The Wedding Planners Blog

Mmm... Savoury Fountains

by Danielle Andrews Sunkel

(In this photo: Ranch and BBQ Sauce)

We've all seen the chocolate fountain, and despite some wedding lanners' opinions, it is still a huge hit on the Late Night Sweet table.  Rather than the predictable sweet table, how about wowing your guests a with a Savoury Fountain instead!

 (In this photo: Asiago and White Cheddar cheese Fondue)

Savoury Fountains use delicious sauces in place of chocolate in the double chocolate fountain. Choose from a warm cascade of nacho cheese, savoury gravy, creamy curry, tasty barbecue sauce, tangy ranch dressing, sweet plum sauce, yummy terriyaki or not-so-traditional cheese fondue.  "Basically we can find a way to make almost any sauce run through our fountains," says Jeff Berg, Director of the Double Chocolate Fountain.  "Our great culinary team works closely with our clients to ensure we exceed their expectations, and put together the combination they are looking for."

(In this photo: Chicken at a Terriyaki and Plum Savoury Fountain)

Double Chocolate Fountain's ideas for Savoury Fountain Stations include:

• The Poutine Station: A fountain of hot, delicious gravy surrounded by homemade French fries and fresh cheese curds. 
• Satay Station: Rich satay sauce pours forth, ready to coat skewers of succulent chicken or beef.
• Chicken Wings: Cascades of barbecue sauce or ranch dressing form a tasty centerpiece for tender chicken wings. 
• Uptown Nachos: Spicy nacho cheese just waiting to flow onto crisp tortilla chips and an assortment of tasty toppings.

Thank you to Double Chocolate Fountain for the courtesy of using all their beautiful photos!

Venue: The Royal Conservatory of Music

By: Tracey Manailescu

 
Last Wednesday night, (yes, the night of the forewarned snow storm) Danielle and I were invited to The Royal Conservatory of Music for an industry party. It included food tastings by their preferred caterers, decor set ups and entertainment. The Royal Conservatory is located at 273 Bloor Street West, between the Royal Ontario Museum and Varsity Stadium.

The RCM had sent us an email the day before telling us not to be afraid of the snow, as their staff are great at brushing off snowflaskes and would warm us up, LOL! People listened, because it was very well attended.

" A distinctly different building" – The Globe and Mail

When we arrived, another planner at the front door said, "make sure you try the jalepeno ice cream!"  So, of course I did.  It had pieces of spiced pork on top, and the homemade ice cream mixed with the sweet and salty flavours made it delicious.

 
The venue offers floor to ceiling windows, where you can view downtown Toronto and Philosopher’s Walk, with modern and simplistic decor.

*Since you are right smack downtown, obviously there is no public or private parking at The Royal Conservatory, but you are within a 5 minute walk of subway stations, and a public parking lot across from the St. George subway station.

Photos: 3 are courtesy of The Royal Conservatory website, and the rest are photos I took myself.

Gourmet Hot Dogs to take Over at Weddings in 2011?

By: Tracey Manailescu

Yep, you read this right! 2011 is the year of the gourmet Hot Dog according to The New York Daily News.

  
Apparently Hamburgers have had their glory days, are are on the way out. This is making way for Hot Dogs with fancy toppings and fancy price tags, too! So, what does this mean for you?

It means that you need to call your caterer, and get in on some of that 2011 trend action. 

Get a Hot Dog cart for the late night snack for your guests, and get rid of the extra desserts that you had scheduled.

 

 
How fun would it be to have the gourmet food station set up for your guests to choose from a variety of awesome toppings?

 
I really like the menu choices of Crif Dogs in NY city, and so does Martha Stewart.  Here are some examples of their menu:

*Jon-Jon Deragon -Scallions, cream cheese and everything bagel seeds

*Chihuahua -a bacon wrapped dog with avacodoes and sour cream

*Tsunami -bacon wrapped, with teriyaki, pinapple and green onions

 Bon appetit!

What's "Hot" in Weddings? Cake Canopies

by Danielle Andrews Sunkel

Image: Rebecca Thuss

Many experts are predicting that the Wedding Cake is going to be even more of a focal point this Wedding Season.  With the heavy prevalence of all-outdoors weddings this year, a cake canopy is almost a necessity.  Canopies can be of filmy tulle, lace or cotton.  They can be practical and actually protect the cake from insects or sheerly for docration.

 

Image: Inspiration Corners

More predictions include a return to buttercream exteriors, with elaborate cake table displays. 

 

Image: The Knot

Be prepared for archways, wrought iron canopy frames and even mini chandeliers framing the wedding cake.  Celebrity Wedding Planner, Donnie Brown, has designed an entire line of Wedding Arches and canopies.  

 

Image: Charmed Weddings

Wedding Cake designers put hours of hard work into creating a work of art for your wedding, so whether you use a cake canopy, an arch or pinspot lighting, show off their masterpiece in a grand way!

Mystery Dinner Wedding Proposal?

By: Tracey Manailescu

 
Tired of the same old wedding proposals?  Ring in the champagne glass or put in a fortune cookie? 

An Ottawa based company, Urban Quest has come up with a solution to add some spice to your Wedding proposal, Engagement party or even a small Wedding reception for that matter.

 
Here's the scoop: Sign up for one of Urban Quest's packages where you choose the level of difficulty and also the level of romance.  You can explore a museum, the heart of the city, or hotspots you may not even know about.  At the final destination, you can pop the question!

 
If you are not sold on one of the preset packages, you can work with one of the Coordinators to create your own!

What a fun and unique way to expore your city, get some exercise and work together!

*Prices start at $99 CDN

*Urban Quest has also set up an office in Toronto, and Kingston is in the near future.

Milk and Cookies at your Wedding

Source: mywedding.com

by Danielle Andrews Sunkel

For the past few years, couples have been providing their guests with comfort food for a late-night treat, rather than the traditional Sweet Table of desserts and fruit.

Milk and Cookies bring you the best of both worlds: a sweet treat that brings back warm fuzzies from childhood.  They can be put out on a cookie bar or buffet, served on trays or given to guests as favours on their way home.

Milk and Cookies can be Chic: 

Credit: Drew B Photography

Milk and Cookies can be Fun:

Source: Yum Sugar

Milk and Cookies can be Cool:

Credit: VanDeusen Photography 

Milk and Cookies can be Sweet:

Source: MarthaStewart.com

Milk and Cookies can be a Wedding Favour:

Source: Simply Sweet Bake Shop 

However you make it happen, they are sure to be a hit!