Cons Of The Plated Meal
A sit-down plated meal is definitely the most formal option, so if youre dreaming of a more relaxed and casual ambience then it might not be the best option to achieve this. It does feel more like a restaurant experience as opposed to a homely atmosphere!
If you have opted for an alternate drop, there is also a possibility that a majority of your guests may prefer one option to the other. You would hope that nobody is going to start an argument over chicken or lamb in the middle of your wedding reception, but if you have some seriously picky eaters in attendance then it might cause some tension!
Keep in mind too that a plated meal naturally takes up more time for service. Each guest is individually served and plates need to be cleared after each meal. The cleanup and turnaround of each course might have implications on the time you have allocated for your speeches and dancing.
Sample Menu For Winter Wedding Reception
Winter is a cold period and everyone needs something to warm them up. Its a time for coziness and some heavy eating. Winter wedding menu ideas should consist of everything hot, spicy and full meals, with hard cocktails slandered decadent desserts.
Take advantage of the cheap fruits and veggies in the season like pomegranates, sweet potato, clementine, cabbage- onions, carrots, mushrooms, and turnips.
Do as many DIY as you can, it helps a lot and is cost effective. They can be homemade and are basically cheap. Save money by self-catering.What do you serve at a winter wedding then?
How Does A Wedding Breakfast Menu Work
You might be wondering why the meal is called a wedding ‘breakfast’ when it’s served in the afternoon or evening. The tradition actually dates back to the 16th century when guests fasted up until the wedding day and were therefore looking forward to a real feast!
These days, the wedding breakfast is still the main event. Marc reveals: “Couples can now virtually design their own pop-up restaurant for the day. We see everything from two-course menus to eight-course tasting menus. Meals that are informal and served family-style with sharing dishes and boards and then some refined and with a touch of fine-dining about them. We’ve also served some wedding breakfasts festival-style with Pie & Mash, Pad Thai and then Crepes for dessert.”
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When it comes to planning the timings for your wedding breakfast, there’s also a lot more flexibility. “Going back to tradition, you’d often see speeches between the main course and dessert and it would be Father-of-the-Bride, followed by the Groom and then the Best Man,” Marc says. “However, we see some very different takes on this. Some speeches as soon as guests take their seats, some after each course and some with several people making a speech. The easiest way to answer this question is to say, ‘Wedding breakfasts work however you want them to!’“
Your wedding breakfast is one of the highlights of the day
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How Much Does It Cost To Feed 200 Wedding Guests
Plated Meal
- A plated meal will cost an average of $26 per person, so the cost of food would be approximately $5,200, not including service. Many caterers also require you to rent china, glassware, and cutlery, so be sure to ask about additional costs. By holding your wedding at a venue that offers catering in-house, often these items do not have additional costs.
Buffet Style
- A buffet style dinner will cost an average of $29 per person, so the cost of food would be approximately $5,800 not including service. The more entree and side options that you offer, the higher the price per person will be.
If you can visualize it for your big day â it’s possible. Provided you stay within budget, you can have a wedding reception meal that you and your loved ones will never forget.
To find out more about planning your dream wedding, get more inspiration from RedWater Events.
Sample Rustic Wedding Menu
When it comes to rustic wedding menu ideas, choose seasonal dishes as often as possible. Seasonal meals have two benefits: first, they’re typically less expensive because they’re readily available. Secondly, a seasonal dinner allows you to experiment with jaw-dropping, customized meals perfect for a family-style occasion or an elegant sit-down dinner.
Consider the following foods for a seasonal rustic wedding menu perfect for an autumn wedding.
Appetizers:
- Candied sweet potato rounds with toasted walnuts
- Filo tarts filled with butternut squash, kale, and feta
- Cranberry and brie charcuterie board
Main Course:
- Seared pork loin with root vegetables and apples
- Grilled filet mignon with roasted parsnips and rainbow carrots
- Mushroom risotto
- Miniature pumpkin and apple tartlets
- Cinnamon Old Fashioneds
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A 3 Course Sample Menu Idea
Starter samples
Sharing mezze platter for the table, including meats/ antipasti/ homemade breads/ oils & balsamic. Great way to get your table talking!
Trio of homemade pates served with toasted sourdough & proper butter
Main samples
Binks butchers Yorkshire Sirloin, Yorkshire pork, Yorkshire chicken or Vegan Mushroom pot pie served with roast potatoes, Yorkshire pud, Carrot, swede, gravy & choice of greens
Prosciutto wrapped chicken breast, pan fried cod portion or roast vegetable filo parcel served with dauphinoise potatoes, rich cream sauce and your choice of greens
Dessert samples
How Do You Plan A Wedding Menu
When it comes to wedding menus, the sky is the limit. But, of course, youll want to consider your guests tastes and dietary restrictions when making your selections. Here are a few tips to help you plan the perfect wedding menu: 1. Start with a bang: Make sure your appetizers are something special that will really whet your guests appetites. Think outside the box here shrimp cocktail and veggie trays are nice, but why not get creative with unique passed hors doeuvres or an elegant charcuterie spread?
