Menu help - views on haggis????

[Sticky]

I wondered if you’d be able to help? Our wedding isn’t until spring 2011 but the venue said it’ll be better to pick the menu sooner than later to make sure we have time to go up to Scotland for a tasting session and make sure it’s right before we get the invites made up (we’re offering a choice; 1 meat and 1 veggie dish, but meat eaters can have the choice etc).

Anyway, we’re having a fairly Scottish wedding (bagpiper, ceilidh etc). And, because I love haggis I want to have haggis in the meal. But when I said this to my Mum she said it might not go down well with those who have never had it…so I tested water at work and got a negative response – mostly people pulling faces at idea.

So…I’ve added it as an intermediate course. But it’s adding a fair amount to the price.

How would you feel if you turned up to a wedding and was served haggis? I know it’s our day but it’s important to make sure people enjoy the meal.
I’ve copied the days food below as it stands now…what sounds better? This or just a haggis starter and cut the others out? It seems a shame to not have what me and OH want on our day but it’s also a shame to waste food if people don’t like it!

Whatcha think? xxx

Welcome drink

Wedding

Canapés & drinks reception (while we have our pictures done so people aren’t starving before dinner)

Starter :
-Roast pork belly with black pudding, apple croute + bramble compote
-Red onion tart-tatin, goats cheese glaze + roast cherry tomatoes (v)

Intermediate:
-Haggis, neeps + tatties
-Haggis, neeps + tatties (vegetarian version)

Main:
-Rump of Scottish lamb with garlic mash, ratatouille + basil jus
-Grilled marinated halloumi, flat mushrooms, beef tomato + red pepper coulis (v)

Desert: Hot chocolate fondant with raspberry sorbet

Evening food:
Massive (!) cheese board, breads and biscuits selection
Bacon rolls
Fruit platter
Pick ‘n Mix (I’m making up big bowls with retro sweets in)

 

[suepat10]

Personally I'd pass on the haggis but as you say, it is your day so you should have what you want xx

 

[Gemmy_Lou]

We have had a similar problem. Personally, I would leave it out. Because:
a) You wouldn't want people to feel obliged to eat it
b) You wouldn't want it to go to waste if people did try it and didn't eat it
c) It could be a waste of your money.

Are you having a buffet in the evening? Perhaps ask the venue whether it could be available as part of the buffet. Then you will get to have some but not everyone has to eat it!!

 

[eye6769]

I had the same dilema, We got married in Cyprus and took guests with us, most were from Northern Ireland who dine out on a menu of prawn coctail starter, steak main course and pavlova for sweet. I am a veggie which also proved difficult. I wanted a tradional greek wedding, why go to a foreign country if all you are going to do is offer the same food as you would eat everyday. I wanted a meze, made up of 26 courses, and thats what I got, I had a great time , it went done very well and would not have been just the same if I had given a more traditional meal, I would have really regreted it. Why not give it as starters, it would not cost anymore than what you have already planned for, its probaly what guests would expect seeing as you are going for the traditional scottish wedding, will give them something to talk about , go for what you want, its your day and hopefully the only wedding your going to have.

 

[Happy Holidays]

It's your wedding & nobody else's. Why not have a traditional Scottish wedding, after all you are getting married in Scotland. I bet people will be pleased to have traditional food offered, I would.

If you think it may not go down well have it as a starter, then there wont be too much waste if they don't eat it.

But I hate to say it, these little problems aren't going to go away, once the menu is sorted something else will happen.

Or you could just do what you want & when people as you anything about the wedding, just say it's a surprise & they'll have to wait That way you won't get any comments, or their views on the 'perfect wedding'.

 

[skinny_fi]

see below

 

[skinny_fi]

I don't want to create more worries for you, but as a suggestion for the supper - in scotland we often have "stovies" and oatcakes during the ceilidh. This is heavy stodgy, heart warming fayre. Therefore you may not need to have the 4 courses for the main meal.
About the haggis. I would offer haggis, neeps and tatties as a starter. I feel when people come to Scotland they are keen to try it but are unsure of a big plate full. However, as the veggie option would be made in advance and the caterers are likely to only make a few, you could ask people to indicate their food choices prior to the day e.g. indicate their preferences when they RSVP to the invite, therfore the caterers will be able to prepare enough tarts incase your guests are not feeling adventurous.
Hope this helps

 

[Donnie46]

Personally I find Haggis a bit dry - but it's your wedding reception meal and you chose whatever you would like, after all it is your special day. X

 

[Lonestitcher]

How about asking if the hotel will do haggis with the roast pork (instead of the black pudding) - that way if people want to try it, its there. If they don't like it, they can at least eat the pork.

