Photography by Richard Tilney-Bassett
Food, glorious food! Feasting and dining together is a central a part of any wedding celebration. If you’ve never planned a large event, it can feel like a lot to get your head around, especially if your wedding is taking place over a few days. On top of the logistics of serving food at your wedding, there’s just so much choice these days. Where do you start?!
There are no hard and fast rules about serving food at your wedding. Ultimately, what and when you eat is completely up to you, but keeping your guests fed and watered is an essential part of ensuring their comfort and enjoyment. Here are a few suggestions to get you started…
Rehearsal dinners typically take place the night before the wedding. Unlike our American friends, they do not have a long tradition here in the UK. However, they are increasing in popularity, and more and more couples are adding a rehearsal dinner to their wedding itinerary. It’s a great way to welcome close friends and family and it doesn’t have to be a formal sit-down affair.
Canapés are delicious, bite-sized appetisers usually served for guests to enjoy while mingling. There is a huge array of options to choose from with a variety of flavours and textures. As well as tasting good, canapés can be visually stunning. Typically, serving 4-6 canapés per person ensures everyone has enough without feeling too full before the main meal.
The term ‘wedding breakfast’ comes from the old English tradition of breaking the fast. In the early 1800s, the meal was held in the morning when people would have their wedding ceremony very early without eating beforehand. In those days it really was your breakfast! Now, it’s simply the first proper meal you share as newlyweds.
As the main meal of the day, the wedding breakfast is traditionally a plated sit-down meal with three courses. However, other meal styles are becoming increasingly popular.
For a family-style meal, big platters and bowls of food are passed around by guests while sitting at their table, just like you might with your own family at home. This has a lovely informal feel while also allowing people to stay seated.
A buffet-style meal usually features long tables filled with a variety of food. BBQs also tend to be served buffet-style. With this option, you must consider how you’ll move guests through the food lines as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Italian style wedding cakes and dessert table by Pasticceria Lorena - Photography by Megan Wilson
Self-serve food stations are like a buffet, but they tend to be more interactive. With this type of meal, you dedicate tables or certain areas to specific dishes or types of foods. They usually require more serving staff than a standard ‘help yourself’ buffet, but there’s plenty of scope to be creative and inject some personality. For example, you could have a station dedicated to the food you shared on your first date. Charcuterie stations, oyster bars and dessert tables are also popular.
Personally, I’m a big fan of making a big deal about your wedding cake! We recently planned a wedding where the couple chose to wheel their beautiful cake to the centre of the dance floor on a trolley. It was a truly showstopping moment in the middle of an awesome party!
Many couples opt to serve an evening buffet, casual meal or some kind of light bite at around 8.30pm, especially if they have additional guests joining them for the evening celebrations. Thankfully, boring beige buffets are a thing of the past! Nowadays, anything goes, from wood fired pizzas or paella to fish and chips, cheese toasties, bacon butties and more. I’ve even seen sushi served at an evening reception!
At Benessamy, we love helping our couples plan a full wedding weekend. Serving a delicious brunch the morning after the night before is an excellent way to prolong the festivities and, if necessary, nurse those hangovers!
The food you choose to serve at your wedding can also be a way of allowing your guests to experience your culture. Last year, we had a couple who were of Irish and Jamaican heritage and their menu was a fabulous fusion of both.
The type of food you’re able to serve at your wedding may be impacted by your choice of wedding venue. Some venues provide food and drink in-house while others will allow you to arrange external caterers. Often, they will have a list of preferred caterers for you to choose from.
Your venue may have a kitchen or food preparation area for external caterers to use or you may need to select a vendor who can provide their own outside kitchen. This is also likely to be a requirement if you’re planning a marquee wedding.
If you want something specific that requires a particular method of cooking or additional space, such as wood fired pizza, BBQ or food truck, discuss this with your venue and make sure they can accommodate your plans.
Caterers can often provide things like plates, cutlery, glassware and table linen. It’s a good idea to establish exactly what’s included. Depending on the look you’re going for (and your budget) you may want to source something different. The same goes for serving your food – iron out the details in advance. How many waiting staff are your caterers able to provide, and do they have a uniform policy?
Whether one of your guests is living with a serious food allergy or intolerance, or simply chooses not to eat meat and/or dairy, it’s important to accommodate any dietary requirements.
Start by discussing this with your caterer. Once you’ve confirmed they’re able to provide an option for all types of dietary requirements, you will need to contact your guests and compile a comprehensive list of their restrictions including any allergies.
The simplest way to do this is to ask for confirmation in the RSVP. Whether you’re collecting responses digitally or traditionally, make sure it’s clear guests are required to let you know if they have any specific dietary requests when confirming their attendance.
Still not sure where to start? Benessamy can help! Discover our Wedding Planning Services or get in touch to arrange a consultation.
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