Food
At a wedding there are so many aspects of the catering
to bear in mind. When guest arrive at the breakfast or
reception it is essential that there are canapés for them
to nibble on. Although these are expensive they are ideal
as many of the guests may have missed breakfast or
lunch and will want something to eat before they begin
to drink alcohol. At least six canapés should be provided
for each guest and 14 or more for a drinks and canapés
only reception. Having half hot and half cold is the
best idea and it is also important to have a variety of
vegetarian canapés. It is important to have only one
type of canapé on each serving plate and waiting
staff should be informed what they are so they can
tell guests as they hand them out. Anything messy
or mundane is a bad choice so keep it simple and tasty.
When guests are having a sit-down meal the starter should be simple. A cold vegetarian option will save on cooking and will suit all guests. Starters should be presented to guests once everyone is seated, not before.
For the main course there is a choice of either a buffet or a sit-down meal. If it is a buffet there should be plenty of people serving and they should indicate when each table should go up to be served. Vegetarians should make this known to the staff before-hand so there is no confusion.
For a sit-down meal food that is easy to get ready on a plate before-hand is the best option. Alternatively it is possible to place fish or meat on the plate and then have a buffet with salad and potatoes that guests can help themselves to. Silver service is best avoided unless experienced staff is serving as otherwise it can take too long and leaves certain guests waiting longer than others.
The couple should bear in mind the time of year when choosing the menu as well as the age range of guests. Play it safe and don’t have any overpowering food that may cause guests to leave it and feel dissatisfied.
For dessert it is a good idea to serve something indulgent and nicely decorated. It is also preferable to have something that can be served to each guest on a plate. In the summer be sure to avoid dishes that are likely to melt as it is being served such as ice cream. A lot of couples now choose to serve their wedding cake as a dessert with a coulis or berries.
Setting up a separate table where tea and coffee can be served is less time consuming than laying cups and saucers in front of each guest. This then allows guests to get tea and coffee if they wish and prevents each table from being too cluttered with un-used cups and saucers. Once the speeches are over is the perfect time to serve tea and coffee. Having it in a separate section will also encourage guests to circulate and chat to other guests. It is a good idea to make sure there is a selection of herbal teas on offer. Having petit fours and slices of wedding cake at this table is a nice touch.
