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Making an Alternative Venue Work & Creating a Vegan Menu
Perhaps you want to know why we’re having our wedding at a training facility.
A few years ago, I started to train at the Centre of Gravity. Maleke was working on hand balancing at the time and he definitely caught my attention. We had so much fun together right off that bat. I would make up silly handstand contests or challenge him to wrestling matches. After a few months, he finally asked me out. One thing led to another and we began to work on double trapeze together, opened up Cirque-ability and got engaged! The engagement was just what I wanted… a surprise! I had no idea it was coming. He picked out the ring by himself! We were at my parents on Christmas Eve when he asked me to come with him; he made me close my eyes and led me to my old bedroom. I could feel rose petals under my feet, candle heat and my heart was racing. When I opened my eyes I saw candles shaped in a heart, roses and Maleke on one knee. It was perfect. The Centre of Gravity is our venue of choice because it is where sparks first flew and it truly is the ideal venue for a circus-themed wedding.
I love the idea of getting married where it all started. However, choosing an alternative venue does have its challenges.
Challenges encountered:
-No tables or chair covers
-No kitchen
-No plates, glasses, cutlery, linens
-One room for everything
-No one to tell us how its been done before
-No wedding decor
I really wanted to find a vegan caterer to provide the meal, but many of them were only able to provide the food with no additional service. We would have to figure out how many different types of bar glasses we’d need, plates, linens, tables, etc. All the rentals and the bar would be separate.
Everything became quite stressful when I realized on the day of the wedding we’d be coordinating several different companies and dealing with table rentals, chair covers, setting the tables, glass rentals, bartenders, moving tables, and the list goes on.
Luckily, my Mom found a great catering company that does it all. Penny Laines does the set up and set down, arranges rentals, transitions the room after the ceremony for the dinner and seems very accommodating. They’re not a vegan company, but they are willing to come up with a totally vegan menu for the wedding. It costs more than I originally budgeted for, but I think the stress it will take off us is paramount. I think for anyone who’s considering an alternative venue, this is definitely the way to go.
I still have to come up with the vegan menu though and I need your help!
Some ideas that come to mind are:
a) Portobello mushroom marinated and grilled with asparagus, red pepper, zucchini and squash. Served with angel hair pasta, tomato-basil salsa and Balsamic Vinaigrette.
b) Stuffed Yellow Pepper with Pilau Rice, Currents and pinenuts. Asparagus tartlet with white bean cassoulet (caterer’s suggestion)
c) A Veggie Pot Pie
d) Other. Any suggestions?
What do you think?
Tags: alternative, blogger search, christmas, engagement, menu, vegan
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8 Responses to “Making an Alternative Venue Work & Creating a Vegan Menu”
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option a) sounds to die for!!! you make me wanna go vegan lol :-)
I’m with Judith, definitely get a tasting, it helps so much, for ours we went with something we wouldn’t have originally chosen if we hadn’t had the chance to try it.
I would pick A, it sounds the yummiest, even though I don’t like mushrooms :)
I appreciate the feedback! Thanks for everyone’s input on the dinner!
May I suggest an alternative stuffed pepper? Roasted red filled with a blend of couscous & [minced] figs, dates, raisins, & olives. Food of the Gods
For the peppers may I offer an alternative? Roasted red peppers stuffed with couscous, onions, figs, dates, olives, and raisins. It tastes rich and glorious
Cutest engagement story ever :)!
I definitely think you should have the Portobello mushroom dish because out of all of them it seems to be the best for a wedding dish.
:)
I’m all for the portobello mushrooms! Great blog Heather. Thanks for sharing your engagement story!
What a sweet engagement! I love that you’re getting married where it all began, it’s so poetic! I guess by the end of it all, YOU’LL be the expert and the ‘go-to’ person when another couple is thinking of using a really unique venue. I think it’s a small price to pay for your sanity and for the chance to get married at the place you had your heart set on.
OOoo.. I love talking about food but I haven’t had the chance to try a vegan meal. Right away I’m drawn to the Portobello mushrooms and grilled asparagus (love mushrooms and grilled asparagus!!). But B and C also sound so yummy! Are you allowed to have a tasting? I would suggest -because I would assume you’d have a few guests who aren’t vegan- that you select a dish where those few ‘non-vegan’ guests couldn’t even guess that it’s a vegan meal. I personally would be MORE intrigued to find out that it’s vegan, but not everyone’s as open right? But if you know they are open minded, I’d say try a bit of it all!! Oh boy, I’m getting hungry.. he he. Sorry, I’m a foodie so I may’ve not helped at all, sorry, LOL! Yikes.. what a dilemma!
You’ll have to let us know what you end up with and possibly post pictures, I enjoy food pictures :).
Great second post my dear!
<3 Judith <3