Wedding Planning: Food

There are a number of choices to be made when planning food for a wedding reception and you must try and meet your guests’ varying tastes.

If you are having a wedding breakfast as well as an evening reception, you will need to plan separate menus.

The wedding breakfast is attended by an invited number of guests who have been to the church service. The origin of the term ‘wedding breakfast’ is debated – some say it comes from the tradition of the bride and groom fasting before the ceremony, others believe it comes from being the first meal of married life, as breakfast is the first meal of the day.

If you are planning an evening do as well – normally for a larger number of guests who have not all attended the breakfast – don’t forget that while you may still be full from the earlier dinner, your new guests will be hungry and will expect a good spread.

As always finance comes into play and first of all people must decide when they are to hold their reception, and must choose whether it will be in the morning, afternoon, or evening.

After you have decided on the time of the reception you can start thinking about the type of menu you want.

For those couples who want to tie the knot at 12pm there is the lunchtime option.

This allows you to have drinks, then a sit down meal with a set menu, with starters of either soup, melon, or pate for example.

The main meal could be hot and include chicken, or beef or lamb with vegetables. You may also want a vegetarian option and to provide salad. For dessert people can decide between meringues, fruit salads and cheese and biscuits.

There is also the option of a buffet where a hot or cold table of food can be offered, with meats, fish and salad or sandwiches.

A lunch menu allows for a certain degree of flexibility.
For those couples who want to have a morning reception there is the choice of a breakfast or brunch options. Here you can give guests a selection of morning foods such as pastries, pancakes, bagels, fresh fruit and cheeses.

Morning receptions allow you an early start to your celebrations and mean you can leave for your honeymoon the same day, but some guests who have had to travel a long way may have difficulty getting there on time.

There is also the dinner reception choice. As with the lunch reception there is the choice of a sit down meal or buffet.

At an evening affair guests are more likely to dance.

Finally if you don’t want a full meal as part of your do, you could have a tea reception.

This is an economical idea and guests are still able to enjoy sandwiches and cake.

Once you have decided on the time of the reception and the menu, you must get a quote for the cost of the food per head.

Venues may charge extra for cutlery and table linen, so make sure you know what is included in your price. // My Wedding Planner