If you want the full experience of the haggis, neeps and tatties, will the hotel provide just two (for you and the OH) and offer something different for everyone else? That way, you and your new hubby will have an even more exclusive memory of your big day, it then wont matter if no-one else fancies it, and its one less thing to stress about!!!

 

[Sticky]

I don't want to create more worries for you, but as a suggestion for the supper - in scotland we often have "stovies" and oatcakes during the ceilidh. This is heavy stodgy, heart warming fayre. Therefore you may not need to have the 4 courses for the main meal.
About the haggis. I would offer haggis, neeps and tatties as a starter. I feel when people come to Scotland they are keen to try it but are unsure of a big plate full. However, as the veggie option would be made in advance and the caterers are likely to only make a few, you could ask people to indicate their food choices prior to the day e.g. indicate their preferences when they RSVP to the invite, therfore the caterers will be able to prepare enough tarts incase your guests are not feeling adventurous.
Hope this helps

Stovies is part of the evening food options and it's currently being toyed with as an option - never had it myself but the OH says it'll go down well

At the mintue the night food is a giant cheese board with oatcakes/bread and biscuits, a fruit platter and the bacon rolls and bruschetta - if we cut the intermediate out we can add stovies in place of the bruschetta.

I am giving the guests the option of either the meat or veggie choice - the venue is ok with this so long as I tell them numbers way in time to order it in. Otherwise they only cater for 10% of the total numbers for veggie food.

Had a think about this last night and thought that it might be worth having haggis, neeps and tatties with whiskey sauce for the meat option, and just the cheese tartlett as the veggie. Any anti-haggis people can either try it or have the veggie option.

I spoke to my Mum last night again and she said that at the end of the day, not many people give an option at all and people turn up blind to the menu as has been said. We're booking a live ceilidh band with a caller and disco combination so that the entertainment covers all bases - it's the same group of folk and they do 45mins ceilidh and then a slot of disco and so and through the night so it should keep it flowing!

It'll be good no matter what - we're planning carefully to make sure we and the guests have a cracking day

Also like the idea of having haggis and not black pudding...I'll ask!!!

Thanks everyone xxx

 

[HellieCopter]

Well, I like haggis!

 

[stephie0611]

personally i absolutely love haggis, and would be over the moon getting that.

We had balmoral chicken (chicken stuffed with haggis) at a friends wedding, and it went down a treat.

I honestly think people screw there noses up at haggis before even trying it.

love the bacon rolls for buffet at night, we had that at another friends wedding for at night, bacon, sausage, black pudding rolls, went down brilliantly and people spoke about it for ages.

Where about in Scotland are you getting married? Is one of you Scottish? xx

 

[judimac]

I ADORE haggis! In fact I got one in Morrisons this morning for St Andrews Day. They were half price. Also adore black pudding. In fact can I come? It all sounds delicious!

 

[stephie0611]

i was just thinking the same thing, can i come to the wedding also . xx

 

[ronniejacobs]

i have to say i love haggis, i love it when i go up to scotland for work and get it on a cooked breakkie next day etc mmmmm

 

[Sticky]

LOL glad some of you like haggis - it's lish! I agree, I think that people can sometimes go 'eugh' before trying...I was one of them! But mu future mother-in-law is Scottish and made it one day and oh lord I fell in love!

Stephie -We're getting married at The Hub on Castlehill. Neither of us are Scottish - both born and raised in England, but OH is half Scottish and his family are from Edinburgh, so spent a lot of time there anyway. I adore the city - almost went to uni there. We were going to get married in the Lake District where we live, but none of the venues matched The Hub - as soon as we saw it we fell in love. Also, we wanted a humanist wedding which isn't legal in England yet.

I have Welsh & Irish in my blood through my parents families, so we're both Celtic mongrals lol! I am using my Welsh tartan instead of OH's Scottish tartan as a trim - it's blue and lilac so matches colour scheme. And also going to use red roses for Lancashire where I am from, white roses (OH was born and brought up in part in Yorkshire) and thistles for the flowers. Not all mixed together in one bunch mind you lol!

