No! Food is not the most important! CAKE is the most important! THEN food! We got a chocolate-and-raspberry-on-chocolate cake from Katrina Rozelle. Then we talked to caterers. At some point we came up with the venue, but, hey: we had PRIORITIES.

The funniest thing was when the caterer said, Do you mind if we don't do chicken? Obviously one too many clients had asked her to do everything with chicken, so as to be bland and non-offensive, and she was looking to branch out a little. (We agreed.)

And, btw, it's UNBELIEVABLE that someone planning a wedding would wait until this point to find a caterer. That woman rates three Oys.

It's refreshing when people expand their horizons. And there's nothing wrong with getting the cake first.

We have a fabulous Cake Lady. Her cakes - to die for. There's nothing she can't do. In December someone requested Red Velvet cake - it was the most amazing red velvet cake I have ever eaten.

No way... I smell a difficult, drama filled wedding, and perhaps she was dropped by another caterer for her craziness, and lack of planning.

You shoulda named this blog post: LUNCHABLES FOR EVERYONE!

I am still cracking up about Drunk Uncle Howard.

My daughter, when she marries, will have the best wedding reception ever, because I will be aware of the avoidables.

When did they set the date?

The date was set before the holidays.

Well, at least they didn't tell you she had called two or three other caterers before you but they were booked.

The other thing is people will not only freak out about finding dj's, etc, they spend GOBS of money on them but when it comes to the food they commence the nickel and diming.

Food most certainly IS the most important thing. I recently had a wedding on St. John and was unable to do a tasting -- which freaked me out because a number of Chefs were coming as guests -- but the food was really, really wonderful. I opted for cupcakes instead of a cake because I didn't want a gummy passionfruit gel-injected vanilla genoise with overwhipped buttercream frosting plastered all over it (one of the better options). The cupcakes turned out to be muffin-like in appearance and had enough buttercream piped on top of each one to feed a small village (despite my directions to the pastry Chef), but everyone seemed to enjoy them (except me and a few pastry Chefs who knew better) and they were definitely not the high point

I agree that it is possible that the drama queen Mamma may have been dropped by another caterer. Though, it is possible that she was simply that stupid and hadn't planned ahead. I try very hard not to underestimate the stupidity of people, but I usually fail.

There is always the option of doing one's own catering, but I would not suggest it, having done it. And even if you feel up to catering the event yourself, don't make your own wedding cake, even if you are a pastry chef. There are too many other things to freak out about without building a towering cake thing and decorating it, too.

(Did that too, still have the emotional scars. Will never do it again, I promise. In fact, I don't do wedding cakes for anyone, even best friends, even were my own child to want one from me, I would not do it. Nope. Cook for a crowd: no problem, bake a towering cake thing: problem.)

The most important thing is figuring out the reception hall and making sure its in a dry county so the venue/caterer can't mark it up 100% and you can get Orange label Veuve Cliquot instead of hotel-provided Fetzer at the same price.

THEN you need to work on the food/caterer.

If it's any consolation, we tipped the caterer and the bartender well... :)

I guess they will be stuck with ordering deli trays :-)

I just found your blog and I love your style

and since I am a bride to be in the next year or so, I had to commment on this

WHAT WERE THEY THINKING!

heck...for us food is the number one priority...well yes we had to make sure we could get the space we want, but damn...I do NOT want our guests to remember horrid food (over salted beef and rubber chicken is NOT my idea of a good time)...I want them to gush how awesome the food was..and hopefully I won't be like other brides and not get a chance to eat any of it

yea...we have a few ideas of who we want to talk to and hopefully we will get to have tastings in the near future...yea we have a picture of what we want...now it is the search to try and find it...and I now finding talent takes time...

sorry you had to deal with an asshat..hopefully I won't become one as the wedding approaches