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Wedding Menus
The
Possibilities are Endless
The guests who are in
attendance at your wedding might talk about the ceremony, how beautiful
the bride looked in her white dress, how cute the flower girl and ring
bearer were as they moseyed down the aisle, and how the music touched
their hearts. And yes, they are present at your wedding because they
want to wish you well and show their love for you both. Be assured,
however, the guests will definitely talk about the food at the
reception! Choosing a menu for your wedding reception can seem a
daunting task, but if you begin with a few basic questions, the choices
become clearer.
Budget is always the first consideration. Once you are certain of your
boundaries, it’s time to move forward. Get a quote per
guest based on several different menu options. This way, you’ll know
prior to the reception what the bottom line will be and that will enable
you to stay within your established budget.
You’ll want to plan the menu for your reception at least six to twelve
months ahead of the actual date. Many times, reception
locations offer package deals with the space and the food for one price.
If you have your reception at an unusual location and require a
caterer’s services, this route will be a bit more expensive. Make sure
to include the cost for servers if they are needed for a sit-down meal
or an open bar.
Location definitely plays a part when planning your reception and the
food you’ll serve your guests. A beach wedding would
call for light salads, seafood and light pasta. A country style wedding
might be more casual with barbecue chicken, corn on the cob, macaroni
and cheese and cornbread. Getting married in the city? Consider a menu
that reflects ultra-chic tastes. If you are getting married in an exotic
locale, include foods that reflect the location (Mexico, Hawaii, etc.).
A good caterer can guide you toward the foods that will be the most
attractive and the most practical. The size of your guest
list will help determine choices as well. For larger weddings, choose
foods that have great staying power, even if held a bit longer in the
chafing dishes.
Consider the time of day you’ll be married. If you are married in the
morning, you’ll have the choice of a breakfast or brunch.
Choices might be fresh fruit, omelets, cheeses, pastries, pancakes,
bagels and, if you are adventurous, smoked salmon.
When designing your menu,
think about the presentation of the food - do they have color and
texture differences? Fresh fruit can be presented in many ways and is
very colorful among foods with less color, such as bagels. Consider
offering flavored syrups as an accompaniment to the pancakes. Offer
homemade jams and jellies to go with the bagels.
Coffee is always a hit, no
matter what time of the day, but is especially appreciated with
breakfast or brunch. Know your guests’ tastes. Serve the traditional
regular and decaffeinated coffee and then spice things up with flavored
creamers. Flavored coffees might be another good choice. Tea, whether
flavored or not, is always appreciated by those who do not drink coffee
but still enjoy a hot beverage with their morning meal. Offer orange
juice and possibly grapefruit juice for those who may want to drink
their fruit rather than eat it.
A lunch menu, in the case of a mid-day reception, offers a lot of
flexibility and is usually less costly than a dinner menu. A
summer wedding day might call for the timeless theme of pasta, fruit,
salads, cold lemonade and sandwiches at the reception. A winter wedding
reception could feature hot and hearty soups, chili and cornbread,
breads with butter and jam, and other comfort foods.
Ah, the dinner reception. This is the most traditional time for a
wedding reception and usually lends itself to a more formal
celebration and as a result, is generally the most expensive. Decisions
concerning the style of serving (buffet, sit-down meal or food
stations), menu and an overall theme all come together to create a
one-of-a-kind evening wedding reception.
One thing to keep in mind if you are considering a buffet is that it
actually might be more expensive than a sit-down meal. In
order to be fully prepared, caterers will overestimate the amount of
food needed for your guests and even if it isn’t eaten, you’ll pay for
the amount of food prepared. However, a buffet does allow more food
options and lends itself to a more relaxed atmosphere.
Menu options can become much more manageable once the theme for your
wedding is set. Make certain you consider any
special needs your guests may have. Is anyone a vegetarian? Does anyone
have diabetes? Address these issues with your caterer. Special meals can
be prepared for those who have specific needs.
It used to be that a plain chicken breast was automatically the choice
for a sit-down dinner reception. Nowadays, there are
many ways to ‘spice up’ your chicken and make the recipe fit your theme.
One idea might be chicken skewers with grilled vegetables and rice
pilaf. If you like something a bit more fancy, try a baked chicken
breast with sun-dried tomatoes and a sauce over the top.
Beef and salmon are still crowd-pleasers. They are both more expensive
than chicken, but ask your caterer for ideas on how
to prepare less expensive cuts of beef without sacrificing taste.
Perhaps you and your spouse don’t drink and prefer to offer a
non-alcoholic ‘bar’. Flavored waters, sodas, juices, or
smoothies are great options. For the toast, serve sparkling cider. That
way, everyone can participate! If you do decide to have an open bar for
your guests, remember to add that cost into the budget. You may decide
to spend that extra money on food after all.
Unless you specified “no children” attend the reception, consider
offering meals for the children in attendance. Chicken
nuggets or spaghetti are usually safe choices.
A dessert reception is one of the least expensive options, but it can
still be elegant and fun. One advantage for the couple and
for your out-of-town guests is that only beverages and dessert are
offered and it is usually a shorter reception.
If your budget doesn’t allow a breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner, a tea
reception is an elegant, yet economical choice for a reception. Serving
finger sandwiches, cake, scones, dainty cookies, and candy can make for
a simple, yet delicious meal.
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