Summer Wedding Inspiration

Last year, we catered a beautiful Rustic/Vintage inspired wedding in Simi Valley, CA. Captured by Wild Whim Photography.  

Summer is here! In celebration of it, we thought it would be nice to reminisce and get inspired. Take a look at a wedding we catered last July in 100 degree weather… 

We love a gorgeous outdoor summer wedding.  Not only do you have the natural beauty of your venue to admire but your photographer will love the natural lighting to make every detail shine. 

The Tuscan Villa Estate is nestled in the Santa Susana Pass that takes you into Simi Valley. What makes this venue so special is that you can book this estate as long as you want and can accommodate up to 30 guests overnight. The bride and groom took full advantage of this and had a week long wedding celebration that included a rehearsal dinner and a farewell brunch.  

From the moment we met this adorable couple we knew this was going to be a fun wedding full of unique special touches. Their wedding day was one of the hottest days in Simi Valley, reaching up to 105 degrees Fahrenheit right before their ceremony was scheduled to start. As a vendor, we have to say this made setting up the 200 guest reception much more challenging – but that much more rewarding afterwards. We kept the tablescape simple, per the bride’s request, and only placed water goblets along with the silverware, which was rolled up in a napkin and tied off with twine. The bride’s centerpieces, which consisted of assorted vintage medicine bottles filled with colorful wildflowers, chalk numbers, and candles all placed on top of beautiful vintage crochet doilies really stood out and looked beautiful against the light grey table linens.  The reception was full of unique personal touches, from signage on vintage frames, burlap banners, a custom wedding hashtag for instagramers, and more.

We provided tray-passed hors d’eouvres during cocktail hour and a delicious buffet dinner that included a sit-down salad. [For brides and grooms considering a buffet dinner but still have reservations, you can do a hybrid buffet dinner and offer a sit-down salad course. This way, your guests get something to eat right after they sit down for the reception and then have the remainder of the dinner course on a buffet. Your guests will still feel special and this offers a sense of formality for the wedding reception.] Throughout the reception, guests kept themselves busy with a fun photo booth provided by The Tommy B.

Instead of a traditional wedding cake, the bride and groom cut into a small token cake and enjoyed a variety of delicious pastries and desserts. We provided freshly brewed coffee with Fresh Whipped Cream, Dark Chocolate Chips, Non Dairy Creamer, Sugar Cubes and Sugar Substitute.

We had so much fun working this wedding and enjoyed being a part of this couple's celebration of love!

Enjoy the beautiful pictures captured by Wild Whim Photography.

Venue: Tuscan Villa Estate

Wedding Coordinator: Amanda Marie Events

Photographer: Wild Whim Photography

Caterer: Henri's Exquisite Catering

Dessert: Carrara Pastries

Florals: Acton Creative Flowers 

Rentals: Tri Valley Rentals 

Photobooth: Tommy B Photobooth 

Wedding Gown: T.O. Bridal Collection

Invitations: Paper & Lace 

Menu:

Hors d'oevures

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Mini Grilled Vegetable Pizzas

Crab and Gouda Stuffed Mushrooms

Salad

Field Greens with Candied Walnuts, Dried Cranberries, Crumbled Feta and Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing

Buffet DInner

Chicken Picatta with Lemon Caper Sauce

Penne Pasta with SunDried Tomatoes, Garlic and Fresh Basil

Summer Grilled Vegetables with Tri-Colored Peppers

Fresh Baked Rolls + Squaw Bread and Butter

Vegetable Crudites and Dip

Fresh Fruit Cascade

Fresh Brewed Coffee with European Set-Up

Our Favorite Pinterest Wedding Trends

Happy Pinning! We have been active on Pinterest and just love some trends we have been seeing this past year.

Photo Credit: Glass Jar Photography

 

Engagement season might be coming to a close but that just means that spring weddings are just around the corner! Pinterest has blown into a mega successful site with millions of pinners creating boards and adding pins about food, travel, arts and crafts to weddings. At Henri's Exquisite Catering we finally joined the Pinterest bandwagon (you are more than welcome to follow us - http://pinterest.com/henriscatering) and I have to say, we absolutely love it! It's a great forum to share ideas and inspirations as well as help with planning a wedding.

 

When it comes to weddings there will always be lots of different trends that go in and out of fashion. What is most important is that you as the bride get inspired and gather ideas  that fit your unique style and budget. The result will be a beautiful wedding that is the reflection of who you and the love of your life are.

 

Here are our top 10 favorite pinterest wedding trends.

