Wedding Menu Planning
By Sher Matsen

You’ve got most of your wedding plans in place, that is except for the wedding menu planning. So where to start?

The first thing you must determine is how much of your wedding budget is going to be used for the menu. The menu includes both food and drink. Once you’ve decided that you can move forward to the planning stage.

Next you will need to decide if you are going to have your friends and family help you prepare the food or if you are going to have the meal catered. If you can afford to hire a catering service, I recommend it! By using a caterer you leave your friends and family free to enjoy your special day.

Not everyone can afford or wants a caterer. If you decide to prepare your own meal, then you need to figure out what you will serve and if it fits your budget. You will need to modify and revise to you are within your budget and satisfied with the menu for your reception meal.

You will need to make sure you have accommodated the food needs of all your guests. Some may have food allergies, or be a vegetarian. A good way to collect this information is to have them note it in their RSVP.

You have various options on how you serve the dinner. Here are some suggestions:

Buffet style has become quite popular, and very cheap to do. Ask each guest to bring a dish rather than a wedding gift. You’ll have a marvelous mix of foods with something to please everyone.

For small informal wedding or beach weddings platters have become very popular – supply a mix of vegetable, fruit, cheese, and meat platters. Put several varieties of crackers on smaller platters along with dip. Everyone can help themselves and mingle enjoying their time together.

You can do a soup and salad bar, with 20 or 30 different style salads, and 3 or 4 different soups. Add some buns, crackers, and perhaps some finger foods such as deli meats, chicken wings, or shrimp.

You also have various options for how you handle the bar and drinks. Drinks can become a major expense. After all your guests are there to party and have a good time. Here’s some popular methods to limit your costs.

An ethnic theme always goes over well on a wedding menu. Offer different appetizers from around the globe rather than a full meal. Add some basics such as cheese sticks, or chicken wings to make sure there is something everyone will eat. Don’t make really strange foods, stick with more common foods that people won’t be scared to try. So no chocolate coated ants unless you’ve got a very brave group of guests.

Have your family members each create one of the family favorites such as lasagna or cabbage roles. In our house my potato salad is requested for every get together be it birthday, anniversary, or wedding. Everyone has a fave dish that someone in the family makes. A cheap meal with the best of foods!

If you are having an outdoor wedding the menu choices are much more flexible. Serve hamburgers and hotdogs with salads. Pizza or those huge party submarines are also great choices.

Offer a limited bar which is only open at certain times, such as through dinner and during the toasting. For the balance of the reception offer a cash bar. That way guests pay for their own drinks.

Give each guest 3 or 4 tickets for drinks at the bar. After that they have to pay for their own drinks.

If at all possible don’t pay for a bartender or server. Ask a friend or someone from your family to do it, rather than buying a wedding gift. Check with your local authorities to make sure this is allowed.

Supply only the wine or the champagne on the table and let guests purchase their own drinks.

Supply only wine and beer and have guests purchase hard liquor drinks or don't even offer them.

Your guests are at your wedding to see “you”. Gone are the days were a large full course meal is expected. Although still done at larger more formal weddings, more creative meals have become very popular and enjoyed by all.

© Copyright Sher Matsen, All Rights Reserved.

About the author:
Sher from Estate Jewelry International have been serving customers for over 20 years, providing affordable estate jewelry, and a wealth of information on jewelry, fashion, designers, and beauty with on staff industry professionals. Please visit us at Estate Jewelry International.