Since many people register their relationships in the warm season, outdoor weddings are becoming popular. The menu for it is usually prepared by the newlyweds themselves, calling their loved ones for help, and waiters are not required at all.
In addition, for an open-air celebration you do not need to pay for the rental of a formal hall, and the impressions of the celebration remain very vivid.
If among the guests there are no such people who will find it difficult to get to the appointed place, for example, people of the older generation, then you can organize an unforgettable wedding in nature.
Reader
And yet, preference is given not to heavy and high-calorie dishes, but to light snacks and salads, mainly from vegetables. There should be a lot of them, like fruits, on the wedding table if the banquet is held in the warm season. Lydia Svetlaya
At a wedding, you should focus on the following order of serving food:
- aperitif – cold appetizers and cold cuts (400 g per person);
- salads – 3 different portioned dishes (100 g per serving);
- cold and hot snacks, mainly from meat or fish, but vegetables and mushrooms are allowed (200 g per person);
- main course (200 g per person);
- side dish for the main course (100-200 g per guest);
- desserts (200 g per person);
- cake (200 g per serving).
Even when celebrating outdoors, the wedding table must be perfectly set and decorated. Ready-made dishes are decorated with stylized details if the celebration is held in a certain theme. Characteristic decor and flowers are placed on the tables in shades that are in harmony with the overall design of the wedding.
Attention! Find out which lightweight groom's suit is suitable for the celebration, and also check out the best ideas for a summer wedding.
Dishes for an open-air celebration
Despite the fact that the celebration is scheduled for the warm season, and, as a rule, a large amount of food is not required in the heat, if the banquet is moved outdoors, then the portions, on the contrary, increase. This is due to the fact that in the open air the appetite increases, and in combination with active games and fiery dances it is difficult to achieve satiety.
Juices, compotes, fruit drinks and lemonades are made from sweet fruits to replace store-bought products, since they only increase thirst in the heat. The portion of soft drinks is also increased to at least 2 liters per person. Alcohol is selected depending on the tastes of the company, but you should not stock up on large quantities of strong drinks. It's better to stock up on light, refreshing cocktails.
As for hot food, in nature it is better to give preference to meat, chicken and fish fried over an open fire. A grill or barbecue is perfect for such a banquet, and it does not require a side dish as such. The usual potatoes and rice can be easily replaced with sliced vegetables in combination with thin pita bread.
Desserts can be varied, and it is not necessary to make the cake classic. The usual sponge cake can be replaced with ice cream in combination with fresh berries and fruits. But in this case, you need to take care of the safety of the delicacy, because in the heat it will melt hopelessly.
As for portioned desserts, it can be jelly, creme brulee, cupcakes, mousse, soufflé and other sweets that are pleasantly cooling in warm weather.
Budget wedding: how to organize a wedding inexpensively and beautifully in 2022?
There is a myth that every girl dreams of becoming a princess and wearing a magnificent wedding dress. This is far from true, it may seem strange to some, but today you can increasingly hear from women of different ages the opinion that they do not want a luxurious wedding. The reason for this is often the additional hassle of organizing and lengthy preparation for the celebration. Others believe that the creation of a new family has nothing to do with the stormy feast of all relatives and friends, and try not to organize a celebration for everyone
Another equally important reason is money.
A limited budget dictates its terms and most couples do not want to take out loans to organize a wedding, but they cannot save the required amount
For many, the priority is buying their own home, traveling together, having a child, and much more, which requires significant expenses. Having decided to save, many couples in love believe that the only solution is a banal painting in the registry office, perhaps even without witnesses and guests. But if your soul wants a holiday, there are several ideas on how to celebrate a wedding in an original, inexpensive and beautiful way.
How to organize a budget wedding
How to choose the right food
To create a competent summer menu for an outdoor wedding, you need to count the exact number of guests and determine the budget, making a reserve for unforeseen expenses.
The menu from the mid-price category is as follows:
- vegetable slicing – tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, lettuce, radishes, greens;
- a plate with lightly salted fish and seafood;
- canapes with hard cheese, olives and lemon;
- sandwiches with tomatoes, eggs and anchovies;
- Caesar salad with chicken;
- salad with beans, mushrooms, carrots, walnuts and asparagus;
- beef heart salad with green peas and pickled onions;
- stuffed eggplants baked in the oven; ham cheese and garlic rolls;
- pork kebab;
- portioned ice cream with country berries;
- homemade lemonade with lemon and mint.
If the budget of the future newlyweds allows, then you can choose a more expensive menu that friends and family will appreciate. It might look like this:
- canapés with mozzarella cheese, cherry tomatoes and green bell peppers;
- cold cuts – boiled pork, carbonade, smoked neck;
- tartlets with red caviar;
- tomatoes stuffed with Parmesan cheese, avocado and arugula;
- Tiffany salad with grapes, boiled chicken, almonds, eggs, hard cheese and curry;
- “Funchoza” salad with vegetables or seafood;
- salad with squid, fresh cucumbers, eggs and sour cream;
- homemade rolls;
- meatloaf with egg and cheese;
- lamb kebab;
- mousses, jellies and milkshakes;
- punch, green tea and freshly squeezed juice.
When going outdoors, it’s worth taking with you several sauces, regular and spicy, which should be served with the main course and meat appetizers. It is also advisable to place perishable foods in portable refrigerators until the moment of serving, since the heat can ruin not only the appearance, but also the taste of the food.
Salads and cold appetizers
The approximate number of salads ranges from five to ten vegetable, fish and meat ones. It is recommended not to use sour cream and mayonnaise as a dressing for the summer salad menu. A good combination would be olive oil with wine vinegar or lemon juice, seasoned with fresh grated herbs - basil, sage, mint or rosemary. Such salads fit well into the summer mood of both guests and newlyweds, without loading them with too much fat.
