When Ali and I initially spoke on the phone about her wedding celebration, she mentioned how important it was to her that we photograph the food! The food? It certainly isn’t a common request, but after talking more, and hearing why it was so important to her, I couldn’t wait! She even coordinated with The Accomac to have a location to take the photos. It seemed only fitting that Ali contribute to this post! So for the first time ever, we are co-authoring!
“Food is not just what brings people together, it is an experience. It sets the tone, the backdrop for sharing a moment together. It is the pull that keeps us coming back to the table, keeping conversation going, and keeps the wine flowing. My step-dad has owned the Accomac for 45 years; it is part of our family. If it weren’t for the Accomac and Accomac Events, my mom wouldn’t have met Dad-Doug. I have grown up surrounded by my mom’s amazing events, whether it be the gala for Miss America or the Baltimore Ravens, or just an intimate gathering at our house with friends. Her sense of event decor and hospitality has been a huge part of my life. I grew up with this, with our vendors, with our staff. Having my parents cater and produce my wedding meant that I would have all of my extended family there. I knew that it would have the feel and taste of exactly what I wanted. When picking out the menus, Jason and I both wanted it to reflect us. How we met, what we love, our childhoods, every part of us.”
“We had lunch at [my parent’s] house while everyone was gathering [before] the ceremony. The Curried Chicken Salad is a favorite of ours, and I get it all the time in Virginia at a place called Taste. Jason and I would go there every Friday in his grandfather’s MG to kick off the weekend.”
After Ali and Jason’s ceremony, family and close friends were invited to The Accomac for an intimate dinner.
Dinner started with a palate cleanser that looked like a work of art!
“One of my [Ali’s] favorite dishes from The Accomac is the Gnocchi. My very first meal there was duck, so I wanted to include that somehow.”
“The beet carpaccio and soup were inspired by the summers spent in the Accomac garden harvesting veggies with my parents.”
“My step-dad loves chicken so we included it just to humor him and my mom’s assistant, Cliff.”
“We had a few friends with dietary allergies and the Chickpea Quinoa cake is one our favorite vegan dishes.”
“Being originally from Maryland, I had to have Maryland Crab cakes!”
Saturday, we continued to celebrate Ali and Jason’s marriage at Lauxmont Farms. New decor, different menu, yet still all beautiful and delicious!
“The hummus bar was a great way to incorporate a lot of international foods we love.”
“The Chicken Shawarma was a spin on the sweet and spicy wings from HK on the bay in Chix beach where we first met.”
“We love seafood, which was reflected in several appetizers.”
“Jason spent time in Japan as a child, so we had to have sushi!”
“The cheese course was homage to Jason’s Vermont roots.”
“The spring pea risotto is a fun springy, happy dish. Plus, it had bacon, so why not?”
“We picked the dual entree because it included two of our favorite things to grill in our big green egg!” Personally, I (April) am not a huge fan of salmon, but I can tell you, I ate every morsel!
Now that you’re salivating, be sure to check out The Accomac Inn for a fine dining experience that will surely not disappoint, or Accomac Events for fine dining at your own event/celebration!
Special thanks to Ali for making a guest appearance on this blog and for inviting us to photograph her fabulous wedding weekend! To her mom, Charlene, who created two days of amazingly beautiful decor, you’re a GENIUS! And to all of the staff at The Accomac and with Accomac Events who are true professionals and a joy to work with!