Some say that BBQ doesn’t belong at a high-end wedding reception. Everyone loves the taste, of course, but can it fit the formal vision most have for their reception? At Q39 they believe it can and they’re taking charge in creating an elevated, unique KC wedding BBQ experience for guests that says, “Welcome to Kansas City!”

CREATIVE VENDOR TEAM

MODEL: Q39

PHOTOGRAPHER: Mon Photography

VENUE: The Abbott

HAIR & MAKEUP: Hello Lovely

MODELS: Nicole Lowe & Andrew Hill (plated), Joy Randle (salad) & Sarah Glass (dessert)

DRESS: Mimi’s Couture Bridal

FLOWERS: AhriaAnnelise

DINNERWARE RENTALS: Supply Event Rentals

LINENS: Citrus Table

VIDEOGRAPHY: K. Dawn Films

When Q39 Chef Rob McGee first started talking about opening a BBQ restaurant, people thought he was crazy. A classically trained chef with a high-end hotel background joining the BBQ circuit seemed odd to his colleagues, to say the least. But every Kansas Citian knows, once BBQ gets in your blood, there’s nowhere else you want to be. That passion is still in the company’s DNA today. From a buffet on disposable plates to a 7-course plated dinner, Q39 strives to highlight Kansas City BBQ and elevate people’s expectations in fun and unique ways.

Q39 tries to do two simple things – create memorable events that highlights the flavor of Championship Kansas City BBQ and be easy to work with in accomplishing that goal. Everything they do filters down through those two lenses. They’re always ready to make suggestions when a client is looking for a way to elevate their event or do something special for their guests. Their buffet catering packages range from a Blue-Ribbon Package on high-end disposable plates to a Grand Champion Package that includes china, flatware, table linens, and more.

Q39 takes on the responsibility to educate their couples on the catering process and removing obstacles for them in the process – allowing the couples to more closely focus on creating something unique, something memorable, and something that really shows what KC is about.

We worked with Q39 to create four ways to encourage you to think beyond the buffet to create a perfect reception. From salad to hors d’oeuvres, family style to dessert – we hope that one (or all) of these options from Q39 will stick out to be the perfect way to infuse BBQ into your KC wedding.

SALAD

When it comes to catering a wedding reception, salads can seem like a small detail. It might be a small thing compared to the main meal, but small does not mean insignificant! While there are several options for salad service, pre-set plated salads check off a lot of boxes in the planning process.

A pre-set salad can add color to a tablescape, looks great in photos, and can help get your guests to make their way to their table. Weddings are big days, and with that comes some hungry guests. Food on the table is a great way to tide over your guests while the reception is getting underway. It’s a lot easier to make it through the reception formalities when you are eating a smoked mozzarella caprese salad from Q39 than when your guests are left wondering when the food will start.

Another factor worth noting is that, often, when a salad is on the buffet, many guests will skip over it to save room on their plates or take a very small amount. Couples spend several dollars per guest to put a salad on the buffet that ends up being overlooked to leave room for the main proteins and other sides.

Pre-set salads are an easy way to elevate your reception. Talk with your caterer and create something you love. You can get a big payoff for just a small step up in cost.

HORS D'OEUVRES & PLATED MEAL

If your wedding day includes a cocktail hour there may be no better way to elevate your guest experience than passing appetizers. This is also a great place to have some fun and be a little whimsical. Do you have a memory with your new spouse you’d like to make part of your day? Perhaps a dish you had on your first date, or the first vacation you took together. Work with your caterer to make a one-bite version of your favorite food memories. You can create something that is unique to you and tells a little bit more of your story together to your wedding guests.

Plated meals are a fantastic way to elevate your reception and help control the flow of the evening. Plated meals allow you to serve your guests quickly, keep the flow of the evening moving, and allow your guests to relax and be served rather than going through a buffet line. Plated meals are an added expense due to the style of food and the additional labor involved but can add a memorable component to your reception if it fits within your budget and vision.

FAMILY STYLE

A wedding reception, at its core, is a time for friends and family to come together over a meal and celebrate your new marriage. You want to create a space where your guests can tell stories, catch up with friends, meet important people in your life, and relax. An often-overlooked option for your reception is a family style dinner. It really is the best of both worlds. It has the flexibility of a buffet and structure and feel of a plated dinner. Typically, when people choose a buffet option the two main driving factors are cost effectiveness and wanting to give your guests options. When choosing a plated meal, driving factors include the flow of the evening, allowing your guests to relax and be served, and bringing an elevated feeling to your reception. Family style meals accomplish the best of both in a fun, effective, and unique way. Obviously at Q39, they’re all about the BBQ, and there is a communal aspect to family style that just fits them like a glove and compliments a KC wedding.

Family style toes the line between the casualness of a buffet and at the same time elevating your event with table service. There are no lines for your guests to wait in, and there is a certain joy we get from sharing and passing food to one another, and guests still have the option of only eating what they choose. Your guests get to participate in the meal rather than simply waiting in line for the buffet. Due to additional labor needed to execute, family style is an upgrade for most caterers, but its pricing falls more closely inline with a buffet than it does with plated meals. This gives you the chance to both elevate your reception and stay inline with your food budget.

DESSERT

Dessert can be an after-thought at most weddings. If you are doing a wedding cake, there may not be a need for anything else. However, if you are already working with a caterer or bakery, why not take the opportunity to add a unique component to your reception? Dessert is another great opportunity to tell a story. Maybe your new spouse took you to their favorite churro spot, or maybe you scour the city for the best key lime pie? Why not make that a part of your evening? You are telling a story, from the start of your day until the last guest goes home. Dessert is a great way to put a delicious exclamation point on your reception.

If you have a wedding cake, add an ice cream bar, let your guests dress their cake up with all the toppings. No wedding cake? Why not a churro bar, or cheesecake, or a frozen yogurt station? The point here is don’t pigeonhole yourself into thinking there is only one option. Dessert is a great way to show your personality, create a unique experience, and show your guests one last “wow” factor for the evening. At Q39, people will come in just for their carrot cake, and it is a speciality that one isn’t expecting at a champion BBQ spot. It’s an easy addition to the menu and can add an unexpected twist to your guests’ experience.

Enjoy Q39: KC Wedding BBQ? Ready to start finding vendors for your wedding? Check out our collection of Kansas City Wedding Vendors.