Over Labor Day weekend, one of our kids tied the knot on one of the San Juan Islands just off Seattle. When I saw the beautiful kitchen in our Air BNB, a party needed to happen and happen it did! We kicked off the exciting weekend with a Welcome Party for family and the wedding party, amounting to twenty people. It was so much fun.
You may be wondering how we flew, drove, ferried to the island and threw a party less than 24 hours later. WELL, it took some planning! I first came up with a menu to have a casual dinner for 20. Then I carefully figured out what could be prepared in advance, frozen and transported in freezer bags in checked suitcases. We also shopped in Colorado for the table coverings, plates, napkins and cutlery as well as the confetti and "diamonds" adorning the table. I made labels for all the dishes to avoid any allergy, gluten or personal preference issues. As long as all the checked bags made it, I knew we could pull a party off. Luckily, they did arrive and the slight delay when five ferry workers walked off the job did not alter our plans. Our 4:45 ferry trip turned into a sunset cruise, a beautiful wrinkle in the plan. We uncorked some wine and enjoyed happy hour overlooking the water while waiting. The welcome party went on! Here is the menu we enjoyed:
WEDDING WELCOME PARTY
Artichoke Bottoms with Pesto, Mozzarella & Sun Dried Tomatoes
Cranberry & Blue Cheese Crostini
Brie Quesadillas with Peach Salsa
Beef Tenderloin Sliders with Caramelized Onions
Black Bean Hummus with Peaches
Almond-Stuffed Olives
Parmesan Crisps
Fellow Foodies, don't let unfamiliar surroundings scare you away from entertaining on the fly. The challenge was fun and a huge success! As always, keep it eclectic!
Barbara
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