 

1. Do-it-Yourself...Hand-Made Details.

For many, the days of Mommy and Daddy paying for a big wedding are gone. The world and economy we live in have changed, and now, more than ever, we see young couples saving and paying for their own dream wedding. Every single detail involved eats a chunk of the wedding budget - as the little things always add up. To save money and add some of their own personality, brides are taking care of those little things. From signs leading guests the right way. Hand-Made Pom Poms to decorate the wedding isle. We love this idea - because flowers will eat a significant chunk of your money - while we think that flowers are beautiful - if your budget is a little tighter keep it more simple in the ceremony and get flower centerpieces for your reception. For beach weddings starfish and twine to place on the wedding isle chairs. Brides are not just limiting themselves to the decor, they are taking charge and creating their own beautiful invitations for a lot less than the cost of custom ordering them.

                

2. Chalk Boards

They look great - they're inexpensive and allow you to completely customize your wedding. You can find them in dollar stores, craft stores or for those that are more adventurous you can find frames in thrift stores and paint them with chalk paint!

 

3. The Signature Cocktail

For those that enjoy their cocktails, having a few signature cocktails in addition to beer, wine and soft drinks will make your guests feel special and will have those that enjoy their drinks happy. If you are looking to save money and are considering a cash bar - we highly suggest against it - wedding guests don't usually come prepared to spend money on their drinks. Save money by buying your own liquor and drinks instead of having your caterer do it. If you do this ahead of time you can look for specials and save lots of money. If you feel like you can't afford to buy hard liquor for signature cocktails, do beer and wine - your guests will be just fine.

                        

4. Mason Jars

Yes, they are all over pinterest and the rest of the world wide web. We love them. For a party of 100 guests all you need is a dozen box of mason jars that you can buy anywhere nowadays. Give the jars to your florist and have them arrange your centerpieces in them. To save money keep the arrangement simple - have them tie some twine or ribbon, and you have the makings of a gorgeous centerpiece.

5. Burlap

Now we realize that this does not necessarily work with all weddings. Most of this depends on your style, theme, and venue. But for those that are going for a more rustic/barn look we love the creative use of this material.

     






































6. Ombre Wedding Cakes

The Ombre. It's on hair, nails, and cake! If you want to be bold have the outisde of your cake frosted in ombre style. If you want to be a little more suttle, have a simple white frosted cake with an ombre pink champagne cake center.

 

 

7. Bite Size

Hors d'oevures are not just for cocktail hour anymore! Many more creative  brides on a budget are going for nothing but bite size for their reception. While some might be skeptical as to how well fed your guests are going to be - if you work it out with your caterer and get other things in the mix (we include fresh fruit displays, vegetable crudites and dip, fresh made rolls, and a beverage or two) you will find that your guests will leave your wedding with happy tummys. We are seeing people request sliders, soup shots, and lots of small appetizers.

                                         














































8. Food Bars

They are great for a relaxed and casual reception. People love anything they can customize. Some popular choices are: Soft Taco Bars, Mashed Potato Bars, and Pasta Bars. These are especially great if you know you have a  lot of picky eaters.

                                    

9. Goodbye Wedding Cake!

While we simply love a traditional wedding cake, lots of brides are stepping outside the box and going with cupcakes and cake pops and just having a small topper to slice.

If you want to go this route to save some money, just be careful and always go with a simple design. Cake and flavor don't necessarily increase the price of your cake it is the design and materials that can skyrocket the cost.

10. Thoughtful Outdoor Weddings

Outdoor Weddings are beautiful. But if it's one thing we don't have control over it's mother nature. It's best to always be prepared and get things like fans, sunglases or shawls for your guests. Go to discount stores and get these in bulk for savings. For those in Southern California, check out Downtown Los Angeles for great deals in the Garmet District.

              

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Whatever your inspiration is, always be sure to remember that while thinking of your guests is important at the end of the day this is YOUR wedding. This is the day that you will remember for the rest of your life and the day that you will one day be telling your children and grandchildren about. Do what you think is best and make it all about you and the love of your life. The one piece of advice we can share with you is keep it simple to keep it elegant to keep it affordable and have a great time!

 

Adamson House Wedding

 

We catered a beautiful Malibu wedding on a sunny September day.

 

Photo Credit: Gloria Mesa Photography

One of the things we enjoy about catering is being able to share life's special moments with our customers. We had the privilege of catering a beautiful wedding at The Adamson House in Malibu, CA. Right off Pacific Coast Highway, this beautiful property, built in 1929, is a national historic site and a California historical landmark.

We worked together with the bride and her vendors to ensure she would have a fun and memorable wedding.We provided "Day-Of" Coordinating Services, Serving Staff, and Food of course! While The Adamson House does not have a kitchen available, we set up an outdoor kitchen area on the grounds and brought our electric convection oven to heat hors d'oeuvres and later before dinner brought the rest of the food warm in our commercial hot boxes. 

