All this wedding-week conversation must have made you hungry, so you’re invited to sample a few of the dishes we served on our wedding day.
Perhaps our boldest DIY move was deciding not to hire a caterer and to prepare the entire menu ourselves. It may sound a little crazy, but we had good reasons. Many caterers require a separate prep area and our modest ranch house simply didn’t have the space. We also wanted a cozy, familiar atmosphere—hired servers in black suits passing hors d’oeuvres in our backyard felt off for this intimate gathering. Mostly, though, we’re enthusiastic DIYers who love tackling challenges. Feeding about 75 guests sounded daunting, but thoughtful planning, a handful of make-ahead components, and smart delegation made it entirely manageable. We emphasized pre-prepared items with a gourmet twist so everything felt special without being stressful.
To simplify logistics, we built a menu that required no stove-top cooking on site—aside from the entrées cooked at the grill—and that could be eaten easily with one fork or by hand. Upscale finger foods and simple, fresh items were the focus: seasonal fruit, cocktail shrimp, rotini salad, lemon-pepper potato chips and similar offerings. Keeping things straightforward and adding small, unexpected touches—an unusual ingredient, a delightful dipping sauce, or an herb-folded ketchup—fit our relaxed backyard vibe and kept the food memorable.
We used a “simple-with-a-twist” approach for the main courses as well, listing the grill offerings on a chalkboard above the barbecue for everyone to see.
Guests stepped up to the grill and chose between three items: a blue-cheese Angus burger topped with parmesan-Caesar dressing, a sweet-apple chicken sausage with honey-Dijon, or a tomato-and-cheddar veggie burger with basil-ketchup. We prepared the blue-cheese burgers ahead of time by folding chunky blue cheese into ground beef and freezing the patties to be thawed the morning of the event. The sweet-apple chicken sausages and tomato-cheddar veggie burgers were purchased in bulk a few days prior. We splurged on quality buns and elevated the toppings—a touch of fresh basil in the ketchup and a bright parmesan-Caesar drizzle on the blue-cheese burgers. These subtle upgrades to classic favorites were a hit, and we made sure we had extra so guests could sample more than one entrée if they wanted.
Although we didn’t have time to taste much during the hustle of the day, the feedback from friends and family was overwhelmingly positive—lots of second helpings and very little left over.
A small but effective decorative detail my husband put together while I was getting ready was a galvanized tub of ice accented with sliced lemons. For a few cents per lemon, the display looked elevated and inviting—proof that inexpensive elements, when used thoughtfully, can make a big visual impact.
Our most popular choice was one of the simplest: cupcakes from a beloved local grocery bakery. These small vanilla cupcakes are a regional favorite, and we resisted the urge to over-decorate them. In a crowd, the cupcakes looked like a sea of creamy confections and guests couldn’t get enough—several people admitted to eating several each. Feeding each other cupcakes was also a playful twist on the traditional cake-feeding moment.
We ended the evening with a relaxed s’mores roast around our firepit. As guests dwindled, those who stuck around enjoyed toasting marshmallows and assembling s’mores—chocolate bars, graham crackers, and marshmallows are budget-friendly but create a memorable late-night experience. It was one of those simple touches that lingered in people’s memories long after the coals cooled.
And just like all good things, our wedding-week series has come to an end. We loved sharing the details of our celebration and hope you enjoyed following along. Thanks for your enthusiasm during this joyful week—there are more before-and-after projects on the way, so stay tuned for what’s next.
*See our Wedding Album tab for a full photo essay of the day and all the details from start to finish.