I love food. While I enjoy going out to a lot of the casual dining restaurants, nothing makes me more happy than dining like a food snob. Being treated to a meal designed and cooked by an executive chef and his team of sous chefs is an awesome experience.

When choosing your menu for your reception, go for the gusto. This will probably be the only time you will plan a huge, elaborate party with elegant food and table settings. If not, I want to be your BFF. A lot of venues and caterers brag or pride themselves on having the “best” chef or they can “cook anything”. Great food is all about great color, wonderful textures, awesome taste and a mind-blowing presentation. Anything less is uncivilized; especially when you’re paying thousands or tens of thousands of dollars for it.

But you say, “OK, Terrica, I hear you. But I’m not a foodie. What should I do?” Well first, ask to talk to the chef. The catering manager is a good resource, but you want to talk to the person who will put some soul into your food. You can tell the chef about your theme– the type of food you like and don’t like, any taste or smell aversions you might have and the colors of your wedding. Tell him or her about any wonderful food experiences you have had, and what, if anything, from that experience you would like to replicate for your wedding.

If you are not sure of what you want, go to your local library or bookstore and check out some of the books to the left. A good start would be The Food You Want to Eat by Ted Allen. Ted Allen of Queer Eye fame is a food and wind connoisseur who can take very ordinary menu items and jazz them up with the right amount of style and spice. Ted’s book will also teach you (briefly) how food works together and the importance of choosing the right food for the right courses.

Chef Eric Ripert is known as “God” in the culinary world and has a palate that inspires some of the most delicious creations that have ever been put on a plate. Co-author of a cookbook named for the restaurant where he is the executive chef, Le Bernardin, Ripert is known for creating some of the most astounding seafood dishes. You can even view some of his recipes on the restaurant’s website.

Who can forget about Rocco DiSpirito? Before Rocco became a heartthrob on NBC’s show, The Restaurant, he was steaming up kitchens in New York at his ultra chic restaurant, Union Pacific. Rocco’s book, Flavor, delves into the world of succulent food that arouses all of the sense and each part of your palate. Known for his Mediterranean tastes, Rocco even shares some of his favorite recipes on his website.

You can also pick up a copy of Food and Wine magazine for ideas. Besides the recipes, this “food porn”, for lack of a better term :), will inspire several ideas in regard to presentation. How your meal is presented will determine if the guest will want to eat it.

Some last few pointers:

• Food should complement, not compete.

• It’s very important to pick seasonal items– both for your budget as well as for the consistency of the menu. Try not to mix seasons– don’t have a hot soup in the summer time.

• “The eye buys”. Presentation is key– if it looks great, your guests won’t be able to wait to dig in.

Again, this will be a very expensive meal for you. Make sure it is worth it! You want to treat your guests to a dynamic experience, and that should include your food. Defy the norm and create a couture menu for your wedding!
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Let’s talk shop.

I’m going to share some things with you that you may have heard or thought about, that might not necessarily be true or warranted.

• Hardly anyone really saves the top layer of their cake anymore.  Sure, they say they will eat it at their first year anniversary, but come on. Let’s be real. A lot of brides are ditching that idea and tradition– I hear so many say “I am not going to want that nasty thing next year! Let’s eat the whole thing!”  Besides, many bakers now give their clients discounted or free cakes at their first year anniversary. 
• Speaking of cakes…Wedding cake is cute. Wedding cake is sweet.  But believe it or not, not everyone eats it!  So it is really unnecessary to have a huge cake; save that money and apply it elsewhere.  You may even want to consider doing dummy layers to get that “big cake” look or order a cake for only 70-90 percent of your guest list if you are having a dessert served with dinner.
• You can eliminate the inner envelope from your invitation order.  Save a tree.  No one uses them anymore– they are antiquated.  I know some of the etiquette books might tell you otherwise– but when you crack it open again, ask it if it is contributing to your budget.  Originally, inner envelopes served a grand purpose:  it kept the invitation clean and free from smudges and dirt when they were delivered by a courier on a horse.  If that applies to you, then keep your inner envelope 🙂
• If you have a small wedding guest list, you can do an iPod wedding. Many entertainment companies now rent out sound systems for this exact reason.  This is particularly good for those smaller parties, especially with those in the guest list who are not big dancers.  iTunes offer the “clean” versions of several songs if you are afraid of offending Grandma.  Just remember to have a tech savvy friend man the station for important events (i.e., introduction, first dance, cake cutting, etc.).  Remember to put some thought into your playlist.   Start your party with something upbeat and fun, include songs from different eras to appeal to the masses, and occasionally slow it down to allow the couples a little romance time. 
• You should ALWAYS order extra invitations and envelopes.  Not just because someone might mess up the envelope or one my tear, but because sometimes envelopes are addressed incorrectly and are returned back to you (or sometimes not at all).  You will need to easily get out new invitations to go to your guests or send out invitations to those on your B list,in the event  from your A list sends their regrets.  Time is of the essence! Being able to do this quickly can eliminate the stress when the final numbers are due.