2. Consider your entrees carefully: This is where youll want to please everyone, so be sure to have a variety of options available. If youre having a plated meal, make sure theres at least one vegetarian option and one chicken/fish option. And if youre doing a buffet-style meal, be sure to have plenty of both meat and vegetarian dishes available.
3. Dont forget about dessert: Your wedding cake should be the showstopper here, but that doesnt mean you cant offer other sweet treats as well. A candy buffet or mini desserts are always popular choices just be sure to have something for everyone!
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Eggs Benedict With Smoked Salmon And Dill Hollandaise
Eggs Benedict with smoked salmon and dill hollandaise is ideal for serving as an entrée at outdoor weddings or receptions during the day. Perfectly poached eggs with lemony hollandaise, creamy cream cheese, spicy red onions, salty capers, and peppery arugula are a wedding reception staple. Your guests would love to savor this insanely delicious dish.
How To Accommodate Dietary Restrictions & Allergies At Your Reception
When it comes to how to word dietary requirements on rsvp, it’s a good idea to preempt common issues that arise. You’ll need to set boundaries, otherwise, people will try to write their own menu entirely! We’d recommend making sure there are at least two options for each menu choice, with one standard dish and another one that’s vegetarian or vegan. Ensure that chefs can easily adapt both recipes for dairy-free, gluten-free, nut-free, etc.
Your wedding invitation food allergy wording can go something along these lines:
“Please let us know if you have any dietary restrictions or requirements, and we’ll do our best to make sure you have at least one tasty menu option per course.”
This manages guests’ expectations and puts the control firmly in your hands. You can communicate with the caterer to get menu options sorted out and serve them on the day. Instead of going back to guests with menu options and asking if they’re okay â be confident in your choice and leave it as a surprise. Let anyone who is concerned know about how allergens are handled and ask the caterer for an allergens chart to give to guests on the day.
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Everyone Will Be Asking For Seconds
Photo by Mallory Dawn Photography Catering by Tres LA
Planning your wedding menu is one of the most important tasks to check off your to-do list, and there are so many options to consider, from plated dinners to buffet-style receptions. And while the format of your dinner service definitely matters, the food you select is even more important.
When it comes to your summer wedding menu, you dont want to serve something too messy or difficult to eat. And, especially in summer, you may also want to feature the flavors of the season. To get the full scoop on the best wedding food for a summer wedding, we sat down with Stephani OConnor, wedding catering pro and former culinary director of The Peached Tortilla, to get her top tips and menu ideas.
Meet the Expert
- Stephani O’Connor is a culinary specialist with over a decade of experience in the industry.
Read on for tips and tricks on how to incorporate the flavors of the season, plus 33 summer wedding menu ideas to help get your planning started.
Dont Sweat The Small Stuff
If youre still stuck with deciding on the best menu style for your wedding, it might help to sit down and define your wedding vision first. Your overall vision for the day might naturally lend itself to one menu style over another.
Be honest, have you ever felt like a wedding was ruined because the side salad wasnt to your taste? Not likely, right?!
At the end of the day, your guests are there to celebrate your love, not to critique your menu. Just choose a menu style that works best for you and your requirements, and the celebration will still be just as special.
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Nail Down Your Estimated Budget And Number Of Guests
The number of people you would like to invite to your wedding will have a huge impact on the dining choices you make. The sooner you are able to determine your expected number of guests and your estimated budget, the sooner you can move forward with planning your menu.
Think about your vision for your special day, and if necessary consider whether youd rather treat a small group to fine dining, have more casual fare for a large group or offer something in between. The sooner you can settle on your number of guests, the easier the rest of your planning will be!
What Are Creative Alternative Wedding Reception Menu Ideas
More and more couples are breaking the mold and injecting more of their personality into their modern catering ideas. From carnival themed wedding food menus to popcorn bar ideas for weddings, people young and old are thinking outside of the box. Some more fun wedding catering ideas include:
- Festival style food and drink stands
- Creative wedding-themed afternoon tea
- Outdoor barbecue
- Edible showpieces
Make sure you research unique reception food ideas, too. Non-traditional wedding food can make your wedding truly memorable for you, your partner, and your guests. Unique food vendor ideas are dominating the market at the moment due to the choice and prestige hiring various food vendors affords.
