Dinner Reception at bluezoo
So our as our portrait session with Nate and Becka was coming to a close, we started walking over the The Dolphin for dinner. Well, if you've read my PJ, you know my reasoning behind this. I wanted a private meal; so basically every Disney restaurant was out.
So I considered changing to Wishes and getting a banquet room but the more I thought about it, the more I figured it wasn't worth the trouble, because I really don't like the look of banquet halls. Now many people here have had beautiful dinners in banquet halls...but that's because they paid to decorate it and make it look nice. I wanted to put as little money as possible into decorating.
So I researched places at Swan/Dolphin and bluezoo's private room looked nice. It had seafood, which we like. So..winner!
Now if I had to do it again, I probably would have had petals on the table or a pink runner in the center. But really it would have just been for this one picture. Regardless, I liked the details.
You may recall these from the sand ceremony...except now they have spikey things in them
I did not request these. I did not enjoy them. But c'est la vie.
Chocolate place cards. I put some nicknames on them. Momma J is for my mom because she loves Momma Jumbo from Dumbo
These were sitting on the left over Hercules meet and greet props at the ceremony.
Bluezoo has this cool translucent wine rack thing in the back
More kissing
The private room is at the back of the restaurant. The doors close.
So we all sit down and the wait staff comes in and starts taking orders
Shortly after this, Becka and Nate left, so I only have snapshots at this point. I tried really hard with photoshop to make some food pics look slick. Here are my attempts.
Bluezoos signature drink
I don't remember what it was called, but it tasted like a mojito
Crabcake
Cucumber ceviche
Bread
Now sadly my mind was elsewhere. I didn't take really any other food pics until they were halfway eaten, so it looks gross. However, here is the menu for those interested:
Menu
Amuse
pan seared mallard foie gras...seasonal fruit garniture
Raw bar
oyster, littleneck clam, jumbo shrimp, half maine lobster tail, horseradish, cocktail sauce, mignonette
First Course
seared crab cake...house remoulade
or
teppan seared jumbo scallops...braised beef short rib, silky cauliflower puree
Second Course
tossed mesculin salad...roasted beets, walnut vinaigrette
or
cucumber ceviche...brunoise cucumber, jalepeno, cilantro
Main Course
tuscan tuna...white bean puree, tomato, artichoke, pine nut
or
char grilled beef tenderloin...maytag mash, roasted carrot, spinach, agro dolce
or
simply fish...mustard crab sauce, silky potatoes, hears of palm-fennel salad
or
heritage half chicken...carolina free range chicken, macaire potato, english peas, wild mushrooms
My only regret of the day is having too much food. If I did it again, it would be crab cakes, and a choice of entree and that's it. The amount of food was ridiculous. I was barely eating after the crab cakes. I think I bit like one thing at the dessert party. So the lesson here; don't waste money on food. No one will starve at your wedding.
Sistas
One of the wonderful waiters, JC, was subjected to my blonde mother unfortunately. She kept calling him CJ, AJ, TJ, etc. Not because she is rude, but because she is an airhead. I say it with love.
One thing I remember talking about while eating is Mike mentioning how happy he was that we did this. We would have had a miserable time at a church/banquet hall wedding in Chicago. It would have cost an enormous amount of money and we still would have had to cut a million corners. I never dreamed about my wedding growing up because I always kind of dreaded it. I never imagined a Disney wedding would have been possible. At this point in the day, the wedding was more than halfway over, and it was basically going perfectly. Everything was going according to plan. No one was fighting or bickering. It was just simply magical at this point. My parents had a church/banquet wedding in Chicago and they say it's one of their biggest regrets. If they could do it again, they would have gone to Vegas. So basically, I guess the lesson is do what you want for your wedding.
About an hour or so into the dinner, my sister then felt obligated to speak, even though again, I never requested it. She told the story of how Mike and I met and it was riddled with inaccuracies. hehehe
She told Mike he was the brother she never had and then they hugged. Now you have to understand that Mike and my sister are like oil and water and constantly make fun of each other and bicker. So after the speech, when Mike motioned her to come over for a hug....I knew it was "pink elephants on parade" for Michael
Soon enough dinner was over and it was time for the dessert party...with an open bar O_O
This is great! 
