While there is so much to look forward to on your wedding day, for many of the guests, we suspect that the reception is an especially exciting part of the day. Getting the food right is difficult, but you can make it easier by considering these five factors when planning your menu.
1. Dietary Restrictions
It’s important to keep in mind that there may be guests who will need special accommodation when it comes to what is on the menu. Asking guests up front if there are any dietary restrictions you should know about is crucial for the planning process.
You don’t want to have to be guessing when it comes to what your guests will be able to eat, nor do you want to exclude anyone. It’s quite likely that there will be a portion of your guests who will need accommodations for things such as food allergies, gluten intolerance, or kosher or halal options. Knowing up front the dietary restrictions of your guests can save you a lot of trouble. Any experienced caterer will be able to accommodate your guests and their needs.
2. Caterer Suggestions
Your caterers are an invaluable resource when planning your wedding menu—utilize their experience and knowledge. Whereas this is likely the first time you’ve had to plan a menu for a huge number of people, caterers take part in hundreds of weddings.
They’ll be able to give you crucial guidance in areas such as which foods pair well together and which meal choices make sense depending on the size of your guest list.They will be able to tell you if your ideas can be accommodated with the type of meal you are looking to serve or give you ideas that may better suit your needs. Caterers have professional chefs on staff; they’ll be able to come up with something that will exceed all of your expectations for your big day.
3. Number of Guests
The number of guests is a huge consideration when planning your wedding menu, for numerous reasons. For one, without knowing how many guests will be in attendance, you can only really do very rudimentary planning.
The serious planning of your venue takes place when you know how many people you need to feed. But there are other considerations as well. For example, you don’t want to have your guests waiting a long time for food. People are going to be hungry and they’ll expect to be fed fairly promptly. If you have a very large guest list, you’ll need to take into consideration how long the food you’ve chosen will take to prepare.
It goes without saying that the more people attending your wedding, the more the food will actually cost—another reason why knowing the number of guests is so important.
4. The Budget
The wedding menu, for most couples, is the singlemost expensive part of their weddings. Knowing your budget before you begin the planning stage is absolutely crucial.
There are so many different options as you move forward with the planning. Depending on your budget, you can do anything from a buffet-style menu to a five-course dinner. The prices among all of the different options will vary widely. If you’re working with caterers, be up front with your budget from the get go. Ask them for practical suggestions about how you can get the very most out of your money. Keeping an open mind to options that may work better for your budget is very important. A cocktail reception or stations may make more sense for your budget and guest list.
5. Diverse Options
It’s a good idea to go with a certain style or aesthetic when it comes to the food you serve, but you should also ensure that there is something for everyone’s taste. Especially when you’re serving a large number of people, not everyone is going to be interested in the same kinds of food.
While practicality dictates that you won’t necessarily be able to tailor each dish to each individual guest, offering a wider range of options is always a great idea in terms of ensuring that the majority of your guests enjoy the food. Ask your caterers for wedding menu ideas—they’ll have experience with serving to a range of different appetites.
