{Cuisine} A Barbeque Wedding Feast with a South of the Border Taste

One of the best things about summer and fall weddings is the amazing variety of food options -- veggies, salads, sweets, fresh fresh fresh! Aside from the usual, formal fare, couples are now choosing low key picnic and barbeque style wedding receptions and for budget conscious celebrations, backyard, homestyle buffets fit the bill perfectly.  Even though it is getting a little nippy in some parts of the country, a gorgeous afternoon in a local park makes for some good eating time!

In honor of one of our favorite wedding cultures, here are some drool worthy Mexican inspired recipes, perfect for infusing your wedding with a little culture. Add these fresh dishes for a truly authentic and yummy good time. So get out the grill and get it! DELISH!!

Grilled Corn with Mexican Cheese and Lime - My favorite, so irresistible!!

hands-on time: 15 minutes

total time: 15 minutes

serves: 8

8 ears of corn shucked

1 tablespoon olive oil

Kosher salt

1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco (fresh Mexican cheese) or feta will do in a pinch

1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 limes, cut into wedges

• Heat grill to medium-high. Brush corn with oil and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt. 
• Grill, turning often until tender and charred.
• Sprinkle the corn with cheese and cayenne pepper.
• Squeeze lime wedges over the ears.

You can also go unshucked, which makes for a visually interesting dish. Here is an easy recipe. 

Grilling Ancho-Rubbed Pork with Smoky Tomato Salsa

hands-on time: 15 minutes

total time: 40 minutes

serves 8

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 1/2 tablespoon ground ancho chili pepper or regular chili powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin

4 tablespoons olive oil

Kosher salt and black pepper

3 pork tenderloins (about 3 1/2 pounds total) 

2 pints grape tomatoes

6 cloves garlic sliced

2 to 4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and sliced

16 8-inch flour tortillas

• Heat grill to medium-high. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, chili pepper, cumin, 2 tablespoons oil, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Rub the mixture over the pork.
• Divide the tomatoes, garlic, and jalapeno peppers evenly between two large pieces of heavy duty foil. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Fold and seal to form two pouches.
• Divide the tortillas between 2 pieces of heavy-duty foil and wrap.
• Grill the pork, turning occasionally for about 18-22 minutes at 145 degrees F. Let it sit for 5 minutes before slicing. 
• Meanwhile, grill the tomato pouches for 10 minutes, shaking occasionally; transfer contents to a bowl. Grill the foil wrapped tortillas for 3-5 minutes, turning once. 
• Serve the pork with the warm tomato salsa and tortillas.

Tangy Red Cabbage Slaw

hands-on time: 15 minutes

total time: 1 hour

serves 8

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons olive oil

Kosher salt and black pepper

1/2 medium red cabbage (about 1 1/2 pounds), cored and shredded

2 large carrots (about 1/2 pound), grated

3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

• In a large bowl, whisk together the orange and lime juices, oil, brown sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
• Add the cabbage and carrots and toss to combine. Let sit, tossing occasionally, for at least 45 minutes. Fold in cilantro before serving.

Each of these recipes serves 8, so it should increased based on the number of wedding guests. Recipe and Photo Credits: Real Simple

For the full south of the border experience, serve Margaritas as your signature drink. Better yet, set up a 'Rita bar and let your guests choose their own flavor.  Finish up the night with a delicious and easy dessert of vanilla ice cream and cinnamon crisps - perfect ending for a perfect day.

We are having quite a heat spell where I am in CA -- it had been up to 90 in September! Hope you enjoy these recipes and find a way to incorporate them into your wedding menu. Food is one of the easiest and tastiest ways to celebrate culture and there are so many options! 

Go with the YUMMY!

 

Wedding Budgetista - Must Have That Gown + Wedding Gown Buying Tips

In these budget trimming times, bringing out the Wedding Budgetista in all of us is a MUST!
And while we have lots of choices about how much we spend and where we can cut the wedding budget, a bride's wedding gown is one of those personal, it chooses you and you have no choice sort of situations. To help keep you sane, we give you: Wedding Budgetista and the Elusive Gown.  (Sort of sounds like a Disney Movie)

{Photo Credit: Mr. & Mrs. Drew Photography - LOVE them}

You love the gown, the bling, the train. You are giddy about the shape, the color, the perfect poof. And it is available right now! But, OUCH, you just can't swing the price. So how does a bride-to-be score the perfect dress without blowing her budget?

Your first step is to research and contact shops carrying the same dress line. Inquire about the price, shipping time, and special sales they may have. Your size could even be on their racks. Check the internet for brides offering their gently used gowns or bridal outlets selling at a significant discount.

{Photo Credit: Mr. & Mrs. Drew Photography} 

Armed with pricing information, go back to the original shop and negotiate for a lower price based on what others are asking. Chances are bridal boutiques, who want to move merchandise and keep their brides happy, will try to work with you, especially if you plan to buy a veil, shoes and accessories as well. Word of mouth, vendor referrals, and internet reviews such as Yelp and Yahoo can sometimes be incentive enough to make sure you walk away with dress in hand and a little bit of green left in your pocket.

Our good friends over at Mr. and Mrs. Drew Photography have a fabulous article about ordering your wedding gown, a great compliment to this here little article!

Happy shopping!