Late night bites just may take the cake

                  If you’re looking for something that your wedding guests will surely remember, forget the fireworks, colored smoke bombs, or exorbitant floral arrangements or useless party favors.  If you want that one pop of awesomeness for your guests, consider doing something they don’t expect—send them home with an “end-of-the-night snack.”

                     Think about it.  Most likely your guests have been at your event for 5+ hours.  While there, they were first offered something light at cocktail hour, then a sit-down dinner or buffet, which usually amounts to a plateful of food they may or may not eat entirely.  After all, there are so many people to catch up with or get to know.  Then, they may have a slice of cake or dessert offered, and then they will most likely have several drinks and dance or socialize.

                  When sendoff time comes, your guests might just be contemplating what take-out may be on the way home or a midnight snack they can grab in the hotel lobby.  How many times have you walked away from an exciting event to realize you ate very little and could use some fuel?  Not to mention the need to refuel if you didn’t leave the dance floor and worked up a sweat or maybe drank more than you ate.

                  This idea does not have to break the bank.  Instead, it can send more than one message to your guests of intentionality, gratitude and a nod to your local region.

                  It doesn’t get any more intentional by offering your guests a goodbye snack.   You are saying I am so glad you came and enjoyed yourself, and here’s just one more way I’m going to show you.  I also understand you stayed the entire event and appreciate something you can eat on the car ride home.  As far as offering a flair to your event, your end-of-the-night snack can be from a local institution or regional favorite.  Or it can be something from a memorable date you as a couple shared.

                  Trust me, out-of-town guests love it when they discover a local dive.  What’s better is when it’s a local institution or part of some long-standing tradition.  At Weymouth Hill Event Venue, we see a lot of out-of-town guests and some out-of-town couples.  Typically, out-of-town guests are blown away by how scenic the landscape is, and they usually want to experience more.  To give them a local end-of-the-night snack would be the lasting impression.

                  For fun, we came up with some local eats that would make great end-of-the-night takeaways and some other ones that make just great late-night snacks.

Local

1. Stewart’s Hot Dogs – It’s iconic with the original orange hot dog stand (as old as our cabin) still standing in Huntington, W. Va.   At $2.20 a hot dog, $220 could cover 100 guests.  This is not to forget others on the famous hot dog trail of the greater Huntington area like Midway, Frostop and Sam’s Hot Dog stands.  We also know Stewarts delivers.
2. Austins Ice Cream – Another original from Ceredo, West Virginia. They even have a food truck or you can purchase and rent our WH mobile ice cream cart
3. Roccos – Maybe a mini spaghetti or lasagna to go. You can order directly from the original store or buy from the local grocer’s freezer section.  You will need to hire someone to heat and serve.
4. Jim’s Spaghetti – An institution of Huntington known for its famous spaghetti sauce and homemade pies.
5. Whitt’s Frozen Custard – Originated in Granville, Ohio, but is considered a local favorite here with locally owned franchise in Ashland, Ky.
6. Giovanni’s Pizza – The flagship Giovannis is just five miles from our venue. It’s the local thin-crust greasy spoon favorite that locals just have to order when they come back to town.
7. Rax – A fast food space known for its hand-breaded chicken tenders, great for a late-night snack. Yes, it’s real chicken and they hand batter it.
8. The Mill Café – Not a long-established restaurant in the Ashland area, but certainly has a local flair and is known for its home-made pepperoni rolls, which would make an easy hand-out item.

Appalachian Flare

1. Biscuits and Gravy – Is there anything better than a late-night breakfast?  Only a homemade buttermilk biscuit with real sausage gravy will do, and regional chains like Tudor’s Biscuit World can pass the test.  I know it’s a staple I make when I’m hosting an out-of-town guest or someone from another country.
2. Brown Beans and Cornbread – When Food Network visited Huntington, it was Old Central City Café they featured and their famous brown beans. It’s certainly considered a regional cuisine.
3. Pepperoni Rolls – Another appalachian favorite

General late-night-snacks

1. Chicken and Waffles
2. Popcorn Bar
3. Chick-fil-A Sandwiches
4. Pizza