5 Tips for Planning an Amazing Wedding Menu

First of all, find your number

The first and one of the most important things you should do before you even start planning on your wedding menu is to come up with your guest list. The number of guests is undoubtedly a huge factor in determining your menu, and it’s particularly important if you have a limited budget. That’s exactly why you should stick to your guest list no matter what. Limiting the headcount is a good way to start if you want to come up with an impressive menu, but the fact is that isn’t always possible. However, you don’t have to worry even if you simply can’t stick to a short guest list, as there are creative ways to cut menu costs and stay within your budget!  

Remember that an amazing menu depends on the right caterer

Do we even have to emphasize the importance of the right caterer when it comes to your wedding menu? We don’t think so, as an amazing menu inevitably begins with your caterer selection. Booking a caterer about 12 months in advance is quite common nowadays, so make sure to have that in mind while searching for a perfect venue. Of course, there are thousands of fabulous caterers worldwide – including catering companies in NYC which are never a bad choice if you live in the Big Apple. Apart from your wedding menu, you mustn’t forget your wedding cake either, so pick one according to your wedding theme and you’ll do a great job!  

Take allergies and dietary restrictions into consideration, too

As there are a lot of people who have switched to a gluten-free diet these days, it’s highly likely that some of your guests will have such requests. That’s why you should talk to your caterer about such dietary restrictions and make sure that there is an option for everyone. Apart from the gluten-free restrictions, you should also take into consideration people with different allergies, as well as your guests who don’t eat meat, so that everyone can be satisfied and full in the end.  

Go for local and seasonal foods

In case you weren’t aware of it, the fact is that the majority of great chefs plan their menus around seasonal foods simply because they are the freshest at the moment. You should certainly ask your caterer what ingredients will be the freshest on your wedding date, so that you can come up with a menu that will feature them. Besides the season, you should also pick regionally-grown foods as that means that they are as fresh as possible. For example, if you live far from the sea or ocean, you should better stay away from seafood as these have to be frozen in the first place, and then delivered to your caterer. Just go for ingredients you can find at your local market and you won’t make a mistake.

Don’t skimp on portions

Last but not least, portion size really matters a lot, so listen to your caterer and don’t try to cut it down more than they recommend. Truth be told, there’s hardly anything worse than not having enough food at your reception, which will leave a negative impression on your guests – that’s a fact! So, stick to your guest list in the first place and provide your caterer with an accurate headcount. Even though a lot of caterers usually bring 10% of extra food, that sometimes isn’t the case, so be as exact as possible with your guest list and everyone will be happy in the end. Yes, planning a wedding menu is often perceived as a quite challenging task, but it actually doesn’t have to be like that at all – as long as you’re sticking to our guidelines! If that’s one of your biggest concerns, just be sure to bear our tips in mind and you’ll do a great job, without a shadow of a doubt!