Bodacious barn weddings at Finley Creek
What’s the difference between a wedding reception that is so amazing it runs well into the night, verses one in which guests begin to trickle out early?
Sometimes it’s the food. Sometimes it’s the venue. Or the weather. Or the vibe of the evening. Sometimes it’s a combination of a lot of things.
What we’ve learned at Finley Creek Vineyards is that starting the evening off with a venue that’s relaxed, charming and chock full of amazingly prepared food and interesting drinks – is a great start to any party – especially one that follows a wedding.
Finley Creek Vineyards hosts quite a few memorably amazing weddings and receptions.
Here’s why:
- First of all, you can plan your event inside and/or outside -- no back up plans needed. Wedding outside, reception inside; both outside; both inside – it all works.
- Have the wedding outside in a lovely flower-filled field. It’s airy and picturesque. Guests and family feel relaxed.
- No traveling between wedding venue and reception. Just come inside.
- Or stay outside. We’ll bring out the tables and the food.
- Yes, there’s a lovely place for the bride to get ready and change. For the groom, too.
- Our barn is lovely! From our shabby-chic chandeliers to our hand made furniture.
- Jacquie’s Gourmet Catering provides farm-raised, sustainable food. Right in our on-premises kitchen. Cool.
- Jacquie’s food emphasizes your individuality, readily adapting to your (and your guests’) food preferences
- Jacquie’s can cater groups from 50 to 1,000 people. No worries.
- In addition to being uniquely prepared, our food is always beautifully presented.
Jacquie’s Gourmet Catering at Finley Creek Vineyards. What a fantastic way to begin your life together – with lots of friends and family – who will also cherish the memory (and the food!)
Jacquie’s Strawberry Whiskey Lemonade
Now's the time to get creative with what’s in season, especially lush flavorful berries and fruits. Mix your fruits with red or white wine for a lovely sangria, or add rum, gin, vodka, or even whiskey.
Here is one of Jacquie’s favorites – frequently served here at Finely Creek Vineyards. It's especially great at an evening gathering outdoors, under the stars. This one is so delicious, you may not need to serve a dessert.
Jacquie's Strawberry Whiskey Lemonade
STRAWBERRY SYRUP:
1 cup sliced strawberries
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
- Stir together strawberries, sugar, and water in a small saucepan over low heat.
- Bring strawberry mixture to a low simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until strawberries have softened and sugar has dissolved (about 15 minutes.)
- Remove saucepan from the heat and let it cool for 10-15 minutes.
- Strain syrup into a bowl or measuring cup through a mesh strainer to remove the strawberry pieces (Jacquie recommends saving them for smoothies or jam later in the week.)
ASSEMBLE THE COCKTAILS:
1/3 cup strawberry syrup (see above)
2/3 cup whiskey
2/3 cup lemon juice
(optional) fresh strawberries and lemon slices, for garnish
- In a large shaker, combine strawberry syrup, whiskey, and lemon juice with crushed ice. Shake to combine.
- Pour whiskey lemonade over ice into drinking glasses.
- Garnish with fresh strawberries and lemon slices, as desired, and serve immediately.
Add this summer refresher to your next gathering at Finley Creek Vineyard, or at your next summer backyard barbecue. Enjoy, from the folks at Finley Creek and Jacquie's Gourmet Catering!
Making summer parties memorable
At Jacquie’s Gourmet Catering, we think summer parties are some of the most fun to cater.
Why? Because they are so free-spirited, casual and outdoorsy. Plus, they can take so many forms, from celebrations of life events to fun-themed parties, just for the heck of it. All “al fresco,” and under the stars at Finley Creek Vineyards, at a popular downtown destination, or under a tent at one of our customers’ backyards.
Here are some of our favorite summer party themes:
- Summer Solstice Party – Begins promptly at 6:21 PM (since summer officially begins on June 21st), and goes through the longest day (and shortest night) of the year. We offered lots of drink and food items that were long; Long Island iced teas, extra long marinated skewers of marinated steak, foot long hot dogs with all the fixings, as well as lots of classic summer favorites like liquor-infused popsicles and individual strawberry shortcakes.
- 80s Glam Party - From the funky disco music right down to the glitter outfits and big hair, this party was non-stop fun from the get-go. We served over-the-top drinks, and adapted our dinner menu for whatever favorites our customers had back in the day.
- Prom Party – Some guests still fit into their prom dresses and tuxes. Others found wonderful gems at Goodwill and topped them with giant corsages. The dance list was schmaltzy and highly danceable. The food was a riot, including pork sliders, burger bar, milk shakes, and 8 kinds of popcorn, all under a disco ball and strobe lights. There were even prom pictures!
- Garden Cocktail Party - We held this one at Finley Creek Vineyard, including a lovely wine bar (frozen rose` was a huge hit!) and fun cocktail bar including lots of edible flowers & veggies and herb-infused cocktails. There was even a spiked lemonade stand. Appetizers ran the gamut from grilled veggie tapas with zucchini flowers, to chilled gazpacho soup. Flowers hung from the rafters and there were potted plants and cactus everywhere. Everyone received an adorable succulent plant in a giant olive, to take home.
- Mexican Sangria Party – This was a kid’s party for adults, which is why our clients made sure there was plenty of room for the piñata in the center of the dance floor. Our party-goers found their piñata filled with chocolates, but others we know filled theirs with lottery tickets and even a grand prize (round trip tickets to Cancun). The sangria was refreshing and full of berries. We made sure guests had plenty of classic and nouveau Mexican foods, too, from grilled peppers and steak fajitas to bountiful desserts including tres leche cake, flan cheesecake and churros with coconut sauce.
The point of any party is to make guests feel special and welcome, feed them bountifully, and make sure everyone leaves happy. Sounds like the recipe for a perfect summer party, right there!
Barn weddings & outdoor receptions are here to stay
There’s something breathtakingly romantic about timeworn wooden planks and high vaulted ceilings strung with electric lights and crystal chandeliers hanging between the rafters…
The popularity of barn weddings continues to gain momentum with couples looking for a memorable casual-rustic experience. Barn wedding parties can be as casual and country, or as lavish and extravagant as a couple wants it to be. They are no longer limited to DIY chalkboard signs, mason jars and garden flowers.
Today, barn weddings are a blank canvas where couples can get creative and set a tone based on individual preferences. The diamond-in-the-rough characteristics that come with a care-worn barn allows brides a perfect backdrop to design a wedding that is an authentic reflection of the couple.
Finley Creek Vineyard is the perfect country chic setting for a lovely barn wedding and/or reception. When Finley Creek gets all dressed up for a wedding party, something magical happens. The setting sun peeks through the rustic barn wood here and there. The serenity of the Zionsville countryside is palpable through soft breezes, birdsong, and the sweet smell of wild flowers from across the fields…
and Jacquie’s Gourmet Catering artfully prepares sustainable, farm-to-table gourmet foods, from appetizers to desserts… the aromas pulling all comers in for seconds and thirds.
We fully embrace couples making a statement with their individual styles. You’ll find no cookie-cutter weddings here. Jacquie’s Gourmet Catering creates a culinary experience for their guests, and our brides and grooms love it! They really want their friends and family to have fun. And that comes naturally within the barn setting with fire pits, outdoor spaces for yard games, lovely wild flowers growing on nearby hills, and newly planted grape vineyards on the horizon.
There is just something about attending a Finley Creek Vineyard barn wedding that tells guests they are going to have a good time! We hope you will come join us for a tour and see what we mean.
~ The Jacquie’s Gourmet Catering team, Exclusive caterers for Finley Creek Vineyards