your menu is going to be amazing : )
I love champagne. LOVE LOVE LOVE IT. However, I’ve been to a bunch of weddings and have noticed that most people at my table only sip their champagne during toasts to be polite, and leave most of it behind. Usually I steal my fiance’s and pour it into my glass! We’re not having any because of this reason. But if you’ve got the money to spend on it, I’d go for it!
Ooo, I meant we aren’t having any because people don’t drink it, not because I steal my fiance’s!
My favorite is the slider/onion ring late night snack by FAR! I wanted to do sliders, fries and milkshakes as our LNS but we settled on pizza as we had an off-site reception where our caterer had to truck in the food and I didn’t want to risk cold fries and watery milkshakes so the pizza it was.
A lot of people are telling you to cut the salad if you can’t choose all and have to axe just one but I think people will notice a really, really good salad over a champagne toast. Like someone else said, people are more apt to toast to whatever they are currently drinking (whether or not they like champagne or not); and going from a Captain and a Coke or beer to a sip of champagne is pretty harsh (I know so from the experience I had with my own wedding 2.5 weeks ago). I think the champagne will go wasted…
As someone who hates bleu cheese, I would skip the expensive salad upgrade. We didn’t do a champagne toast at our wedding and I don’t think it was missed. People just use whatever they have. Definitely keep the late night snack. That sounds fantastic.
I think if you are most excited about your bar upgrades, stick with the tequila, champagne, and wine upgrades. At least at my wedding, more people appreciated these than the salad which I swear no-one ate. Absolutely keep the late-night snack! We did pigs in a blanket, sliders, Philly soft pretzels, and tastycakes and EVERYONE was excited for the snack!
My two cents is add the pear salad and I really don’t mind if there is no champagne and your orange Uncle is allergic — it is money for some symbolism, I suppose. I agree bleu cheese is risk and to keep the snack as I eat snacks late a lot and suspect a lot of guests will after a 5:30 meal.
One thought on the champagne if it means a lot — can you bring a half dozen bottles in yourself? And go to Costco?
I’d skip the cole slaw, but that’s because I really don’t like it. Otherwise, I’d skip upgrading the salad because I agree that more people will appreciate the late night snack and champagne. I also wouldn’t notice the type of tequila in my margarita - maybe I would in a shot, but it’s best that I avoid those - so I don’t know that it’s necessary.
I would definitely keep the snack, I think your guests will love it! I would nix the bubbly, but $5 for a salad upgrade seems like a lot and not everyone really likes coleslaw. . . I would nix one of those.
I love the midnight snacks! Good choice on selecting Kim Crawford.
Love the bartlett pear option. Agree that people don’t really care about champagne (especially knowing most of the guests!) Midnight snacks look yummy - we’ll be dancing our hearts out and we will definitely by hungry!
I say stick with your original salad. I think it will be more universally liked by your guests. My best friend had a delicious salad with a red wine poached pear and blue cheese, which I found delicious, but as I looked around my table, most people just pushed the fruit to the side and ate the lettuce plain.
As for my favorite upgrade….THE LATE NIGHT SNACKS!! I totally want to devour those mini-burgers! yum!
The Bartlett Pear salad and Patron Silver are my favorite upgrades, your menu sounds soo awesome now!
I also would nix the champagne toast in favor of the pear salad and late night snacks!
The salad upgrade is key, sugared pecans=yummy! Also the margaritas will be such a hit and the burgers and onion rings make my mouth water!! I would leave out the champagne toast….with beer, wine and margaritas someone may get hurt with champagne too!!! Enjoy all that yummy goodness!
I *love* late night snacks - definitely keep that!! All these upgrades sound fabulous - I want to come to your wedding
I hope Amstel light is one of you or your FI fav beers otherwise don’t tell any natives (Colorado) that you aren’t serving the beer that Colorado is known for, Coors Light but maybe your serving the other beer that made Coors Famous- Blue Moon. But at least you are giving your guest free alcohol, you know how guys are at least the ones I know they will drink anything that has alcohol in it.
My favorite upgrades are the sliders and rings. Mmm!
I love pears in salads, but the sliders are the best upgrade. If you have to cut something I don’t think anyone will really notice what tequila is in the margaritas.
I love Gloria Ferrer. And mini sliders as a late night snack sound delicious!
I love the late night snack and the first salad looks delicious. I would think about going back to regular tequila in the margs. I think the difference in tast won’t be noticed after the first cocktail so why cut the champagne? $5 more per salad does sound like a bit much, so if you want to keep the alcohol, I’d stick with the original salad. Sounds like a great menu and an intimate affair.
Good lord, all the food looks delicious!! The midnight snack is an excellent idea. After all teh dancing and carrying on, something in the stomach will keep the party going!
Oh, and good call about the tequila upgrade. Your friends will thank you in the morning.
Mmmm so hard to choose a favorite…I love the late night snack idea…as well as the margarita upgrade! Yummmmm!
I love love love the champagne and the late night stacks will be perfect!
I think if you have to cut anywhere in your changes two good places would e the Champagne toast and upgrading your salad. You are having other vegetable options with your meal so I don’t think anyone will really notice. Also I’ve been to lots of weddings where there is no Champagne toast and no one noticed, besides not everyone likes Champagne.
I wouldn’t pay the extra $$ to upgrade our salad… and champagne toasts are so not neccessary. Unless champagne is served, people always use whatever they have in hand to toast: drink, pop, water…
The late night snack sounds AWESOME!! I’d be thrilled as a guest. I think you can do away with the Champagne. Not everyone drinks, and not everyone drinks champagne. I’d rather toast with wine
UMMM YUMMERS! How about 67 guests? Mr Frenchie and I LOVE Kim Crawford SB!
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Mrs. Cowboy Boot, Santa Fe
Age and Occupation: 25, Magazine Editor
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 29, Artist and Whitewater Rafting Guide
Engagement Date: April 28th, 2008
Wedding Date: October 2009
Venue: Devil's Thumb Ranch, Colorado
About Me: I grew up in Los Angeles and have since lived in San Diego, Boston, Italy, Hawaii, New York City, and Santa Fe. I speak Italian and love pasta. My real passion is the outdoors, though. When I'm not at work, I'm snowboarding, hiking with my two dogs, mountain biking, surfing, cross-country-skiing, or boating New Mexico's rivers. Despite my boyish love for adventure, I'm a girly-girl at heart and am overly-excited to pull off the romantic, vintage-inspired, country wedding of my dreams.
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