Are you starting to plan your wedding menu? What you serve at your wedding can make or break the event. Everyone you invite to your wedding is coming to celebrate your big day. What helps them through the long hours of waiting are the appetizers, drinks, and different food items you serve to them throughout the event, though. That?s why it?s crucial that you give your wedding food a lot of thought before making the final decision on what items to serve.
Interested in learning more about your different options for a catering menu at your wedding? Keep reading for more information about how to plan the best wedding menu.
3 Things to Consider About Catering Services at Your Wedding
When you envisioned your wedding as a young girl, you probably thought about your wedding dress, who your husband would be, and what type of cake you would serve. Past those key things, you didn?t get into the nitty gritty details about what the wedding menu would look like. Now that your big day is nearing, it?s time to really give some thought to what food you want to serve at your celebration. Here?s three things to keep in mind as you plan it all out.
1. Appetizers
As you map out the day, take some time to consider when you will be busy and the guests may be waiting for the next part of the event to begin. For example, if you plan on having photos taken in between the ceremony and the reception, you may need to provide something for your guests to do. This is great opportunity to put out appetizers and cocktails for the guests. Since more than 50% of brides care about the quality of the food they serve, why not start serving food earlier in the night? If you have paid for excellent catering service to create your wedding menu, adding appetizers to the night just allows more time for the food to shine.
If you have more than the average number of wedding guests which is around 165 people, consider opting out of appetizers, though. This can end up being an expensive addition to your wedding if the guest list is long.
2. Offer vegetarian options
When planning your wedding menu, remember to keep in mind the different people you are inviting to your wedding. It is probably best to not plan too extravagant or unique of a menu. While you may enjoy a lot of interesting dishes, it can be hard to please 100 or more other people. Stick to the classics when it comes to your menu so that everyone can find something they like. You can let your personality shine through in other decisions you make like the venue location. Many bride and grooms like their venue to match their personalities.
Also take time to make sure that your menu offers something for people who have different diets. If you know that some of your guests are vegetarian, vegan, or gluten-free, for example, include an appetizer and entree option so that they can eat during the evening, too. More than 75% of the time catered events offer a vegetarian option for this reason. Even if people aren?t vegetarian, some tend to like these dishes just as much, if not more.
3. Dessert options
Having a cake is a great way to feed a lot of people with one dessert. If cakes aren?t your favorite dessert, don?t feel pressured to choose this for your wedding. It is your big day and you can opt for a different dessert. Go with something more unique like an ice cream sundae bar, cupcake station, or a place where people can select from a variety of mini desserts like cheesecake and brownies. Take the opportunity to pick a dessert that you know you?ll enjoy.
Have you decided on your wedding menu yet? Are you planning on offering appetizers and a meal or are you going in a different direction with your banquet menu? Let us know your thoughts on wedding menus in the comments.