For brides interested in the Adamson House for their big day, we recommend building  a full usable kitchen on the property. If you talk about this with your caterer and rental company, they will help you see what items you need - this depends on your type of menu and style of service (ie. Sit-Down, Buffet or Family Style). For example, a covered tent with lighting as well as a commercial conventional range with oven and plenty of tables for prep! This will help your caterer very much and will help to ensure your food is safe, fresh and delicious! Nothing is better than when your food comes straight from the oven to the plate. 

The bride arranged for her own cake with Bread Basket Cake Company in Camarillo. The cake had three different flavored tiers and was covered in white chocolate. The bride provided her own cake topper and cutter. 

Photo Credit: Gloria Mesa Photography

All of the photography was done by the amazing Gloria Mesa of Gloria Mesa Photography. She was such a pleasure to work with and produces incredible work. She was kind enough to send us pictures of our work to share with you. If any bride-to-be is reading this and is still looking for a photographer, I confidently recommend her to you! Check out her blog (www.gloriamesa.com/blog)  for more pictures of her work at the Adamson House and more.

We tray-passed three hors d'oeuvres during cocktail hour:

Crab and Gouda Stuffed Mushrooms
pictured below

Mini Beef Wellingtons

Bruschetta
with Fresh Mozarella and Basil

Photo Credit: Gloria Mesa Photography

The bride rented a small bar that was set up at the reception area and we provided tables and linens for this bar at the cocktail area which took place in the patio.

Photo Credit: Gloria Mesa Photography

We served vegetable crudites and our fresh fruit cascade during cocktail hour stationed in the patio.

Photo Credit: Gloria Mesa Photography

All rentals - which included bar, lighting, tables, chairs, and linens were provided by AAA Rents.  The bride chose a vibrant sea blue for her napkins which we folded and set at the tables.

Our staff set-up the chairs at the ceremony site and afterwards moved them to the reception area and also arranged the tables in the reception area.

Depending on the location of your ceremony, if it is within close proximity of the reception, you can save some money and only rent one set of chairs, our staff will move them from the ceremony to the reception site at no extra charge. 

Photo Credit: Gloria Mesa Photgraphy

Photo Credit: Gloria Mesa Photography

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the special touch, a fan fold and strawberries on the champagne glasses helped bring the tables to life. The bride arranged for her centerpieces, colorful wild flowers in mason jars with blue ribbon. 

Photo Credit: Gloria Mesa Photography

We loved the starfish details that lined the isle in the ceremony area!

Photo Credit: Gloria Mesa Photography

 

A great way of keeping all your guests happy at the bar without breaking your wallet is by doing water, soft drinks, and beer and wine. The bride provided a keg of a local brew as well as wine and champagne. To make it easier for her guests, she provided a framed menu at the bar.

Photo Credit: Gloria Mesa Photography

 

We poured the champagne for the toast - at Henri's we do not have corkage fees or cake cutting fees, everything is part of our service.

Photo Credit: Gloria Mesa Photography

   

 

Tying napkins on our silver chaffing dishes added a nice personalized touch to the buffet.

Photo Credit: Gloria Mesa Photography

Photo Credit: Gloria Mesa Photography

Photo Credit: Gloria Mesa Photography

This is a wonderful children's table centerpiece idea. The bride used the same mason jars that she used for her floral centerpieces and filled it with Starburst and a bouquet of Jolly Rancher lollypops. For the finishing touch a blue ribbon and the chalkboard table sign.

Photo Credit: Gloria Mesa Photography

Another wonderful idea for the children's table is to provide your little guests with activity books to keep them busy and happy during the reception. The bride tied a few crayons with ribbon and made her own activity book.

Photo Credit: Gloria Mesa Photography

                                                    

Note that while this wedding had a buffet dinner, we still provide all of the table settings at the table as well as a sit-down salad. This keeps cost down while still making everyone feel special.  

Below is the menu we provided.

Dinner Menu

Caesar Salad

Chicken Marsala with Mushrooms and Capers

Penne Pasta with Fresh Basil, Sun Dried Tomatoes, Garlic and Artichokes

Summer Grilled Vegetables with Tri-Colored Peppers

Home Baked Rolls and Butter

Squaw Bread

Fresh Fruit Cascade

Vegetable Crudites and Dip

Fresh Brewed Colombian Coffee

Photo Credit: Gloria Mesa Photography

I want to give a  huge thank-you again to Gloria Mesa Photography for sharing these pictures with us and allowing us to share them with you!

We had a wonderful time catering at the Adamson House. It is always rewarding to see the bride and groom's happy faces at the end of the night as well as all of the guests and family.

At Henri's, we do so much more than cater, 

we are in the business of making people happy through good food and service.

For more information about Henri's Exquisite Catering visit our website www.henriscatering.com. Call us (818-348-3141) or email us (henriscatering@gmail.com) for any inquiries.