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Perfect 3 Course Meal Ideas
This easy but gorgeous menu is perfect, because you spend a fairly short time in the kitchen and you come out with 3 stunning meals. This would be perfect for a nice, romantic dinner indoors , a brunch at home, or for that Im that GIRL, selfcare vibe. Whatever the occasion, these are the perfect 3-course meal ideas!
Recipes in this post
Ham and Spinach Love pies- STARTER
These are as tasty as they are adorable! They say we first eat with our eyes, right. Then feast your eyes, and imagine the layers of flaky crust, followed by the salty cheese and ham and the garlicky spinach, topped off with the perfect sweet smoky-ness from the barbecue sauce.
Puff Pastry- You can choose to make your own from scratch, but Ill be honest, that is not a labor of love I am willing to go through. I buy mine already made in well stocked supermarkets. The brand is called Lyons Maid and a pack enough to make 8 of these is around Kshs. 230. Take the shortcut and thank me later, LOL!
Keep The Following Questions In Mind When Meeting With Your Caterer To Make Sure You Cover All Bases:
- Are you available on my wedding date?
- Do you offer a tasting service to sample the different menu options?
- How does your pricing work? Will you give me a price per person or a lump sum?
- Will you be able to cater for guests that have dietary requirements?
- Are there any dietary requirements you dont cater for?
- What timeframe is needed to have my confirmed guest numbers and menu preferences to you?
- Do you have experience in the menu service style I have chosen?
- Will you be able to make suggestions in order to work with my budget?
- Who is responsible for organising all of the serving equipment, cutlery, crockery, linen and glassware?
- Are there any additional costs I should be aware of, for example, staff overtime?
- Are you familiar with my wedding venue?
- Do you set the tables on the day?
- Are your menu options able to be customised according to our preferences?
- Do you have any specific kitchen requirements?
- How many wait staff will be there on the day?
Heres a . These questions should give you the best initial indication of pricing and what exactly is included in your package!
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How To Curate Wedding Drink Menus
Finished selecting dishes for your wedding feat? Then it’s time to move on to one of the most exciting parts of the wedding menu planning process: choosing a few exciting drinks to share with friends and family.
Fortunately, you don’t have to add dozens of wines, beers, and liquors to your wedding menu. Instead, focus on a few mainstays that match your theme, such as:
- A red, white, and sparkling wine
- Alcohol-free refreshments, including soda, tea, sparkling ciders, lemonade, and water
What Food Is Normally Served At A Wedding
Wedding menus are becoming more adventurous over time, with Marc revealing they’re often inspired by travel or even the couple’s favourite restaurants. However, the classic format of serving guests canapés during the drinks reception, followed by a three-course wedding breakfast and then evening food, remains a winner.
Chocolate desserts are always a winner
Detailing the most popular wedding menu choices, Marc says: “Canapés are a great place to get creative with tasty, one biters and the most popular tend to be a great Wild Mushroom Arancini – served with a little truffle oil and parmesan.
“For the three-course wedding breakfast, the retro Prawn Cocktail is as popular as ever, but we’re seeing lots of Mediterranean-inspired charcuterie sharing boards. The main course is often won by a beef dish, but each year we’re preparing more and more delicious plant-based dishes. Dessert is often won by an Eton Mess in the Summer and sticky toffee pudding in the winter!
“For evening food the go-to is often street-food inspired… the dirtier the better and by that we mean Loaded Fries, Mac n Cheese with a plethora of toppings, Dirty Burgers, Pizza, Pad Thai and then a Spicy Chicken & Chorizo Paella are our most popular options. You can see our wedding food trends for 2022 over on our blog.”
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Mini Grilled Cheese Sandwiches With Tomato Soup
Mini grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato soup are the best option, especially if you dont want to spend too much money on your winter wedding after-party. Tomato soup will keep your guests warm on a cool night, and cheese sandwiches will keep them satisfied for a long time.
Bringing it all together
So, there you have it: 55+ wedding reception food menu ideas to get you started. Of course, you can tailor your wedding menu to your preferences.
However, it is always a good idea to discuss your food preferences with your caterer ahead of time. As a result, you will have a great wedding food menu and a stress-free wedding preparation.
Happy Wedding
Using Wedding Menu Cards
Menu cards are one of the most important but overlooked aspects of your reception. Customized wedding menu cards add an extra touch of style to your reception while helping guests navigate your food table with ease.
You can choose between metal, wooden, and paper options to suit your taste or coordinate the design with your wedding stationery and invitations for a creative nod to your theme. No matter which style you choose, place a clearly labeled menu card in front of each serving platter and tray to let your friends and family know what’s inside.
If you have guests with specific dietary needs, you can use a menu card to clearly label vegan, vegetarian, or gluten-free food, too.
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What Are The Different Wedding Catering Foods On Menus Around The World
