Because our reception was held in a restored historic building, there was a set list of caterers to consider. Fortunately, there were about 10 on the list, and I think most of them would have done an excellent job. After narrowing it down, we quotes and sample menus from four and went for tastings at two. In the end, we chose the delicious food and classic, unpretentious presentation of Max Hansen Caterer in Bucks County, PA. Both the food and the service were really, truly, excellent.
We started with a cocktail hour and a half both in and outdoors on the lower level of the mill--passed HD's and cheese and crudite display--and then moved upstairs to the main level for dinner. We settled on a seated dinner because there was really no difference in price, and nixing the buffet table saved us a lot of room. We did continue with an open bar throughout the night, but the Max Hansen staffed circulated with wine throughout dinner. And although I initially really wanted a cookie buffet for dessert, for financial reasons we just went with our wedding cake garnished with mixed berries. (The cake was so delicious, I don't have any regrets about having only a single dessert.)
(For alcohol, we had to work separately with a local liquor store for our beer/wine/liquor, but Max Hansen supplied all the mixers, sodas, etc. At my request, they also created a yummy yummy fresh mojito mix so our guests--and the bride--could enjoy one of my favorite summer drinks while they socialized.)
Here is the menu. Sorry for the weird caps, I am cutting and pasting from the caterer's PDF.
Passed HDs:
- Wanton Crisps with Pekin Duck Breast, Hoisin Sauce, Cucumbers and Scallions
- Smoked Salmon Napoleons with Chive Cream
- Mini BLTs--Local Heirloom Tomatoes, Alderfers Pepper Bacon on Brioche with Basil Aioli and a Fried Basil Leaf
- Mini Lobster Potpies with Chanterelle Mushrooms, Sauce Americaine and Fresh Chervil
- Creamed Spinach Tartlet with Garlic Breadcrumbs and Reggiano Parmesan
Cocktail Stationary Display:
A Display of Fine Cheese and Vegetables-->
Decorated with Grapes, Berries, Crackers and Breads accompanied by a Seasonal Vegetable Crudités with a variety of Sauces and Dips
Plated Salad Course:
Watercress, Radicchio and Belgian Endive with Toasted Walnuts, Sliced Pears, Crumbled Gorgonzola and a Aged Balsamic Vinaigrette
Served with a Sliced Herbed Baguette Crisp
Split Plate Entree:
Chianti Braised Beef Short Rib with Pancetta and Fresh Rosemary Jus
-and-
Pan Seared Jumbo Lump Crab Cake with a Fresh Mango and Cilantro Puree
Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes with Fresh Chives and White Truffle Oil
served with Sautéed Haricot Vert with Toasted Sesame Seeds
Dessert:
Wedding Cake--Chiffon Cake layered with Fresh Strawberries and White Chocolate Buttercream
Fresh Seasonal Berries
Regular and Decaffeinated Coffee ~ Assorted Herbal Teas
Unfortunately, I don't really have many photos of the food. Laura did take some of the appetizers and salad course, but I don't have any of them in digital form. What I do have, however, are cake pictures!!
Regarding the cake, we knew from the outset that we wanted something very simple in appearance but big on taste. Jodi Schad of J. Scones in Doylestown honestly created exactly what we wanted. She was willing to work within our budget, creating a smaller tiered cake for display and additional sheet cakes to meet our guest count. The chiffon with strawberries was light, fresh, and delicious, and the buttercream frosting was everything a buttercream should be. For the look of the cake, we wanted a natural frosted appearance (not too smooth), and we had Jodi wrap the bottom of each tier with raffia. Our florist created a small floral piece for the top and interspersed loose flowers around each tier. Simple, beautiful, and delicious.
As an aside, the cake stand you see in the pictures was one of my exciting wedding deals. I purchased it online from Pottery Barn--on sale for half price. It is a really neat faux mercury glass look--perfect for our rustic, vintage vibe, plus I get to keep it! Here is one of our guest's photos that shows it a little closer--
As pleased as we were with the service of our vendors and the quality of the food itself, we were really equally pleased to be able to support local Bucks County small businesses. We tried to keep this in mind throughout the wedding process, as it is a concept that is very important to both of us. Public service announcement from my blog--support your local small business owner!
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