Any wedding couple wants to provide the best experience for their guests. As long as the budget permits, they will choose the best wedding music, a memorable wedding venue, entertainment-filled wedding performances, and the most attractive wedding attire. But among the essential wedding considerations, the wedding menu is the most awaited one. Whether you’re having the wedding in the morning, afternoon, or evening, your choice of food is a perfect opportunity to impress your guests with special meals and unexpected flavors.
When choosing the wedding menu, there are plenty of factors to consider. Although it’s your wedding and you have the right to select the food you want, it’s not proper to choose something your guests wouldn’t enjoy. The last thing you want is to get a bad rap on your wedding just because of a poorly chosen menu. As much as possible, it would help to have a menu that’s universally appealing and foodie-worthy regardless of food preference. You can also wow your guests by looking into unique food options, such as cold lunch recipes.
The ideal wedding menu should provide guests with the right fuel for a celebration filled with laughter, joy, and a lot of dancing. Whether you’re a self-confessed foodie on Asian, Western, European, or Mediterranean food, here are the top considerations when picking a crowd-pleasing wedding menu.
Choose the Serving Style
Wedding menus have different wedding styles, and the choice depends on how you want the meals to be served at the reception.
The most common serving style at weddings is plated sit-down dinner. This serving style consists of three courses; appetizer and entrée, and dessert, where the wait staff serves each course to the already seated guests for the entire meal.
Another popular option is the buffet style, where you hire a caterer that offers several main courses and sides, and guests have to wait for their turn to choose the type and amount of food they want. Generally, the more food you serve, the more costly it becomes. This option works best for smaller weddings, but a terrible choice if you have limited space and want to avoid long waiting lines.
The family-style is a more intimate and fancier serving option. The guests have to pass the meals around the table as if they’re having dinner at home. It’s also more expensive since the service involved has to accommodate all the coursed meals.
If your wedding consists mainly of relatively younger guests, the cocktail style is the way to go. A traditional cocktail party includes small and savory finger food that you can eat without cutlery. The meals are lighter and smaller compared to a sit-down dinner involving large meals. The servers carry the bite-sized food in small trays, go around the venue, and offer it directly to guests.
Consider the Season
Yes, the season matters when picking the right menu for your wedding. Local and in-season food options are fresh and more affordable since they don’t have to come from a far distance. They’re also superior in quality, flavor, and overall freshness. So when thinking about seasonal options, think about the most appropriate meal for that period of the year.
For example, refreshing, lighter items are perfect for the summer, such as fish, chicken, lemonade, iced tea, and crisp salads. It’s also the best time to serve colorful and aesthetically pleasing meals that’s great for the camera and everyone’s taste buds. In winter, warm up your guests with some hot and heavy comfort food such as hot chocolate, creamy soups, and grilled steak. In the spring months, go for lighter options with herbs, light sauces, and plenty of veggies and fruits.
If you have an outdoor wedding, particularly during summer, be careful about storing and handling ingredients to avoid spoiling the food. You can also opt for locally sourced items for an eco-friendly wedding menu.
Consider Dietary Needs and Common Allergies
If you’re planning a pre-selected plated meal for your guests, give them a call first to know if they have any food allergies or dietary restrictions. Do this politely by requesting guests to give you a call if they have food restrictions.
The most recommended option is to avoid serving meals containing common allergens, such as soy, peanuts, and shrimp. Alternatively, you can ask the caterer to attach a meal card to certain meals to signal if their ingredients can trigger an allergy.
The type of wedding menu you choose can make or break your wedding celebration. That’s why it’s essential to take time picking the right wedding menu to ensure it should be universal enough to fit everyone’s unique food preference. In this case, you can never go wrong by following our suggestions above. So start the planning process now to ensure a wedding-worthy menu everyone will appreciate.
