We just attended a wedding and there was a good number of vegetarians - including half the wedding party. The three choices for entrees were tack of lamb, salmon and mushroom risotto.

We were surprised at the number of non-vegetarians who opted for the risotto. Of course the reception was in Kennet Square, PA which is the "Mushroom Capital of the World" - it was just wonderful.

I just came across this menu that made me drool a little bit. I would think this would satisfy vegetarians and meat-eaters alike.

You have to check out this woman's blog. I am not a vegetarian, but I would trade a choice steak for any of her offerings any day.

Here is a link that might be useful: My new roots

Tabouleh!! Heavy on the parsley, lots of lemon juice, a bit of onion and some bulgar wheat. For variation toward an Anglicized version, switch to heavy on bulgar wheat/lighter on chopped parsley and add seeded, chopped tomatoes and seeded, chopped cucumbers.

Chole - Chick peas simmered in pungent (not hot) spices (Indian markets carry the spice mix).

Naan (OMG!)

As a diehard meat eater, I would be very happy with the menu Sunny posted. Probably because I love white Stilton (preferably w/cranberries).

Congratulations Proud Mama!

Congrats on the wedding...so much fun!

I like the Italian idea esp as it is so well liked by so many. Can you do a pasta bar with a few different pastas and then different sauces...some with meat, some without...marinara, pesto, alfredo, sausage, bolonese... Huge tossed salad, garlic bread, yummo! And of course, Italian wedding soup (meatballs on the side.)

and how can I forget...big platters of italian cookies to go with the wedding cake.

Yummm! Love all the suggestions, but we have to keep it to things I can bring in and serve with little to no prep. She's chosen to forgo catering in favor of a premier DJ and microbrews. Sooo, we'll have to be creative.

I LOOOOVE Jen's menu, OMG, sounds soo good.

I talked with a friend and she suggested we start the ceremony later, after dinner, and just serve cake & appetizers afterward. I kind of like that idea, it'd be a lot easier...and it fits more with her idea of dancing under the white lights. That time of the year it doesn't get dark till 9pm. But of course, I have to confer with the bride.

The spot they've chosen is gorgeous, I'll try to attach a pic. The place is in a forest, with a private lake, so we're not restricted as we'd be if we were at a State Park. And the location is perfect for those two, both fans of nature.

"Tabouleh!"

I fix that all the time and even eat it with my peanut butter and jelly sandwiches! lol.

Pesky, I think doing the dinner before the wedding is a good idea. If not, you'll need to designate a couple of people to bring in the prepared food.

You'll be the mother of the bride, all decked out. You don't need to be cooking and lugging food to the park.

BTW, congrats!!

Beautiful location.

If you want to not include a meal as part of the wedding, then make sure the guests are aware of it...nothing worse than leaving guests hungry. "Followed by refreshments" is one way of wording it so people know not to expect a meal.

Friend of mine complained bitterly about a wedding he went to where the guests were eating nothing but appetizers. Then the wedding party and immediate family disappeared for awhile and then returned....they went off to have lobster dinner for themselves...then came back for the cake with the guests. Can you imagine? He left hungry and angry....not good.

My GF many years ago had an afternoon wedding followed by the reception on the church lawn with lemonade and finger sandwiches and champagne toast and then cake and coffee and tea. It was fine as it was scheduled so it was after lunch but before dinner.

Annie, I cannot imagine such a thing! The wedding party left, fed themselves a lobster dinner then returned? That's crazy and so selfish. Better to feed everyone hot dogs than not include them. I'd have been fuming, too.

I have been on a baked falafel kick lately. We have a veggie restaurant here that makes a warm baked falefel wrap that is out of this world.

Annie, that is shameful!
I was a bridesmaid at a wedding that was held in a beautiful country club with dj, etc. Formal sit down dinner that started with a CUP of Tomato soup, then garden salad ...and nothing else. I could not believe the bride did that, I found it mortifying, especially when people realized they weren't getting anything else, there was a mass exodus from the dining room to the outside garden tent that held the cheese and cracker appetizers.
My Dad picked up a hamburger on the way home.

I still would look into some kind of catering only because it's not fair to be mother of the bride which is stressful enough, and then have to worry about feeding 100 people. I was looking on line for another wedding and found that Carrabba's Grill will serve a meal for $10 per person which is incredibly inexpensive. I imagine if you shop around at some vegetarian restaurants you may be able to do as well. Even if you enlist the bridal party or family members in picking up the food, it would be so much easier on you.

(Frankly, I remember more about the food at weddings than I do the music....)

My poor mother made my wedding gown, her dress, plus the dresses for the girls in my bridal party, then did all the flowers for the wedding. By the time she got herself dressed, I was ready to go down the aisle so we actually spent very little time together before the wedding and she was exhausted. It was afterward that she told me how sorry she was that she did all that and felt like she missed out on so much....

I think the fact that it is an outdoor, casual venue not having a full meal is ok, but agree that you might want to have the ceremony start at like 7pm and have the invitation state that drinks and dancing will follow the ceremony. That gives them notice that there is not a dinner.

I would try and build the food around the venue/micro brews etc. It doesn't sound like a bollywood/asian venue/beverage event, so that food option doesn't really appeal to me.

If you don't serve dinner I'd serve heavy appetizers like soft pretzel sticks, potato skins, veggie meatballs, pizza, dips with veggies and chips. - this food is more party food which may go along with her casual venue, micro beers etc.

If you opt for a meal option does your daughter eat soy burgers? You could offer a meatless option along with a pulled pork option for meat eaters. Green/fruit salad,

Or how about cheese manicotti? Salad, rolls etc.