Pretty much tying all of our family trees into it in honour of our grandparents who are all unable to be with us to share the day - but we thought it would be nice to have them there in spirit

I'll check with the venue on numbers hehe xxx

 

[stephie0611]

LOL glad some of you like haggis - it's lish! I agree, I think that people can sometimes go 'eugh' before trying...I was one of them! But mu future mother-in-law is Scottish and made it one day and oh lord I fell in love!

Stephie -We're getting married at The Hub on Castlehill. Neither of us are Scottish - both born and raised in England, but OH is half Scottish and his family are from Edinburgh, so spent a lot of time there anyway. I adore the city - almost went to uni there. We were going to get married in the Lake District where we live, but none of the venues matched The Hub - as soon as we saw it we fell in love. Also, we wanted a humanist wedding which isn't legal in England yet.

I have Welsh & Irish in my blood through my parents families, so we're both Celtic mongrals lol! I am using my Welsh tartan instead of OH's Scottish tartan as a trim - it's blue and lilac so matches colour scheme. And also going to use red roses for Lancashire where I am from, white roses (OH was born and brought up in part in Yorkshire) and thistles for the flowers. Not all mixed together in one bunch mind you lol!

Pretty much tying all of our family trees into it in honour of our grandparents who are all unable to be with us to share the day - but we thought it would be nice to have them there in spirit

I'll check with the venue on numbers hehe xxx

The hub is an amazing venue, what a gorgeous place it is, i'm sure you'll have an amazing time.

It sounds like a lovely wedding, i hope that your OH will be wearing a kilt!!!!!

Oh i never knew you could get humanist weddings, that sounds my ideal kind of thing, as i'm not religious and think that it should be about both the people, instead of god. xx

PS - i cant wait until monday night so i can have my haggis for burns night mmmmmmm

 

[Sticky]

The hub is an amazing venue, what a gorgeous place it is, i'm sure you'll have an amazing time.

It sounds like a lovely wedding, i hope that your OH will be wearing a kilt!!!!!

Oh i never knew you could get humanist weddings, that sounds my ideal kind of thing, as i'm not religious and think that it should be about both the people, instead of god. xx

PS - i cant wait until monday night so i can have my haggis for burns night mmmmmmm

I hope so - we just loved it. I assume you've been inside and upstairs? I was sold as soon as we stepped into the area with that stunning stair case...and it was all set up for a wedding. I actually filled up imagining walking to marry my fella and Jim said he felt the same. We're getting married on the balcony in front of the stained glass window and then using the library and main hall for the rest of the day. If it's raining - no harm done. If it's warm and sunny it'll just let more light pour in - all bases covered!

We also looked at The Caves and they're cool but it's not weddingy really.

Jim won't wear a kilt! He says his legs are too thin! Gutted! His Mum is not impressed either lol But it's his choice.

Yes humanist weddings are legal up there now - and they're SO nice. My friend had one and we knew right away it was our thing. I'm not religious in the traditional sense and nor is OH so it's ideal.

Yay glad to hear a good review from an Edinburgh lass about the venue...always good to hear good things other than from them xx

 

[stephie0611]

I hope so - we just loved it. I assume you've been inside and upstairs? I was sold as soon as we stepped into the area with that stunning stair case...and it was all set up for a wedding. I actually filled up imagining walking to marry my fella and Jim said he felt the same. We're getting married on the balcony in front of the stained glass window and then using the library and main hall for the rest of the day. If it's raining - no harm done. If it's warm and sunny it'll just let more light pour in - all bases covered!

We also looked at The Caves and they're cool but it's not weddingy really.

Jim won't wear a kilt! He says his legs are too thin! Gutted! His Mum is not impressed either lol But it's his choice.

Yes humanist weddings are legal up there now - and they're SO nice. My friend had one and we knew right away it was our thing. I'm not religious in the traditional sense and nor is OH so it's ideal.

Yay glad to hear a good review from an Edinburgh lass about the venue...always good to hear good things other than from them xx

yeah i've been inside it, as last year my work were looking for a venue to hold the xmas party, so it was my job to go round places and find something with my manager. The place was unfortunately out of reach of the offices budget, as i was also sold when i walked into the place, it is gorgeous and a gorgeous hall upstairs.

One of my friends had his 30th party at the Caves, but i wouldn't say it was weddingy either, definitely the hub is the best venue.

Tell your soon to be hubby that i'm dissapointed in him not wearing a kilt, can't beat a man wearing a kilt, especially if its worn properly

Thats no problem at all chick. xxx