It makes sense for a few small details to slip through the cracks when planning an event as large and complicated as a wedding. There are so many different aspects to think about—from the attire, to the venue, to the guest list.
Your wedding meal is one of the main events on your special day and it’s easy to forget some of the essential details. Use this guide as your helpful reminder so your big day goes to plan.
Dining Styles
There are a variety of possible dining styles that you could choose for your wedding day. Personal preference, location, venue, budget, and so many other factors influence this decision, so it’s useful to know what’s available to you. Here are a few examples:
- Plated meals are a traditional way of serving guests at a wedding. Everyone receives a meal pre-selected by the couple.
- Family-style meals involve a variety of dishes being passed around the table to encourage guests to get to know each other.
- Buffets are ideal for offering an array of food that allows guests to choose what they’d like to eat rather than a pre-selected meal.
- Cocktail-style meals are either served as small dishes on a table for everyone or passed around by catering staff on trays. This style foregoes seating and formal dining.
Dietary Restrictions
No matter which dining style you choose, make sure to check with your guests ahead of time whether or not they have any allergies, intolerances, or other dietary restrictions. Extending this courtesy ensures that everyone feels comfortable and included on your big day.
Strategic Seating
If you plan to dine while seated in a traditional manner, think carefully about your seating plans. Consider the atmosphere you want to encourage and how best to nurture this through a positive and thoughtful seating arrangement with labeled places on the tables.
Place Setting Details
Following on from the above, the way you set your tables for the wedding meal depends on which dining style you choose and who will be catering your big day. Often the venue or catering company will provide dinnerware, but you can also contribute your own table decorations and small tokens for each guest. Remember that organza bags are great for gifts and other small trinkets that add a personal touch to the setting, while also keeping everything neat on the table.
These tiny details can truly make the place setting more unique and memorable when implemented correctly. You could even match party favors with the person seated at each table setting for an extra personal touch.
Catering for the Suppliers
Make sure to allocate a budget and time for feeding those who attend your wedding as suppliers rather than guests. Your band, photographer, videographer, and anyone else doing their job on your special day need to eat too.
Planning your wedding requires a lot of forethought and imagination. As one of the main events of the day, it’s important to remember the essential details of the wedding meal. No matter what your style or culinary choices, you can prepare for the occasion by being considerate of your guests’ dietary needs, comfort levels, and setting.
Hopefully this has helped you clarify what you need to do while planning your perfect wedding meal.
