Southern Weddings

Some of the most memorable wedding food we’ve ever featured was at Haley and Dylan’s Charleston wedding–my husband still thinks their bacon bar sounds like the best thing ever, and I’m sure he’s not the only one! When we found out that Haley is a culinary school alum, and her parents authored a cookbook, we knew we had to get inside the Kelly family kitchen. They cooked up a Southern favorite, tomato pie, while Catherine Ann Photography captured it, and if you’re as anxious to try it as I am, you’re in luck–Haley generously shared their top ten recipes with us (including a few of their originals, which you can download here!).

By day: Haley is a wedding planner with A Charleston Bride; Dylan is in medical device sales at Boston Scientific.

How they met: We met our freshman year in college! Our school (Presbyterian College) was really small, so you pretty much knew everyone. We instantly clicked as friends and it quickly grew into a relationship!
Their wedding: Absolutely magical! Our wedding was full of personal details, which was really important to us–we used family recipes for some of the food, a Presbyterian College flag flew high on the Lowndes Grove porch, and our bacon bar was Dylan’s pride and joy (and people are still talking about it!). It was full of color and really spoke to our personalities.

Who does the meal planning? Me, for sure!
Who does the cooking? Me–but Dylan is the best sous chef :) We have a great balance of I cook, he cleans.

Their favorite meal-related memory: The one meal that immediately comes to mind was at State Bird Provisions while on our honeymoon in San Francisco. We got the best seats in the house–watching the chefs cook from the bar. It is the most amazing restaurant–the servers come around with carts or trays with food on mini plates and information on the price of the dish. My husband and I love great wine and/or cocktails with dinner, but we didn’t even order a drink, the food was so amazing! We sat and enjoyed every bite and I don’t think we turned down a single dish!

Haley and Dylan’s ten favorite recipes:

1. Scallops and Grits: We created this dish together and first made it for my parents when they were in town visiting. We have been trying to successfully sear scallops for over a year now, and finally found the key: dry the scallops on a towel, season with only salt and pepper, put grapeseed oil in a pan on low heat, and let it heat up slowly. Then, depending on the thickness, sear the scallop for about three minutes on each side.
2. Panko-Crusted Tuna: Anything my cousin–in-law cooks is phenomenal, but our favorite is her panko-crusted tuna. This is perfect to cook when having friends over, because it’s super easy, but looks impressive!
3. B for d (breakfast for dinner, or bacon for Dylan, as we recently named it): This is our Thursday staple–just as our groceries are running out for the week, we will have bacon, eggs, and grits for dinner! Dylan likes it when his eggs are cooked in half a tablespoon of bacon renderings. This dinner is super laid back, but we love it!
4. Tomato Pie: A summer favorite! We love using fresh heirloom tomatoes from the local farmer’s market.
5. Cauliflower mashed potatoes: Dylan used to not eat many veggies, so I found ways to trick him into eating some of my favorites! For this recipe, I boil one head of cauliflower and then purée it with two tablespoons of Cabot Greek Yogurt (a must-have in our house–it’s the best!), a handful of cheddar cheese, a dash of garlic and hot sauce, and some salt and pepper.
6. Fish or shrimp tacos: Dylan and I go to a local fish market every Sunday and pick out fish for the week! At least once a month, we use it for fish or shrimp tacos. We either sear the fish or pan-fry it in panko, and then serve it with a sauce made of greek yogurt mixed with crushed red pepper, lemon juice, and sriracha.
7. Chicken and Dumplings: This is my mother’s recipe, and we love to make it when we are at my parents’ home. My mom has a special touch that I am still trying to learn!
8. Portabella burgers: These are AMAZING for dinner and perfect leftovers for lunch! I usually omit the broccoli.
9. Curried Cauliflower Soup: Can you tell we love cauliflower? This dish is perfect when it is a little cold out, and it is especially great with a little crumbled blue cheese on top!
10. Macaroni and Cheese: Literally every party we are invited to, our friends ask us to make this dish.

Thanks so much for sharing, Haley and Dylan!

A little reminder: we’d love to hear from you! Our hope is to feature REAL couples in the South – not just folks who write blogs (though we love them, too!), but also your inspiring friend, super talented cousin, or neighbor with the cutest house – the kind of person everyone would love to “e-meet.” We are also really hoping to feature some apartment dwellers! If that sounds like you or someone you know, take a peek at our Southern Newlywed submission page and shoot us an email!

Written with love by Lisa