Wine Country Wedding from Tanja Lippert Photography
Tanja Lippert always seems to send the most gorgeous of weddings our way. With images that make people fall head over heels in love with over and over again. So it's no surprise really that this beauty at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone is one for your favorites folder. And with Hayley Seed at the design helm - it just gets that much more gorgeous. It's the definition of timeless perfection, and there is even more prettiness to see right here.
From the Bride... Hands down, my most memorable meal is my own wedding dinner. My husband (Lindon) and I spent hours pondering our favorite foods and reminiscing on our most poignant food experiences. This was an especially lengthy and difficult task because we like everything and most of our memories are tied to food in some way. But we wanted our wedding menu to speak about us and our experiences, so we pressed on...Growing up, my dad and brother would go quail hunting every fall. At the end of the day, they would return, birds in hand, and my mom would grill the quail for dinner. We would eat for hours, nibbling on every mini drumstick, licking our fingers and laughing about the days hunt. Inevitably, the dinner would end with a showdown between my dad and me over the last quail breast. For the wedding dinner, we incorporated the quail during our cocktail hour with hors d'ouevres of a Grilled Breast of Quail with Pomegranate Glaze. The quail had their wing bone attached that made for a delicate and perfect (mess free) bite. It was a grown-up twist on my memories of grilled quail as a child.
When we were seated for dinner on this most magical evening a mariachi band played in the background to set the festive tone (and was nod to my Mexican heritage). Our dinner table was 120 feet long and had seats for 125 of our family and dearest friends. Lindon and I sat in the middle and I remember being blissfully awed by the beauty of seeing all the people we love surrounding us. We started with Dungeness Crab and Avocado Timbale Heirloom Tomato Vinaigrette and Greystone Garden Basil Oil Microgreens. The presentation was spectacular- the crab meat, avocados and tomatoes piled high. Lindon chose the next course; while spending 6 months climbing in the Himalaya's with no access to beef, he spent most of his time dreaming of a prime rib dinner. And, although this trip was more than 5 years ago, his hunger for a great prime rib dinner is never satiated. So our entre was Prime Rib that served with Braised Tuscan Black Kale, Shallots and Garlic, Sauted Brussel Sprouts, Roasted Beets with Hazelnuts, all drizzled with a Cabernet Sauvignon Reduction and a side of Fresh Horseradish. And, served family style, a heap of Pommes Frites infused with Truffle Oil. I am dangerously in love with French Fries so they were a must on the table.
The meal concluded with a tribute to my mom and her wedding. We used the recipe from her wedding cake, a Mexican Wedding Cake. It is a very sweet and dense Almond cake kissed with a delicate layer of marzipan and frosted with almond butter cream. At my moms wedding, held at our then home in Sun Valley, ID, guests returned the next day looking to have just one more bite of the wedding cake. The same thing happened at my wedding, although this time we were prepared with an additional tier. We pulled it out at breakfast the following morning and everyone dug in. I can't think of a breakfast more divine than wedding cake and a cup of coffee the morning after a GREAT party!
The meal was not only magical because the menu painted a picture of who we are, but it also celebrated our family and friends. Thinking back, I can taste the flavors, hear the music, smell the roses and smile at my most memorable meal.
Details: Vintage Cake topper from the 1940's. Favors: Each guest received a framed Indian Arrowhead from the Bride's father's personal Native American art collection.
When we were seated for dinner on this most magical evening a mariachi band played in the background to set the festive tone (and was nod to my Mexican heritage). Our dinner table was 120 feet long and had seats for 125 of our family and dearest friends. Lindon and I sat in the middle and I remember being blissfully awed by the beauty of seeing all the people we love surrounding us. We started with Dungeness Crab and Avocado Timbale Heirloom Tomato Vinaigrette and Greystone Garden Basil Oil Microgreens. The presentation was spectacular- the crab meat, avocados and tomatoes piled high. Lindon chose the next course; while spending 6 months climbing in the Himalaya's with no access to beef, he spent most of his time dreaming of a prime rib dinner. And, although this trip was more than 5 years ago, his hunger for a great prime rib dinner is never satiated. So our entre was Prime Rib that served with Braised Tuscan Black Kale, Shallots and Garlic, Sauted Brussel Sprouts, Roasted Beets with Hazelnuts, all drizzled with a Cabernet Sauvignon Reduction and a side of Fresh Horseradish. And, served family style, a heap of Pommes Frites infused with Truffle Oil. I am dangerously in love with French Fries so they were a must on the table.
The meal concluded with a tribute to my mom and her wedding. We used the recipe from her wedding cake, a Mexican Wedding Cake. It is a very sweet and dense Almond cake kissed with a delicate layer of marzipan and frosted with almond butter cream. At my moms wedding, held at our then home in Sun Valley, ID, guests returned the next day looking to have just one more bite of the wedding cake. The same thing happened at my wedding, although this time we were prepared with an additional tier. We pulled it out at breakfast the following morning and everyone dug in. I can't think of a breakfast more divine than wedding cake and a cup of coffee the morning after a GREAT party!
The meal was not only magical because the menu painted a picture of who we are, but it also celebrated our family and friends. Thinking back, I can taste the flavors, hear the music, smell the roses and smile at my most memorable meal.
Details: Vintage Cake topper from the 1940's. Favors: Each guest received a framed Indian Arrowhead from the Bride's father's personal Native American art collection.