What to serve at cocktail hour

There are no shortage of great foods and drinks that you can serve at your wedding cocktail hour (Some venues refer to this hour as the reception).  Here are a few that I found on Pinterest.  I have many more pinned - go have a look!

Open faced Egg Roll from The Passionate Cook Blog

Raspberry Ginger Bellini Photo by Noel Barnhurst

A tip for your tasting at your caterers

Mini Vegetarian Falafel Petit Fatoush Garnish

A quick tip: When you are tasting your cocktail hour food, be sure to eat the hors d'oeuvres the same way that your guests would.  This means, do not pick up a fork and knife...because they most likely wouldn't have them. Instead, use just a cocktail napkin under the finger food. Is the item too messy?  Does it take more than a single bite?  If so, consider asking your venue coordinator what can be done to make enjoying the item better or easier.

Upgrading the bar at your wedding or welcome reception

Are you trying to think of something new to do at your wedding?  This can be especially tricky if you and your friends have been to 12 wedding in the last 8 months and there are 2 more before yours. Well the good thing is that you don't truly need to reinvent the wheel.  Just "feature" something.  For instance, if you're having a summer, beach or tropical wedding, Rum is just the ticket for a feature.
Ask your caterer or venue coordinator if they can offer different types of rums at a bar separate from the main bar.  Have the bottles on display with a sample glass of each rum concoction available for your guests to choose from.  A Rum bar menu would be good to have as well.
I found a good list of rums in Martha Stewart Living.  It would be great to have create a rum menu with a cocktail for each of these:

White Rum (Banks Five Island)

Spiced Rum (Sailor Jerry)

Rhum Agricole (Rhum JM Vieux V.S.O.P.)

Dark Rum (Goslings Black Seal Bermuda 80 proof)

Aged Rum (Zacapa Rum 23)

Now, I'd like to introduce you a rum cocktail.  I was very lucky to have my favorite displaced southern belle wedding planner-bff Nicole of RSVP Shindig about threaten my life if I didn't eat at Husk when we visited Charleston this summer. I owe her big time.  I can not begin to explain the amazingness we enjoyed at that dinner.  Including a few of their cocktails and punches of course. Here is one of their specialities:

If you do go to Husk, try the fried chicken skins and the Fried Green Tomatoes.  I know, you can't even imagine. Nor could I. But for the 1st time in my life, I contemplated licking a plate; or in this case, slice of tree.