The Top 3 Tips for Planning Your Dream Wedding Menu
Feasting at a wedding isn’t just about filling bellies, it’s about celebrating love, unity, and tradition. That’s why we encourage preparing a wedding menu, a significant player in this event, that journeys beyond the classic choices of chicken or beef. Wouldn’t it be delightful to savour something more enticing and personal that will make your wedding day even more special?
So whether you envision an exclusive caterer crafting your dream dishes or prefer an on-site venue to handle the culinary details, rest assured that the UK wedding scene has got you covered!
To give you a hand, we’ve prepared three key tips to guide your wedding menu selection journey. Keep on reading, and you’ll craft a successful wedding menu!
Top 3 Tips for Choosing a Wedding Menu
1. Pick The Right Wedding Venue
Choosing a wedding venue isn’t just about the aesthetics but also about the culinary experiences it can offer. Do you envision a formal sit-down dinner, a relaxed BBQ, or perhaps a casual finger-food reception in a charming garden setting?
The venue you pick sets the stage for these choices. A garden might lend itself to casual dining, allowing guests to mingle freely, while a historical venue might offer an all-inclusive wedding package but with some restrictions, such as a ban on red wine to protect ancient floors.
On the flip side, if you’ve set your heart on a trendy restaurant or pub with a dance floor, planning a buffet meal could require a strategic placement to ensure smooth guest movement.
To navigate this maze, have an open and detailed discussion with your potential venue managers. Arm yourself with a checklist of questions to keep track of the fine details and tap into their wealth of knowledge from past events. You can also review past client feedback, which can provide valuable insights that may influence your final decision.
If you’re still looking for the perfect wedding venue, make sure to swing by Tagvenue! We have a wide range of fabulous venues, from fancy hotel venues and rooftop spaces to wedding restaurants, laid-back bars and lush gardens.
And in case you’re looking for some expert tips on how to choose a wedding venue of your dreams, read our complete guide!
2. Meet with the Chef
Once your venue is set and your preferred dining style decided, it’s time to connect with the culinary mastermind – the chef. Whether it’s an in-house chef or an external caterer, this meeting is crucial for aligning your dream wedding menu with their expertise.
While the executive chef might not personally wield the ladle on your big day, they do orchestrate the kitchen symphony. If you fancy a chat with the sous chef who might be helping in the kitchen at your wedding, don’t hesitate to request a meet-up.
Remember, crafting a wedding feast for 150 guests is a grander task than cooking a home dinner or running a restaurant service. Thus, while your ideas and vision matter, the chef’s advice on feasible and impressive menu options should be highly considered.
There’s ample space for personal touches in your wedding feast, but they should be sprinkled atop a healthy serving of practicality.
3. Schedule a Tasting Session
About three months before your big day, gather your wedding task force – you, your partner, the chef, and any coordinators – for a tasting session.
Make sure that you are offered a few choices for each course. And don’t worry about asking questions. Check if they have photos of dishes prepared for other events or if they have any advice based on previous experience. You are the decision-makers, but it never hurts to see what makes others enthusiastic. Also, don’t be afraid to ask for a follow-up tasting if you remain unsure, there is a reason why this has been scheduled for three months in advance. And don’t forget to check in about the wine pairing as well!
Remember that your tastes need to factor into the whole experience as well. If you have opinions on the garnish or presentation, you should share them and discuss if they are feasible.
If there are amendments to the dishes that you feel strongly about, this is the time for you to say something.
And once you have finished up, feel no hesitation about following up with emails that summarise and set out your decisions. And keep checking in, politely, as the event approaches. Keeping abreast of developments leading up to the day will save you any enormous headaches later.
To Wrap Things Up
Choosing your dream wedding menu is an exciting endeavour that you’ll definitely remember for years to come. We’re more than sure that when you consider the venue’s character, consult your dining options with the chef, and have a tasting session, you’ll craft something that is delicious and revolves around your unique love story. So savour the process and enjoy every bite of success. Happy menu planning, and good luck!
FAQ
What’s the typical wedding menu?
A typical wedding menu varies greatly based on personal tastes, cultural backgrounds, and the style of the wedding. Usually, a traditional wedding menu consists of three courses.
For starters, popular options can include smoked salmon or a fresh garden salad. The main course is typically a hearty meat dish, such as roast beef or chicken, served with seasonal vegetables and potatoes. For dessert, it’s common to see options like fruit pavlova, sticky toffee pudding, or a classic British fruitcake. Of course, the wedding cake is also a significant part of the wedding menu. However, every wedding menu can be tailored to the couple and reflect their unique tastes and dietary preferences.
What are the most popular wedding reception meal styles?
Here are the most popular wedding reception meal styles:
✦ Sit-down dinner – This is the most traditional and formal option, where guests are served a three-course meal at their table.
✦ Buffet – A buffet offers a variety of dishes from which guests can serve themselves. This can encourage a more relaxed and sociable atmosphere.
✦ Food stations or street food style – This contemporary option involves different ‘stations’ around the venue, each serving a different type of cuisine or dish. It adds an element of fun and allows the guests to mingle and try a broad range of food, from pasta and pizza to sushi.
Do you need evening food at a wedding?
The decision to serve evening food largely depends on the timing of your wedding and the nature of your celebration. For example, if there’s a significant gap between the wedding breakfast and the end of the reception, or if you’re planning a long night of dancing and festivities, providing evening food is a good idea to keep your guests energised. This doesn’t necessarily need to be a full meal—it could be light bites, finger food, or even a late-night dessert station.
However, if your main meal finishes later in the day, an additional evening menu might not be necessary. It’s all about ensuring your guests are comfortably catered to throughout your celebration.