KNOWLEDGE BASE: Cocktails for a wedding are a fashionable replacement for traditional drinks.
Dishes for the second day of celebration
In summer, not only the main banquet is celebrated outdoors, but also the second day of the celebration. Some even rent a camp site and go there with their guests for the whole weekend, so as not to fuss in the stuffy city. In this case, you need to think about what the menu will be, because on the second day of the celebration there is no need for excessive solemnity - the banquet turns into a cozy picnic.
Of course, the menu for the second day of an outdoor wedding mainly includes meat or fish cooked over an open fire. In addition, you can please your guests with fresh fish soup or pilaf. You can prepare such dishes yourself or hire a professional to get complete rest on the second day of your wedding. Grilled vegetables are most often served as a side dish.
Important! On the second day of the wedding, you shouldn’t cook too much - just a few appetizers, 2-3 salads and a main course. The main focus, again, is on drinks.
Option for 30 people
Often at a wedding you can meet exactly this number of guests - it includes the newlyweds themselves, their parents, blood relatives and best friends. In this case, it is not difficult to create a menu, because the bride and groom know the tastes of loved ones and imagine what they will like
As for snacks, based on 400 g per person, then in this case you will need 12 kg of various cuts, canapés, tartlets, sandwiches, etc. You can make 6 different types of such dishes, 2 kg each, and you will get the required amount.
Usually choose the following snacks on the menu for an outdoor wedding for 30 people:
- profiteroles of three types - with salmon, pate and cheese;
- sandwiches with cod liver, cucumber and eggs;
- croutons with kiwi and garlic mayonnaise;
- canapes with feta cheese, olives and vegetables;
- zucchini and eggplant rolls with cheese, garlic and herbs;
- cauliflower in batter.
Salads remain unchanged - 2-3 different types are prepared, 100 g of each of them per serving (3 kg of each salad in total). It is advisable to make one with meat or chicken, the second with fish or seafood, the third with vegetables or mushrooms. It is recommended to use less mayonnaise, since it not only weighs down the food, but also quickly spoils in the heat.
Interesting!
Kebab recipes
There is an extensive list of technologies for preparing barbecue outdoors. Some are banal, while others are suitable for the holidays. After all, it’s nice to sit with a barbecue in nature on your birthday. But all cooking methods end with the same thing: frying the meat on skewers. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to the primary processing of meat: marinating.
For pork
When making marinade for one kilogram of pork meat you will need: a glass of red wine, 2 small spoons of coriander, cinnamon and salt at your discretion. Mix warm alcohol with spices, pour into a container with meat and let it soak in the marinade in a cool place for 4-5 hours. It doesn’t matter if not all the meat is immersed in the marinade, but in this case you will have to stir it;
For chicken
Marinade for chicken weighing 1 kilogram consists of 500 milliliters of light, weak beer, 1 large spoon of salt, 2-3 cloves of garlic and small cumin seeds. Pour in the beer, don't forget to add chopped garlic and seeds, cut up the chicken and put it in the marinade. Leave the covered dish in a warm place for 2 hours.
For lamb
Lemon, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 3 large spoons of mustard, rosemary and 1 glass of white wine are needed to create a marinade for 1.5 kilograms of lamb. All products must be thoroughly mixed and the marinade poured over the pieces of meat. Lamb should be marinated for at least 6 hours, since the meat is tough and does not respond well to the solution.
Without vinegar and alcohol
To prepare “baby shish kebab,” cut 1 kilogram of pork meat into even pieces, add salt and pepper and add onion half rings. Layer the mixture into a bowl, pouring kefir over it. Let marinate for 5-8 hours. The recipe has this name because neither vinegar nor alcohol is used during marinating. This kebab is absolutely harmless to children’s digestion;
If you miss picnics in winter, there is a solution. And this is kebab in a jar. Place the prepared meat on sticks and lightly fry. Place crushed garlic at the bottom of a three-liter jar (check it in advance for cracks), and pour in up to 8 drops of liquid smoke. Place the skewers vertically, no more than 6 will fit in the jar. Cover the jar with a double layer of foil and place it on a baking sheet in the oven. This shish kebab needs to be baked for at least an hour. When opening the oven, be careful: due to temperature changes, the jar risks bursting. Meat prepared in this way is soft and flavorful.
Read how to cook pork kebab.
As you can see, to organize a gathering with a fire or barbecue in nature, you don’t need a lot of resources and funds. But the picnic will give you incredible memories for many months to come.
Summary
The menu for an outdoor wedding is easy to prepare with your own hands. Future newlyweds, together with their family and close friends, can independently prepare and deliver meals - this will be more economical and tastier. Guests will certainly enjoy home-cooked food prepared by the heroes of the occasion, rather than the menu of a cafe or restaurant.
admin 115
Previous article
Recipes for simple dishes: what to cook for a bachelorette party at home or outdoors
Next article
What comes before preparing for a wedding?
After young people have made the final decision to start a family, they need to inform their parents. This is what the engagement ceremony is intended for; it is during this ceremony that the groom meets the bride’s parents, and the most basic issues are resolved:
- date and time of the wedding ceremony;
- the size of the wedding budget is determined;
- division of responsibilities in preparation for the wedding;
- appointment of witnesses;
- a guest list is drawn up.
And these are only the main organizational aspects. Therefore, if newlyweds want to free themselves from a lot of hassle, they need to contact a wedding agency, whose specialists will be willing to organize the event. If the newlyweds decide to hold the wedding on their own, family and friends will definitely come to their aid when drawing up the script and during the wedding.
